Diet Pills | Consequences
Consequences
In a society where "thin is in" and people are often judged by their appearance, diet pill use has skyrocketed. However, diet pills are merely a temporary solution to a long-term problem. Maintaining a healthy weight is an ongoing process that involves adopting a whole new lifestyle of eating healthy meals and exercising regularly.
Diet Pill Abuse
People who use diet pills often put the pounds they have lost right back on as soon as they stop taking the drugs. Not only do they regain the weight they first lost, they sometimes gain even more. This process is called the "yo-yo syndrome" because the affected individual's weight goes up and down like a yo-yo. Common consequences of diet pill abuse include muscle loss, psychological dependency, feelings of failure, and a generally unhealthy physical state. Overuse of pills can affect concentration and performance in school or work. In addition, there is a potential for addiction to some diet pills.
The Struggle to Be Thin
Although excessive weight and obesity are problems in the United States and other countries, there is also a concern about people who diet to an unhealthy low weight. Individuals suffering from eating disorders have an unrealistic image of themselves and their bodies. The most common eating disorders are anorexiaPronounced ah-nuh-REK-see-uh; a severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a refusal to eat, a distorted sense of self-image, and excessive weight loss. nervosa and bulimiaPronounced bull-EEM-eeh-yuh; an eating disorder that involves long periods of bingeing on food, followed by selfinduced vomiting and abuse of laxatives. nervosa. For someone with an eating disorder, taking diet pills can aggravate an already serious condition. If left untreated, eating disorders can be fatal.
