HESI Exam Questions: Reading Comprehension Passage 3 — Flashcards

Read this passage and answer the questions that follow:

Obsession Plus Addiction    
It is hard to imagine how the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia could be any worse than they already are, but somehow people have found a way. Known unofficially as drunkorexia, this condition is a blend of self-imposed starvation or binging and purging mixed with alcohol abuse. Anorexics use alcohol either to soothe their conscience for eating something they feel they should not, or as their only sustenance. Bulimics binge on alcohol for emotional reasons and then purge by vomiting all of it back up.    
Our current culture's obsession with thinness, coupled with widespread acceptance of drug and alcohol abuse, has made this combination particularly attractive. Dr. Doug Bunnell, former president of the National Eating Disorders Association, said, “Binge drinking is almost cool and hip, and losing weight and being thin is a cultural imperative for young women in America. Mixing both is not surprising, and it has reached a tipping point in terms of public awareness.”    
Some experts are beginning to explore the possible psychological and neurological links between eating disorders and substance abuse. Does eating or binging somehow trigger the same pleasure centers as drugs or alcohol? Another avenue being explored is what to do if a person has both conditions.    
Treatment for addiction is abstinence, but no one can abstain completely from food. As Dr. Kevin Wandler, vice president for medical services at an eating disorders center, phrases it, “Eating normally would be an effective behavior, but it's easier to give up alcohol and drugs because you never need them again. If your drug is food, that's a challenge.”