Weight problems
Doctor Ngo Tuan Khiem, Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital) shared: Female patient N.T.H, 17 years old, a 12th grade student, is the eldest child in a working-class family in Hanoi. Before getting sick, H was a cheerful, sociable girl, good at studying and loved by teachers and friends. With average family circumstances, parents care about and love their children. However, a seemingly small incident in the gym class took the girl's life in a different direction.
During a class, H was teased by her friends for being " obese" and "unbalanced". That accidental statement made H start to feel self-conscious and think that she was really fat and ugly. H gradually hesitated to go out, afraid to communicate because she was worried about being criticized and laughed at. From there, H embarked on a journey to lose weight at all costs. She researched online diets, cut down on starch, fast for breakfast, eat only a small portion of the meal, and exercise at a high intensity of 2-3 hours a day. After a few months, H lost nearly 10kg, but continued to diet strictly, believing that she was "not thin enough".
The body of H is thin, pale, and slow to function. Despite losing her 3-month period, H still thought her body was normal and resolutely did not go to the doctor. When H was only 42kg, his blood pressure dropped to 80 50mmHg, his heart rate was 48 times/minute, he fainted at home and was taken to Bach Mai Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed H as having an eating disorder, a dangerous form of mental illness.
After 6 days of active treatment at the Institute of Mental Health - Bach Mai Hospital, H started to eat better, worried less and gained nearly 2kg. After 20 days, the amount of food eaten reached 80% of the nutritional requirement, although still afraid of fat, the overtraining was significantly reduced.
H's story is not only a typical case but also a warning bell about the negative pressure of social networks on young people. When the standard of "must be thin to be beautiful" was honored, many teenagers accidentally traded their health and lives.
Eating disorders, weight loss pressure in adolescence
Doctor Pham Thi Nguyet Nga, Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital) said that eating disorders are a dangerous form of mental illness, characterized by abnormal eating behavior and inherent fear of appearance. People with the disease often fear weight gain, control their diet excessively, leading to physical exhaustion and serious psychological disorders.
Adults (1019 years old) are the most likely to start due to strong psychological changes. Factors such as external pressure from social networks, teasing, bullying, or study stress, family can trigger the disease. Many young people, because they want to "be more beautiful", have resorted to harsh weight loss regimens, even fasting or exercising excessively.
Warning signs include: rapid weight loss, eating very little or refusing to eat, obsession with looking in the mirror, hiding food, loss of menstruation, fatigue, low blood pressure, arrhythmia, dry skin, hair loss. Many cases are accompanied by anxiety, depression, guilt and decreased concentration.
Experts recommend early detection and timely treatment to avoid dangerous complications. Family and school need to create a positive environment, helping adolescents realize that health and self-confidence are more important than any "normal" appearance.
