I am 31 years old and have teetered between fasting and purging since I was 18. I often worry what could happen to me. Sometimes I bleed when I go to the bathroom. I get panic attacks and take Prozac and Xanax. The use of laxatives for weight regulation is one of the most medically dangerous and psychologically unsettling behaviors practiced by eating disordered patients.
Laxatives work by artificially stimulating the bowel.
Over time the bowel becomes dependent or addicted to the stimulant. In fact, the bowel develops a tolerance for the stimulant, which then requires the individual to use progressively larger doses or quantities to accomplish bowel movement. Most patients can be detoxed or weaned from the laxatives, but this can be a very painful process requiring hospitalization. It is a very psychologically demanding task, because the principal side effect is rebound edema or bloating. This bloating or fluid retention is, of course, very frightening to individuals who already have an irrational fear of being fat.