Individuals suffering from eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating sometimes misuse diuretics in an attempt to lose, or control, their weight. In actuality, diuretic misuse by the eating disordered individual does not facilitate weight loss but instead only reduces the amount of water in the body. Water in the body is vital for the appropriate functioning of all physiological systems. By misusing diuretics the eating disordered individual is robbing their body of this crucial resource.

The misuse of diuretics can cause the following severe and dangerous complications for the eating disordered individual:

• Kidney damage
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Heart palpitations
• Dehydration
• Fluid retention
• Headaches
• Potassium deficiency
• Dizziness

Rader Programs understands and can successfully help individuals who have misused diuretics. Our multidisciplinary treatment team has developed a withdrawal protocol that allows the individual to end the use of diuretics with the least amount of discomfort.