Detecting an eating disorder

Although I mainly focused my blog on prevention, I realize that eating disorders happen and it is important for us to know how to recognize them and to get involved when we see red flags. The following video describes various eating disorders and explains the behaviors associated with each.

Anorexia is a disorder in which the sufferer is overly obsessed with his/her appearance and has intense fear of weight gain, despite the fact that they are underweight. People with anorexia have very distorted views of themselves and are very concerned with their appearance and weight loss. They eat a very restrictive diet that can lead to many health problems.
Signs of anorexia:

• Following a very strict diet, despite thinness
• Excessive calorie counting and obsession with nutrition
• Pretending or lying about eating
• Preoccupied with food, may often cook for others but not eat it
• Refusing to eat in public or in front of other people
• Dramatic weight loss
• Denial of weight loss or thinness
• Use of diet pills
• Compulsive exercise
• Throwing up after eating
• Harshly critical of their appearance
• Wear baggy clothes to hide thinness
• Look pale and weak, may often faint
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive personality
• Perfectionist personality

Bulimia is often harder to spot because most people with bulimia are either at a normal weight or are slightly above normal weight. But bulimia is still a very serious illness that does much harm to the body. Bulimia is a disorder in which the sufferer binges (eats abnormally large amounts of food in short time periods) followed by purging (efforts to compensate for the binge, including excessive exercise, periods of fasting, taking laxatives, or throwing up). Despite the common belief, not all bulimics throw up after binging, but they choose to purge in another way.
Signs of bulimia:

• Fluctuating weight
• Eats in secret-may even eat with others and then eat again when others aren't around
• Alternates between overeating and fasting-it's all or nothing when it comes to food
• Normal weight or slightly overweight
• Disappears after meals
• Bad breath and discolored teeth from throwing up (if that's their method of purging)
• Lack of control over eating
• Defensive, angry, or shameful when thinking about or discussing food
• Has a history of anorexia
• Uses diet pills or laxatives
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Reacts to emotional distress with overeating, but doesn't seem to be gaining weight
• Guilt or shame surrounding eating
• Substance abuse problems

There are many different ways to recognize an eating disorder. If you suspect that you have an eating disorder, SEEK HELP! The sooner you begin recovering, the sooner you will be free. Talk to someone you trust, they will help you.
If you suspect that someone you know has an eating disorder, talk to them. Show them your love and support, they need it. Tips for talking to a friend with an eating disorder can be found at http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/WhatISay.pdf