Would you notice eating disorders symptoms in someone you love? Unfortunately, some signs of eating disorders are not very obvious and you may not recognize them if you don’t know what to look for. Keep in mind that, while people with eating disorders typically experience a number of symptoms, they might not have all the possible symptoms. In addition, having just one or two symptoms listed below doesn’t necessarily mean someone has an eating disorder. It’s a good idea for someone to be evaluated, though, if they are experiencing several eating disorder symptoms.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
- Noticeable weight loss
- Becoming withdrawn
- Excessive exercise
- Fatigue
- Always being cold
- Muscle weakness
- Obsession with food, calories, recipes
- Excuses for not eating meals (ie. ate earlier, not feeling well)
- Unusual eating habits (ie. cutting food into tiny pieces, picking at food)
- Noticeable discomfort around food
- Complaining of being “too fat”, even when thin
- Cooking for others, but not eating themselves
- Restricting food choices to only diet foods
- Guilt or shame about eating
- Depression, irritability, mood swings
- Evidence of vomiting, laxative abuse, diet pills or diuretics to control weight
- Irregular menstruation
- Amenorrhea (loss of menstruation)
- Wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss
- Frequently checking weight on scale
- Fainting spells and dizziness
- Difficulty eating in public
- Very secretive about eating patterns
- Pale complexion (almost a pasty look)
- Headaches
- Perfectionistic attitude
- Feelings of self worth determined by what is or is not eaten
- No known physical illness that would explain weight loss
BULIMIA NERVOSA
- Binge eating
- Secretive eating (food missing)
- Bathroom visits after eating
- Vomiting
- Laxative, diet pill or diuretic abuse
- Weight fluctuations (usually with 10-15 lb range)
- Swollen glands
- Broken blood vessels
- Harsh exercise regimes
- Fasting
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Severe self-criticism
- Self-worth determined by weight
- Fear of not being able to stop eating voluntarily
- Self-deprecating thoughts following eating
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Tooth decay
- Irregular heartbeats
- Avoidance of restaurants, planned meals or social events
- Complains of sore throat
- Need for approval from others
- Substance abuse
- Ipecac abuse
COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
- Binge eating
- Fear of not being able to stop eating voluntarily
- Depression
- Self-deprecating thoughts following binges
- Withdrawing from activities because of embarrassment about weight
- Going on many different diets
- Eating little in public, while maintaining a high weight
- Believing they will be a better person when thin
- Feelings about self based on weight
- Social and professional failures attributed to weight
- Feeling tormented by eating habits
- Weight is focus of life
If you notice some of these signs of eating disorders in a loved one, encourage him or her to be evaluated by a professional. Only a qualified professional can determine if someone really has an eating disorder and if so, what kind of treatment would be most beneficial. Follow this link to read more about the symptoms of eating disorders.
Resources:
-Surviving an Eating Disorder: Perspectives and Strategies for Family and Friends by Michelle Siegel, Ph.D., Judith Brisman, Ph.D., and Margot Weinshel, Ph.D. – Harper & Row Publishers, NY, 1988
-Walking A Thin Line by Pam Vredevelt and Joyce Whitman – Mullnomah Press, Oregon 1985
-Eating Disorders Handout – Sudbury General Hospital Eating Disorders Clinic (information for handout obtained from NEDIC)