Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are a group of conditions defined by unnatural eating habits that harm an individual’s mental and physiological health. The most common disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and hyperphagia.
This is more than just consuming too little or too much food. It’s when someone has an unhealthy focus on their eating and physical activity, along with a completely wrong and distorted perception of their body size and appearance.
Eating Disorders
What You Should Know About Eating Disorders?
- You can't always tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at or interacting with them
- Eating disorders are not a bad diet or a cry for attention
- Sometimes, eating disorders develop as a way for an individual to feel in control of emotions or situations in their life
- Eating disorders can have a serious, lifelong impact on a person's health
- It is extremely important for those affected by eating disorders to seek and receive help, because...
Help is available and recovery is possible!
How can you tell if your relationship with food, or that of a loved one, is unhealthy?
You might notice changes in the way they:
Look...
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Fatigue, exhaustion, and listlessness
- Changes in the appearance of their hair, skin, and nails
- Prominent collarbones
- Changes in the way they dress
- Scars on the backs of their hands (common in those suffering from bulimia)
- Cracked corners of the mouth (a sign in those suffering from bulimia)
- More distinct and visible veins
- An “empty” gaze
Thinks...
- Is preoccupied with the way they eat.
- Has an intense fear of gaining weight.
- Sees their body differently from how it actually looks or how others see it.
- Has difficulty concentrating.
- Has obsessive thoughts about food, eating, diets, calories, and weight.
- Avoids social contact partially or entirely, as they carefully overthink whether, when, and what food they might consume.
Feels...
- Dissatisfaction with their body’s shape or size.
- An intense feeling of guilt after eating.
- Irritability and aggressiveness.
- Weakness and dizziness.
- Nervousness and a feeling of a lack of control around food.
- Feeling cold all the time (even in warm weather).
- A sense of hopelessness and an inability to cope with the problem.
Acts...
- Gets rid of food after eating by vomiting, taking laxatives, over-exercising, or starving themselves.
- Eats secretly and avoids eating with other people.
- Rapidly changes their eating habits (diets, restrictions, binge eating).
- Isolates themselves from loved ones and friends.
- Engages in excessive physical activity (exercise).
- Lies and keeps their illness and condition a secret.
- Hides or steals food.