Eating Disorder Warning Signs

Eating Disorders are not always easy to spot. However, from our longtime work with eating disorder cases, we have collected a number of clues that, when you put them all together, can reveal potential warning signs. Here are 7 areas you might look at to determine if you or someone you love might have a problem that requires treatment:

1. Drastic Change in Eating Habits

When people develop an eating disorder, they cannot help the fact that their eating behaviors will be abnormal. Look for signs of abnormal eating behaviors - but keep in mind the individual. If someone suddenly has aversions to food they once loved, it can be a red flag. This is especially true of foods high in fat, calories, oils, etc.

They will rarely or never eat with others, always finding some excuse for not eating - they aren’t really hungry, they feel sick, or maybe they just ate - the list goes on. Look for use or over-use of laxatives or other products that help with weight loss. For those seeking recovery for a loved one, eating disorder treatment is available at our clinic.

2. Bad Body Image (the way they view themselves)

Body image is essentially defined as the way one perceives others to view them. Having bad body image would bring on waves of self-doubt in their appearance, and therefore cause this person to constantly try losing weight.

When somebody is developing an eating disorder, or already has one, they can become preoccupied with food and appearance. A common cover-up for extra weight, or an extreme loss of weight, is to wear baggy clothes. They will often spend a lot of time in front of a mirror or obsessing over everything that is wrong with their bodies. Key places they will often mention would be their stomach, thighs, and buttocks. Poor self-image is often a clue in those with eating disorders.

3. Exercise Behaviors

Compulsive exercising is another clue to watch for - especially in somebody who does not have a history of using any exercise regimen. Often this schedule will be overly harsh. Those with an eating disorder frequently cannot recover without the help of an eating disorder residential center. Because of an unhealthy diet, they tire easily. The exercise wears them down and it is only through will power that they can keep up. Over time, their performance in these routines usually worsens, but they refuse to change the excessive exercise.

4. Thoughts and Beliefs

Eating disorders are psychological as well as physical. Even people with above-average intelligence are affected by it in their rationale and logic. Overly-simple thinking and reasoning may generate comments like "being skinny will make me feel better about myself."

Obsessing over thinness and thin people is a huge sign. They will often point out the thin people around them and express their envy.

Another belief often held by people with an eating disorder is that they do not deserve to enjoy their food. They eat foods they don’t like and either do not eat enough or eat too much. This behavior may be brought on by an extreme self-hatred that should be dealt with in therapy. Such therapies are offered here at Sovereign Health of California.

5. Emotional and Psychological

Denying their own feelings is another common trait in people suffering from an eating disorder. They have trouble discussing the way they feel about something. Dismissing emotions such as anger with excuses like being tired or stressed conveniently avoids dealing with the issue at hand.

Mood swings are not uncommon. Even low-key interactions can trigger strong emotions and possibly tantrums or withdrawal. This may be because they feel inadequate, depressed, anxious and/or lonely. Overwhelming emptiness, hopelessness and despair make it difficult to function at a normal level of interaction.

6. Self-injury and/or Self-harm

Eating disorders are often influenced by indirectly related traumatic past experiences such as sexual abuse. Trauma therapy and eating disorder treatment is often helpful for those experiencing the painful side-effects of abuse. The feelings induced by the eating disorder in combination with other life trauma often pushes people to self-injure themselves as a way to distract themselves from their emotional pain.

Self injury includes cutting or burning flesh, banging or slapping against other objects and swallowing foreign objects. These activities bring a sense of escape while they last, but soon after the tension mounts again.

Self injury does not mean that a person is suicidal or just seeking attention. Self injury should be addressed professionally and quickly, especially because self injury can quickly and inadvertently lead to a medical crisis. Trauma treatment is often a necessary step toward recovery in those who self-injure.

Social behaviors

People with eating disorders often have a people-pleasing type personality. When making everyone else happy is not an option, they tend to withdraw in whatever way they can at the time. Conversely, they will also become controlling in the area of food and dining choices when it comes to close friends and family. These behaviors can turn into unhealthy obsessions, which is why treatment for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating is often recommended.

They tend to present an extreme of being needy and dependent or very independent and rejecting of help. Their relationships tend to be one-sided or superficial. Because of the imbalanced rationality in their thinking, they are more likely to make regrettable choices about their sex lives, cash flow, stealing and lying, making commitments, career paths and practically everything that will have a major impact on their future.

Does this list cause you have concerns about a loved one or perhaps yourself? If so, we can answer your questions. Call our direct and confidential line for eating disorder treatment, 1-800-711-2062 or visit our dedicated website for our eating disorders program at rebeccahouse.org.