How do you know if you or some one you know has an eating disorder?
Do you or someone you know have:
- lost or gained of large amount of weight with no medical illness
- disordered body image
- anxiety about being fat
- avoidance of eating with other people
- rigid, compulsively insists on certain eating routines
- tendency to go the bathroom directly following a meal
- erosion of tooth enamel
- withdrawal from social situations that were previously enjoyed
- the inability to identify or cope with feelings
- mood swings, personality changes
Click Here to complete a questionnaire that may help you identify if you have an eating disorder
What can you do if you or someone you know has an eating disorder?
Do not ignore the problem: Let the person know that you are concerned and that you care about them and that you will support them if they want to get help.
Do not:
- Try to pressure them to eat
- Get angry
- Blame them
You do not have the "cure" and you are not a professional so it is not YOUR job to fix them. People with eating disorders need to identify that THEY have a problem that needs fixing. A person has to want to get better to be ready for the long and difficult road to recovery.
There are no simple solutions to address eating disorders. Each individual is unique and the journey towards unconditional acceptance of self may take a variety of paths and forms. An individual may benefit from, as examples,
- the care of a trusted family doctor
- participating in community or hospital eating disorders program
- getting individual/group and or family counselling
- attending a support group
- seeking nutritional guidance
(Something Fishy Eating Disorder Website, 2002).