Monday, November 9, 2009

10 Signs of an Eating Disorder

by Lauren King, M.A.

How do you know when a loved one has crossed over from dieting to an Eating Disorder? Unfortunately, in our culture, dieting is now an expectation for women; it’s the norm. We cannot escape the commercials, online advertisements, and magazines that tout the thin ideal and the “7 easy steps” to obtaining it. Women are beginning to diet at younger and younger ages, even into childhood. Repeatedly, research shows that dieting is a HUGE risk factor for developing an Eating Disorder.

Often parents do not find out that their daughter or son has been struggling with an Eating Disorder until the disorder has taken a strong hold. Below are 10 signs that indicate potential Eating Disordered behaviors:

1. Sudden weight loss

2. Grades at school dropping

3. Becoming highly irritable

4. Clear anxiety when eating around others or frequently requesting to eat in his/her room

5. Avoiding certain restaurants or places where s/he cannot see the food being prepared.

6. Playing with food on his/her plate, but not really eating it

7. Eating unreasonable amounts of food (either too small or too big) or eating food very slowly or at a rapid rate

8. Consistently asking to be excused immediately following meals to go to the bathroom or take a shower

9. A driven quality to exercise—drops other interests in pursuit of going to the gym

10. Large amounts of food are disappearing

If you observe these or other obsessive food behaviors and withdrawal, it is important to talk to your loved one with warmth and honesty about your concerns. Educate yourself about Eating Disorders, and seek help. Because Eating Disorders are multifactorial, it is best to seek multifaceted treatment from a nutritionist, a medical doctor, and a mental health professional that specializes in the treatment of Eating Disorders.

Lauren King is a pre-doctoral intern at Southeast Psych who specializes in working with individuals with eating disorders, as well as children and adolescents who have autism spectrum disorders.