Is Your Friend Suffering From an Eating Disorder?
If you have noticed that your friend has been having rapid weight loss, an obsession with food, and harboring secrets or telling lies lately, they may be suffering from an eating disorder. Eating disorders often begin with a diet and then become an unhealthy obsession with food. This can lead to lying, losing friends, avoiding situations, and more. If you suspect your friend is suffering from an eating disorder, you want to be sure to contact a top counselor in Orlando for professional help. There are a few telltale signs that may show its time to get your friend coping with an eating disorder the help they need.
Obsession with Food
Eating disorders often start with an obsession or fixation on food. This involves irrational thoughts about portion control, avoidance of certain foods, or lack of eating entirely. This may also involve binge eating and then purging. Depending on the disorder, the obsession with food manifests itself differently. However, those with eating disorders typically show some fixation or constant awareness or avoidance of mealtimes.
Deception of Those around Them
When someone first suffers from an eating disorder, they may start to deceive those around them to cover up their truth. They may also lie to themselves in order to avoid accepting their disorder. This will then evolve to lying to friends and family, especially during and after mealtimes. They may start to avoid accepting invitations to restaurants or dinner to avoid confrontation. Typically, they will start to push people away in order to keep their disorder hidden from their loved ones.
Irrational Thoughts about Eating
When your loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, they may begin to make strange or irrational comments about food when they are eating. Maybe they will even be uncomfortably silent throughout an entire meal, as they push their food back and forth to make it look like they are actually eating. They may think that particular foods make them "fat" or "bloated," and they may also binge eat junk food and then disappear later to purge. Take notice of their behaviors when food is present to recognize strange or irrational behaviors.
Focus on Weight
Often times, those who suffer from eating disorders are also laser focused on their weight. They typically want to lose weight, and this can lead to an extreme loss of weight that becomes unhealthy. This can also lead to malnutrition. When you notice that your loved one has been critical of themselves more frequently, obsessing over their appearance in the mirror or how their clothes fit, you may want to seek help for them. An obsession with weight gain and loss is another major sign of an eating disorder.
These are just a few of the signs that show that perhaps your loved one is suffering from an eating disorder. They will need to seek medical and mental health attention in order to overcome their struggle and get the nutrition their body needs. Coping with an eating disorder is a lifelong battle, and they will also need the support to get through it. If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, contact our counselor in Orlando to get the help you deserve. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.