Seven Eating Disorder Warning Signs and How You Can Help
You may be worried about a friend or family member’s eating habits but feel unsure about what step to take next — or even where to begin. Will talking to them cause a rift in your relationship? If you stage an intervention, will it seem like a betrayal? What if they get mad at you? Read on to learn seven eating disorder warning signs as well as tips for approaching the tough subject with a loved one.
Seven Eating Disorder Warning Signs
If you are concerned about friend or family member, here are seven eating disorder warning signs to consider:
Distorted body image: An eating disorder often comes with a distorted self-image. Someone may frequently check the mirror for perceived flaws or have an intense fear of gaining weight, even checking the scale after each meal. Their self-worth is often directly tied to body weight.
Social withdrawal: An easy-to-spot eating disorder warning sign is withdrawal from social situations, especially those that involve food. They may cook an elaborate meal for others but then refuse to eat themselves. You may also notice them eating alone, at strange times of day, or in secret.
Food rituals: Someone suffering from an eating disorder may be hyper-focused on only consuming “safe” or “healthy” foods. They may also have an obsession with cooking shows and the latest fad diets. They may eat weird food combinations or follow elaborate food rituals at each meal, such as cutting food into extremely small bites or eating very slowly.
Body changes: Outside of extreme weight changes, you may observe dry or yellow skin, thin and brittle hair on the head, dry and brittle nails, fine hair all over the body, cavities and discoloration of teeth from vomiting, and muscle weakness.
Routine rigidity: Another eating disorder warning sign is an excessive need to complete certain behaviors or follow a particular routine. For instance, someone may insist on exercising for a certain amount of time each day, even if they are ill or injured. If these routines are not followed, they may experience extreme anxiety.
Mood swings: Lack of nutrition can cause someone to feel irritable, a lack of emotion, hyperactive, or restless, to name a few behavioral warning signs. It can also lead to dizziness, fainting spells, and sleeping problems.
Bulky clothes: You may notice that your friend or family member is suddenly wearing bulky, oversized clothes in an effort to hide either weight loss or weight gain.
Encouraging a Loved One to Seek Eating Disorder Help
Before you reach out to a loved one about your concern, make sure you’re in the right head space. Make an effort to understand the situation from their perspective and keep the conversation free of judgment. Also, choose a physical space that allows you to fully focus on your friend or family member. Do not eat during the discussion.
Prepare for resistance. Know that someone suffering from an eating disorder often experiences guilt, shame, or anxiety associated with their problem; when confronted, these feelings can quickly turn to anger or denial.
For someone in denial, try making a small step recommendation as a way to encourage her to look into eating disorder treatment plans. If you’re worried about your best friend’s habits, say something like, “Let’s make one appointment with The Kahm Clinic. If you’re healthy, we’ll know. And if you’re not, we’ll know what steps to take next.” That way, whether they prove you right or wrong, you can feel confident that they’re on the right path.
As you’re getting ready for your chat, think about specific and concrete actions as opposed to broader generalizations. For instance, rather than saying, “You never eat enough,” mention a few recent examples where they didn’t eat enough, ate too much, or insisted on eating alone. Then, explain why this behavior worries you and why you believe they should talk to a professional who can offer eating disorder help.
Be careful to avoid commenting on weight or body image, and do not use accusatory statements like, “Why can’t you just eat more?” The root of an eating disorder is psychological, so simply eating more or less won’t truly fix the problem.
And finally, educate yourself. The more you know, the more you can understand their point of view and the more help you can offer. There are many trustworthy resources online, and you can even reach out to a clinician for professional guidance prior to your conversation.
To talk to a professional about eating disorder help or treatment, please reach out to our staff or schedule an appointment at The Kahm Clinic.