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1. They don’t have to be exceptionally underweight to have an eating disorder
Having an eating disorder does not mean you have to appear anorexic, the same as the words ‘eating disorder’ do not JUST refer to people with anorexia. In fact, the eating disorder spectrum covers anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and atypical eating disorders, but for the most part, their comon link is that people try to restrict what they eat because of anxieties about their size and shape.2. Are they avoiding foods that they used to like?
This is a very clear sign that people have an eating disorder. People with eating disorders often avoid foods and drinks that are commonly perceived as calorific, such as meats, carbohydrates, dairy, sugars and fats. They might not eat them at all, very sparingly or sometimes all at once in an unhealthy binge. As the illness progresses, it is common to develop fears about certain foods and it will be non-negotiable when they are asked to consume them. It is very important to pay attention to what your loved one eats during the day and what they put on the shopping list.3. Are they drinking more to replace the food that they are not eating?
Consuming lots of water, black coffee, tea without milk or diet drinks is a sign that usually goes unidentified. People with eating disorders will often drink to fill their stomachs or to satisfy their taste buds throughout the day so they do not need to eat. They will often deliberately leave out milk and sugar, or use it sparingly, and always opt for diet soft drinks when eating or drinking out - a rule that will never be or rarely be broken. Similarly, a person suffering from an eating disorder might replace a meal with a full-sugar soft drink.4. Are they eating too much at once?
Is your son or daughter eating more than an average person should eat at once? Are they eating quickly, drivingly, with undivided attention? If so, this could be a binge. People with eating disorders often fast for long periods of time to see if they can get through the day without eating a normal amount of food. However, the hunger and craving the body can feel as a result of this can cause people to lose control and eat far too much at once, sometimes until they are sick. Some people will go to the bathroom to purge, or make themselves sick, straight afterwards. Watch out for this.Read More: 10 Ways To Boost Your Immunity
5. Are they on overdrive?
People with eating disorders often have resilient and perfectionistic character traits. They will often use their hobbies to distract from hunger. During a bad spot in their illness, they may be concentrating on their hobbies so much that they’re letting the rest of their lives slip away. Their social life may fall by the wayside - they might stop seeing friends, going out less or shut out family members. They may be defensive if you try to ‘disrupt’ their routine by asking them out for a coffee.6. Do they avoid social occasions involving food?
People with eating disorders often have very strict rules regarding what they can and can’t eat. Choosing from a restaurant menu where you do not know the precise ingredients and calories of a dish can be terrifying for an eating disordered person. At home they might control the amount of butter or oil in a dish or leave out additional sauces altogether but, in a restaurant, they cannot do this and, as a result, may avoid eating out altogether. Buffets are also challenging because of the chance the person might lose control and eat too much.7. Are they interested in things that encourage thinness or talk lots about food?
People with eating disorders are renowned to be curious or obsessed with things that glamorise or encourage thinness. Industries such as fashion, modelling and film, and hobbies such as ballet are all guilty of this in one way or another. They may also have an increased interest in talking about food and cooking but shy away from the chips at dinner time. This is usually because their body is craving food and their eating disorder is telling them not to have it. It is important to listen to what your teenager is talking about and how regularly they bring it up.8. Do they spend too much time online?
Today's ‘selfie’ culture on social networking sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr allows eating disorders to thrive. Selfies are often an untrue representation of the person taking them - they are often edited or retaken over and over again to get the perfect shot, but we forget this when we look at them. People with eating disorders often have barely any confidence in the way they look and may start to think that they are unattractive because of the images they see. This props up their disorder. Websites like Tumblr are also notorious for their pro-anorexia communities and general promotion of mental illness. Keep an eye on what websites your child visits.If you have suspicions, you must chose the right time to appraoch your child and talk to them about it. Tell them that you have noticed they are suffering, that you love them and that you are with them the whole way.
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