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 Symptoms

Learn about the typical symptoms for these eating disorders:

Find out if you may have an eating disorder: Don't feel you have a full blown eating disorder?

Anorexia

  • Refusal to maintain recommended minimum weight.
  • Distorted body image.
  • Finding excuses to skip meals.
  • Generally denies an existence of a food problem.
  • Unusual eating behaviors or ritualistic eating patterns.
  • Unusual concern about school or work performance; earned grades and praise are never "good enough."
  • Oversensitivity to criticism.
  • Unusual concern over change in routine; not flexible or adaptable.
  • Closed communication; usually very proper, polite and may appear tense.
  • Withdrawal from friends and activities; unusual commitment or immersion in activity, (i.e. dance, working-out).
  • Absence of menstrual cycle (called: Amenorrhea).
  • Intolerance of others.
  • Dieting when not overweight.
  • Denial of hunger.
  • Frequent weighing.

Bulimia

  • Excessive concern about weight.
  • Strict dieting followed by loss of control with food.
  • Eating binges followed by self-induced vomiting.
  • Frequent overeating, especially when distressed.
  • Bingeing on high caloric, sweet foods.
  • Expressing guilt or shame about eating.
  • Being secretive about binges and vomiting.
  • Planning binges or opportunities to binge.
  • Feeling out of control.
  • Disappearing after a meal.
  • Depressive moods.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse common.
  • Irregularities in menstrual cycle.
  • Other forms of purging may include: laxatives, diuretics, excessive exercising and fasting.

Compulsive Eating
(Binge Eating Disorder)

  • Unable to control food intake.
  • Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to lose weight by dieting.
  • Feeling loss of control when eating.
  • Eating when not physically hungry.
  • Eating or picking at food without awareness.
  • Feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about eating.
  • Denial that weight gain is the result of overeating.
  • Looking forward with pleasure and anticipation to eating alone.
  • Eating sensibly in front of others and then "making up" for it when alone.

Bulimarexia

    A combination of symptoms of Bulimia and Anorexia

Eating Disorders Questionnaire

yes no Do you eat when you are not physically hungry?
yes no Do you often start and break diets?
yes no Do you sneak eat or feel ashamed of what or how much you eat in front of others?
yes no Do you feel in control of your eating at times and completely out of control at other times?
yes no Do you binge, fast, induce vomiting, use laxatives or excessive exercise to try to control your weight?
yes no Do you often feel fat or ashamed of your body?
yes no Do you often compare your body to others and end up feeling inadequate?
yes no Does your happiness revolve around how much or how little you eat and weigh?
yes no Do you think that life would be perfect if you were only a certain weight?
yes no Are your feelings about food and your body preventing you from living the life you want to live?
If you have answered YES to any of these questions, you may have a serious eating disorder.

Symptoms of food, weight and body image issues (as opposed to full blown eating disorders)

  • Unable to control food intake at times.
  • Feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about eating.
  • Eating or picking at food without awareness.
  • Sneaking food.
  • Frequent thoughts about calories and fat grams.
  • Overeating when distressed.
  • Not eating when physically hungry and eating when not physically hungry.
  • Eating more or less than your body wants.
  • Dieting and/or rigid eating patterns. ("good" and "bad" foods)
  • Preoccupation with food and weight.
  • Frequent weighing.
  • Dissatisfied with weight, no matter what the number is.
  • Feeling "fat."
  • Skipping meals in an attempt to control weight.
  • Sensitive about comments regarding food and body.
  • Comparing your body to other peoples' bodies.
  • Having your weight determine self-esteem.
  • May use diet pills, diuretics or laxatives for weight control.
  • May use alcohol or drugs.
  • May smoke cigarettes as a method of weight control.


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