How to identify whether someone you know is experiencing eating disorders?
Below are some signs of eating disorders that we should be aware of.
A friend or family member who is struggling with disordered eating may…
- Express weight or body shape concerns
- Appear to have rapidly lost weight or appear to have frequent weight changes
- Show signs of damage due to vomiting (e.g., swelling around the cheeks or jaw, calluses on knuckles, damage to teeth, bad breath)
- Talk excessively about food and relating it to dieting
- Exercise more or increase physical activity without increasing caloric intake.
This could be accompanied by signs of anxiety or becoming upset when they cannot exercise. - Become very upset when they are not able to control a situation related to food (e.g., change in dinner plans or restaurant isn’t serving the food they planned to order)
- Show odd behaviours during or after meals
- Make regular excuses to use the bathroom following a meal
- Refuses to eat in the presence of others
- Has strange rituals with food (e.g., eating food very slowly or in a specific order, cutting food into tiny pieces)
- Demonstrate secretive behaviour relating to food (e.g., claiming to have eaten when they haven’t, hiding food in their room)
- Suddenly change their clothing style (e.g., wearing baggy clothes)
- Seem more depressed, anxious, irritable or tired than usual
What you could do to support someone with an eating disorder
Many people are overwhelmed by the thought of supporting others with eating disorders. Below are some tips for this and what to do and to avoid when supporting someone with eating disorders.
Remember to practice self-care and set boundaries
While it's important to offer support to someone struggling with an eating disorder, it's equally essential to look after your own well-being. Supporting a friend or family member through this can be emotionally demanding. Talking to someone you trust about your feelings can be therapeutic, as it allows you to process the emotions and thoughts that arise without bottling them up.
It is important to set clear and healthy boundaries, as you cannot be available for someone every moment of every day. It's important to identify what you're comfortable with and what you're not willing to do, such as deciding whether or not you're willing to accompany them to appointments. Establishing these boundaries ensures that you can offer your best support while also taking care of your own needs, and it helps to reduce any confusion or uncertainty the person you're supporting may have about the limits of your help.
