Dying to be Thin
Warning Signs

The following information is for general background education only, and is not intended to substitute for professional help or to serve as a diagnostic tool.  Please seek a physician's and/or therapist's help for advice, treatment and medical assistance.

Family and friends concerned about a potential eating disorder in a loved one may notice one or more of the following warning signs.  Not everyone who demonstrates one or two of these behaviors/attitudes is suffering from a disorder, but these do serve as signals that something "just isn't right" and a professional may be needed to make a full assessment.

A marked increase or decrease in weight not related to a medical disorder
A development of abnormal eating habits including:
   è    Severe dieting
   è Preference for strange foods or strange food combinations
   è Withdrawn or ritualized behavior at mealtime
   è Refusal to eat in front of others
Always has an excuse not to eat (isn't hungry, just ate with a friend, feeling ill, etc.)
An intense preoccupation with weight and body image
Compulsive or excessive exercising
Self-induced vomiting, periods of fasting, or laxative/diet pill/diuretic abuse
Becomes 'disgusted' with former favorite foods
Will eat only a few 'safe' foods
Gorges or extreme binges, many times in secret, emptying cupboards and refrigerator.
May abuse alcohol or street drugs, sometimes to deaden appetite, sometimes to escape emotional pain and usually in hopes of feeling better.
Wears baggy clothes, sometimes in layers to hide fat, hide emaciation and stay warm.  At the same time, the person may obsess about clothing sizes.
Spends a lot of time inspecting self in the mirror and usually finds something to criticize.
Has trouble concentrating
Envies thin people and seeks to emulate them
Has trouble talking about feelings, especially anger
Becomes moody, irritable, cross, touchy and socially isolated