Symptoms
Although eating disorders are usually classified as falling into one
of three categories- Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa and Binge
Eating Disorder, some people experience problems which do not fit neatly
into one category or another. The severity of symptoms also fluctuates.
However, all disordered eating eventually puts a person at risk for
serious medical problems, as well as additional mental health problems,
like depression.
The following information is from the American Anorexia/Bulimia Association:
Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder in
which preoccupation with dieting and thinness leads to excessive weight
loss. The individual may not acknowledge that weight loss or restricted
eating is a problem.
Anorexia danger signals include:
- losing a significant amount of weight
- continuing to diet (although thin)
- feeling fat, even after loosing weight
- fearing weight gain
- losing monthly menstrual periods
- preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition and/or cooking
- preferring to diet in isolation
- exercising compulsively
- binging and purging
Bulimia danger signals include:
- binging, or eating uncontrollably
- purging by strict dieting, fasting, vigorous exercise, vomiting or abusing laxatives or diuretics in an attempt to lose weight
- using the bathroom frequently after meals
- preoccupation with body weight
- depression or mood swings
- irregular periods
- developing dental problems, swollen cheeks/glands, heartburn and/or bloating
- experiencing personal or family problems with drugs or alcohol
Binge eating danger signals include:
- episodes of binge eating
- eating when not physically hungry
- frequent dieting
- feeling unable to stop eating voluntarily
- awareness that eating patterns are abnormal
- weight fluctuations
- depressed mood
- social and professional success and failures attributed to weight