Do I Have an Eating Disorder?
Who is affected?
Body weight, we don’t like to ask about it and we don’t like to share our own. For nearly 30 million Americans, the taboos of body weight and shape are enough to drastically change their relationships with food and exercise. Is there a “perfect” body type? If there is, no one agrees on what it looks like. The quest for so-called “perfection” can take a dangerous, even deadly, turn. So when does this pursue of a perfect body become dangerous? When should people seek help? So many individuals do not seek help due to fear of stigma and when they do seek help it may be in the later stages of their eating disorder when severe medical complications have initiated. If it impacts your daily functioning in some way, then it’s time to start taking it seriously, and look at it from a different perspective. If you are changing your daily routine, notice changes in your attitude or thought patterns on a daily basis or your friends and family are telling you they are noticing changes then it may be wise to think about seeking professional treatment for your eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating and disorder and orthorexia all have one thing in common: they are all caused by underlying triggers associated with stress, self-esteem or trauma. The American Psychological Association (APA) has shown that past abuse or trauma, low-self esteem, bullying, poor parental relationships, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse, non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSI), a perfectionistic personality, difficulty communicating negative emotions, difficulty resolving conflict, and genetics are known underlying triggers that contribute to the development of an eating disorder.
Individuals with eating disorders will hide their behaviors and try to cover up any physical signs associated with weight loss or purging, which can make it difficult to recognize subtle signs and red flags. Many people look for physical signs and symptoms associated with weight loss and self-induced vomiting and changes in personality and emotions often go unrecognized. The following are red flags associated with eating disorders that may often go unrecognized:
