Signs Your Loved One May Need Help With Their Eating Disorder

Teenagers as well as adults can be affected by eating disorders. However, since many people are able to keep their problems well hidden from their friends and loved ones, getting treatment for their disorder can often be challenging. Yet if you know what to look for, it is possible you can help your loved one get the treatment needed to overcome their eating disorder. Should you notice any of the following signs, do all you can to help your loved one get the proper treatment right away.

Always Dieting

While it's not unusual for a person to go on a diet, it is unusual if you notice your loved one is always on a diet, even if it is obvious they do not need to lose weight. Should your loved one always talk about dieting or express concerns about their weight or how they look, this can be a sign an eating disorder has taken control of their life.

Increased Emphasis on Exercise

Just like being on a diet, it is not abnormal for someone to engage in various types of exercise. However, you should be concerned if your loved one greatly increases their level of physical activity without increasing the number of calories they consume on a daily basis. Also, be concerned if your loved one gets unusually upset if they are unable to exercise since this can indicate the need for residential eating disorder treatment.

Odd Behaviors Concerning Food

Typical odd behaviors concerning food exhibited by those who have eating disorders include refusing to eat while in your presence, always having a reason to go to the bathroom after their meal, or doing unusual things such as cutting up their food into extremely small pieces or eating the food on their plate in a particular order.

Total Control Over Their Food

Finally, you should start to be concerned about your loved one possibly having an eating disorder if they begin to show signs that they want total control over their food. For example, if they get very upset when you change dinner plans at the last minute or when a restaurant may not be serving a particular meal, this can indicate an eating disorder has started.

Though eating disorders impact less than five percent of people, they should still be taken very seriously. Should you suspect your loved one has an eating disorder, don't think it will simply go away. Instead, get in touch with treatment professionals who can give you advice and begin to help your loved one make their eating disorder nothing but a distant memory.