Trigger Warning: This article contains sensitive material regarding harmful behaviors about eating disorders that may be triggering to those who have suffered or are currently suffering from them.
The older I get, the more troubled I have become about the number of women I know that have suffered from eating disorders. While it is a very hard subject for most people to talk about, I have been shocked at hearing multiple people being able to relate when even just one person speaks up. As college women, it can be extremely challenging to always love yourself and be body positive. I personally have struggled with this a lot and have not been immune to bad habits when it comes to eating. The fact of the matter is that I truly don’t think I have encountered a single woman my age who has not had some experience with unhealthy eating habits, whether that be restricting themselves or other forms of harmful dieting. What took me a while to understand was the difference between practicing disordered eating and having a full-blown eating disorder. While I have not met as many people who have had extremely serious eating disorders, I am overwhelmed by the amount of disordered eating my fellow women are facing. Based on my own personal experiences as well as those of friends, I have put together a list of warning signs to look for when it comes to disordered eating, which can lead to a full-on eating disorder.
Obsession with Calories
Although it seems so normalized within our culture, obsessing over nutrition and calories can be a warning sign of a larger issue beneath the surface. Hearing a friend making comments about how many calories are in their food is quite concerning, as calories do not equate to a food’s nutrition levels. Many people tend to focus on calories over other factors in their diet when trying to lose weight, but may be restricting themselves in an unhealthy way. If you notice a friend seems to be hyper-aware of their calorie intake, especially if these extend to healthy foods as well, you may want to look deeper to see if they are struggling.
Food Tracking
This sign goes hand in hand with calorie obsession but takes it one step further. While tracking your diet can be helpful in being aware of your nutrition or any food sensitivities, it can be harmful when taken to extremes. In this day and age, this often can be done with many apps available geared towards weight loss. Food tracking in this way can be extremely harmful to one’s mental health as it usually is reward based. The apps will congratulate you for staying under your calorie goals and will alert you when you have eaten something that is considered “bad.” This kind of behavior can become obsessive as well and create a greater sense of “good and bad” foods within the brain. Seeing someone you care about carefully tracking their food every meal, or even every bite, may be a sign to reach out to them.
Excessive Weighing
Most often an obsession with food and calories is driven by a desire to lose weight. Because of this, excessive weighing of oneself often goes hand in hand with these behaviors. This is most easily noticed by a roommate or anyone that lives with the person, but also can be picked up on through conversation. People struggling with disordered eating often become obsessed with their weight and may check it multiple times per day. Even if you don’t directly see someone weighing themselves, pay attention to comments your friends may make about losing weight, especially if they are excited over even small changes.
Secret Bathroom Trips
This is one of the most dangerous behaviors that signal a struggle with disordered eating. Vomiting after eating, known as purging, is a habit that is linked with the disorder called Bulimia Nervosa. People suffering from this disorder often excuse themselves to the bathroom soon after eating, especially when binging on large quantities of food. The individual may become very secretive about their purging, seeking out places out of their way or away from other people in order to purge. If you notice a loved one constantly excusing themselves to the bathroom after meals, pay attention to their appearance and demeanor when they return. Purging can often cause a flushed appearance in the face, dizziness or even telltale marks on a person’s hands from forced vomiting. Never accuse someone of these actions, but reach out to them in a gentle and caring way to see if there are issues going on there.
Excessive Exercise
As with all of these signs, this is more concerning when it is also paired with any of the previously mentioned behaviors. If a person is driven mentally to lose weight, they often will not only restrict their diet but also begin to exercise excessively. Exercise is extremely important to one’s health but taken to an extreme can once again be very dangerous. This sign can also be picked up on through conversation with an individual if they are beating themselves up over missing a workout. Take note of the reasons your friends are exercising, making sure that they truly want to for their health and wellbeing, rather than obsessing over their weight and burning calories.
Negative Comments
I saved this one for last because while it seems so obvious, it is just so normalized in our society among women. Pay attention to what your loved ones are saying about themselves and their bodies and check in on them if you’re worried. Comments like, “I look so fat today,” or “I ate so bad today,” or “I’m going to have to go burn all this off,” are all so common yet so harmful in reality. If you hear these comments made by other people or even find yourself making them, redirect the conversation to one of a more positive nature. Affirm your friends and family and build one another up.
These are just some of the most important warning signs that someone may be struggling with disordered eating, but there are so many more. It can be scary to try to talk to someone if you suspect they may be practicing these behaviors but always approach from a place of love. Never accuse, belittle or shame the person for the struggles that they are facing. Be open, caring, understanding and always listen. Do not force someone to talk about something that they are not ready to accept but assure them you are there for them if they need you. You can also refer them to resources that will be able to further help them, because remember that you yourself can not take on problems as large as these. As a friend you can support, but are not equipped to fix anyone.
Below I will leave some links to resources both here at Kent State and in other places in general that are helpful if you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating.
Stay beautiful ladies, and take care of one another.
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support