Eating Disorders

A whole range of issues may be behind the eating disordered choices of an individual. Eating disorders may begin as a way to smoke screen other concerns and may be a symptom of thoughts, behaviors, and feelings over which the person does not feel control. These other concerns may be the catalysts for restricting caloric intake or for binge-purge cycles. Either of these can result in serious health problems and even death. Red flags for use in the early identification of eating disorders are as follows.

Anorexia Nervosa

• Loss of menstrual period,
• Dieting with relish when not overweight
• Claiming to feel "fat" when not overweight
• Distorted body image
• Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition and/or cooking
• Denial of hunger
• Excessive exercising, being overly active
• Frequent weighing
• Refusal to maintain weight expected for age and height
• Intense fear of gaining weight or being fat
• Strange food-related behaviors
• Complaints of feeling bloated or nauseated when eating normal amounts of food
• Intermittent episodes of "binge-eating"

Bulimia Nervosa

• Excessive concern about weight
• Strict dieting followed by eating binges
• Frequent overeating, especially when distressed
• Bingeing on high calorie, sweet food
• Expressing guilt or shame about eating
• Use of laxatives, over-exercising, enemas, diuretics, fasting and/or vomiting to control weight
• Leaving for the bathroom after meals (secretive vomiting)
• Being secretive about binges and vomiting
• Planning binges or opportunities to binge
• Feeling out of control
• Depressive moods

Help is available. Call the University Counseling Center at 279-4347.