The following is a list of many of the Symptoms and Potential Serious Health Complications that may indicate that someone you love has an Active Eating Disorder such as Anorexia or Bulimia. Families and friends are sometimes unsure if their loved one has an Eating Disorder but know that something is not right or healthy about their loved one's eating habits, body image and weight fluctuations. 

Eating Disorder can be difficult for families or friends to detect because they often "Exist in Secretcy" (Purging in the bathroom, taking laxatives, wearing baggy clothes etc) and externally their loved one may look ok. It is easy to be fooled by their secretcy, denial and the way they look.   

However, Eating Disorders are complex, serious and potentially Life Threatening. If someone you love has an Active Eating Disorder and/or you are questioning whether or not a loved one has an Active Eating Disorder then we strongly encourage you to keep reading the information here and to call us to discuss any of your concerns more thouroughly. We specialize in providing Professional Interventions for Eating Disorders and work very closely w/ several Nationally Known Treatment Centers that treat Eating Disorders.

With any active Eating Disorder there may be a difference in the severity of the symptoms and/or complications. The symptoms may also vary from time to time as the Eating Disorder progresses. There also may be periods of time when an Eating Disorder is active, followed by what appears to be an Eating Disorder remission, and then followed by, once again, an active Eating Disorder. 

This may be further complicated if there are other substances such as Alcohol or Drugs involved.  An intervention can help get your loved one the treatment that they need.  Recovery is possible whether they have an Active Eating Disorder, an Addiction to Alcohol or Drugs and/or an Eating Disorder, along w/ alcohol or drug addiction. 

If you are worried that someone you love has an Eating Disorder, please feel free to Call Us Anytime at 1-888-750-0911 to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have about Eating Disorders, interventions and/or any available treatment options.

Again, the following is a list of many of the Symptoms and Serious Potential Health Complications that may indicate that someone you love has an Active Eating Disorder:

 
• Obsession with weight and complaining of weight problems (even if "average" weight or thin).
• Dramatic fluctuation in weight and/or serious weight loss in a relatively short period of time.
• Wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers to hide body shape and/or weight loss.
• Obsession with calories, fat content of foods, and obsession with continuous exercise.
• Being very secretive and defensive about their eating patterns.
• Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately following meals (sometimes accompanied with water running in the bathroom for a long period of time to hide the sound of vomiting).
• Visible binging and/or purging.  Sometimes exhibiting very odd behavior of hiding their vomit in trash bags, trash cans, and/or in a closet.
• Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look like they’re eating; cutting food into tiny pieces; spitting out their food and sometimes dropping food onto their lap with a napkin.
• Visible food restriction and self-starvation.
• Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup (can cause immediate death!) or enemas.
• Tendency to isolate and avoid eating around others. 
• Hiding food in strange places (under the bed, in their closet, in their purse) to avoid eating (Anorexia) and/or hoarding their food to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
• Flushing their food down the toilet.
• Keeping a "food diary" or lists that consists of food and/or behaviors (ie., purging, restricting, calories consumed, exercise, etc.)
• Being very preoccupied with thoughts about food, body image, and weight.
• Visiting websites that promote staying thin and unhealthy ways to lose weight.
• Being obsessed and reading books about weight loss.
• Self-defeating statements after food consumption, i.e. “I am fat.”
• Hair loss, growing facial hair and pale appearance to the skin.
• Complaints of feeling dizzy and having frequent headaches.
• Frequent sore throats, swollen glands and/or throwing up blood.
• Low self-esteem, feeling worthless and often putting themselves down.  They may also complain of being too fat, that no one loves them, and that they feel the constant need for approval from others.
• Complaints of often feeling cold, loss of menstrual cycle and constipation or incontinence.  They also often have very low blood pressure and may faint.
• Bruised or calloused knuckles; bloodshot eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on the cheeks.
• Strong need to be perfect and maintain rigid coping skills.
• Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
• Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
• Insomnia. Poor sleeping habits