It is not always easy to tell if someone has an eating disorder so we hope the 10 questions below can help you decide if help is needed.
08 May 2017

Are you concerned that someone you know has an Eating Disorder?

If the answer is “yes” to one or more of the following questions, there may be cause for concern.  You should let the person know you are worried about them and talk about how they would like to be supported, including talking to their GP.

  1. Does the person concerned worry all the time about their weight – constantly weigh themselves, count calories?
  2. Do they regularly skip meals and avoid eating anything considered heavy or commonly considered fattening – pasta, bread, potatoes?
  3. Do they eat very little but are not overweight?
  4. Do they appear to eat a lot one day and nothing the next?
  5. Do they avoid eating in public – lunch while shopping, family meals out?
  6. Are they convinced they are fat when clearly they are not?
  7. Has their exercise routine dramatically increased and appears to occupy the majority of their time?
  8. Are they spending time in the bathroom immediately after meals?
  9. Have they had repeated, unexplained periods of sickness and/or diarrhoea?
  10. Have you discovered them eating secretly or hiding the fact they are eating?

Other common signs and symptoms may include:

  • Feeling cold
  • Headaches
  • Dizzy spells
  • Tiredness and apathy
  • Loss of or erratic periods
  • Poor skin and/or hair
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Withdrawal from friendships and reduced/over dependency on parents

We hope you find this useful.  If you would like to know more, please click here