Recognizing Eating Disorders and Getting Help

It's Not Just about Food and Weight

-- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert

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Full-fledged eating disorders are abnormal, disordered patterns of eating that become out-of-control. All types of eating disorders represent serious and immediate threats to the health, well-being, and happiness of the individuals caught up in them.

For practical purposes, it’s less important to know the clinical criteria that doctors use to diagnose these disorders than it is to simply recognize the typical behaviors and thoughts that people tend to exhibit. Many people start slipping into these patterns well before they meet the formal requirements for diagnosis. Likewise, a basic understanding of how people use these “disordered” behaviors and thought patterns to solve the problems they are experiencing in daily life can point the way to finding better solutions. This will help individuals and their loved ones figure out if professional help is needed.

Common Signs & Behaviors
The following behaviors can be signs of an active eating disorder:

Refusal to maintain a minimum, healthy weight and adequate nutrition. This is usually due to intense fear of gaining weight, not losing weight, or becoming fat.
A distorted body image. You see yourself as fat even when you are underweight or at normal, healthy weight. Your weight, shape and appearance are primary factors for determining your self-worth and self-image.
Severely restricting food intake. This may also include a rigid unwillingness to eat certain types of food due to their caloric contents, such as sweets and fats.
Eating large quantities of food twice per week (or more). "Large quantities" are obviously more food than most people would eat under similar circumstances. These binges usually occur within a short time (two hours or less) and are accompanied by out-of-control feelings and an inability to stop oneself.
Purging behaviors. This includes self-induced vomiting, taking laxatives, enemas, or diuretics, and/or exercising excessively. The purpose of "purging" is to eliminate calories eaten, to get “bad” foods out of the body, to prevent weight gain, and/or to reduce strong feelings of guilt, anxiety or shame.
Overeating frequently. This may involve several of the following factors: eating much faster than normal; eating until you are uncomfortably full; eating large amounts when you know you aren’t really hungry; eating alone out of embarrassment or hiding your eating from others; and feeling depressed, guilty, or disgusted with yourself because of your eating.

As you can see, the differences between dieting and anorexia nervosa, and between overeating and binge eating disorder, can get pretty hazy. What starts out as “normal” can easily cross the line and become disordered, especially when you are focused primarily on weight and calories, instead of healthy eating and exercising. Recognizing problems as early as possible is one key to getting them under control.
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About The Author

Dean Anderson
Dean Anderson has master's degrees in human services (behavioral psychology/stress management) and liberal studies. His interest in healthy living began at the age of 50 when he confronted his own morbid obesity and health issues. He joined SparkPeople and lost 150 pounds and regained his health. Dean has earned a personal training certification from ACE and received training as a lifestyle and weight management consultant. See all of Dean's articles.

Member Comments

1UNLIMITED1

Thank you for this article, from the bottom of my heart. As a teenager, I’d always felt there was so much wrong with me, and I turned to disordered eating as a coping mechanism that has followed me into my fifties. To read that “people turn to these behaviors because, to them, they solve an important problem or accomplish some necessary purpose,” and that “it is not because the individual is stupid, defective, or incompetent,” was such a relief! I may have already known this intellectually, but the compassion woven into this article had me “get it” on another level entirely. Bless you for writing it! - 10/18/2011 8:16:04 AM
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KLSSINGS

What a wonderful article. Thanks so much for it and for the fantastic website resources. - 5/19/2011 10:30:56 AM
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CAITXRAWKS

Thank you so much for writing this article.

I have a binging disorder, and it sucks so bad. I've had it probably my entire life, as long as I can possibly remember. Huge portions and seconds and thirds were no big deal in my family. Then the defeating words came with it: my grandpa called me a pig when I wanted a larger serving of fries at Whataburger. My mom told me she was "concerned" about my weight.

Now at 21 I'm finally doing something about it. I feel like people think I'm lying or exaggerating how strong the impulses are. Food is like a drug to me. I've been eating healthy for two weeks, and I've only binged two or three times. I'm EXTREMELY proud of myself. I'm starting to feel gross and uncomfortable when I binge. I don't like feeling this way. I'm hoping with SP I can beat this thing. - 6/18/2010 6:08:02 PM
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WADDLESPENGUIN

I've only realised in recent years that there was something wrong with my eating habits as teenager and in my early twenties. I had no self-esteem and no self-worth at all and used to eat when something bothered me. i was really ashamed of my eating and would never eat in front of anyone. Not even my own parents. It got worse when I was living on my own. Friends would go out for dinner, or even drinks and I would make up excuses on why I couldn't go.

When I first met my husband, we spent a day together in London. He was going to invite me for dinner, but I refused, saying I was a fussy eater. I didn't eat a thing all day. He noticed then that there was something not quite right with me. Thankfully he didn't give up on me and slowly built up my confidence.

I'm fine now and with help from SP I am leading a healthy active life and have a good relationship to food. God knows what would have happened if I hadn't met my husband though. - 2/12/2010 7:13:51 AM
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IMA_YOOPER

After reading this article I am more convinced than ever that my mother (age 75) has developed an eating disorder. I will be calling her doctor first thing tomorrow morning to discuss this issue. Thank you for the information! - 2/7/2010 3:15:13 PM
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TIERRAJ

Thank you for the information and sharing this story with us. I am still processing it, but I know it rings true for a lot of women and myself through and through. - 6/1/2009 8:20:36 PM
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**MOJOMOMMA**

I am thankful for an article that doesn't just focus on anorexia and bulimia, but also with binge eating. This has been a problem for me over my lifetime, and has become worse in recent years. I finally received the "official" diagnosis about 6 months ago, but have failed to seek follow up treatment because of shame.

The last time I binged was yesterday, because of a money issue. Really, who would hurt themselves for money? I am trying to learn to forgive myself and move on. Today I'm faced with the hunger that comes with eating too much the day before, plus residual stress. I need to take things day by day.

It's good to know that this disorder is recognized by some people on this site. Thanks again for writing this article. - 2/25/2009 12:23:42 PM
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BLUESKIESAHEAD

This is a good article. - 1/23/2009 1:11:16 PM
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CHGEMYSZE4LYFE

Great article, It was very helpful for me. - 9/19/2008 11:02:03 PM
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RUTHS_FAITH

Thank you for mentioning Something Fishy as a place to seek help. That site has helped many, many people with eating disorders. - 8/6/2008 10:08:00 PM
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JIBBIE49

Great article. - 7/27/2008 9:47:17 AM
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ULTIMATESPICE

I currently suffer from anorexia for going on two years now. I have currently gained back the weight that I had lost (20 pounds)... I read articles like this and realize how far I have come! Thank you for that! - 5/19/2008 12:49:46 PM
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DEBORAH26

I overeat, but i'm working on it. I used to binge everytime I ate. It was the way we were raised in my family, but I had the bad jeans. My sisters and i ate the same, but they stayed slim while i gained weight. i'm working on portion control and paying attention to hunger. i've tried to give myself rules and guidelines so i know what i should do in different food situations, like not eating past a certain time, only making enough to eat for that meal (and maybe to bring to lunch the next day), not buying things i love to overeat (like ice cream) often or in large amounts. i'm retraining myself and it's a slow process (and I occasionally slip up--but that's definately decreasing)... - 3/21/2008 10:55:37 PM
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LAWLI56

I've been binge eating since I was 8, that's nearly 43 years. It's only about a year ago since my surgeon but 2+2 together and realised what has been and still is going on to some extent. I've always been told I'm greedy and a failure and I could stop eating if I really wanted to...

Knowing what the problem is doesn't stop it, but it does give you a starting point from which to find the help you need and deal with it. - 2/18/2008 6:24:10 AM
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KADILL4

I knew of a person who kept dropping her food when no one was looking onto the floor or in her napkin then was praised for how much she ate. She had them all fooled but unfortunately getting no nutrition she died. - 2/9/2008 7:46:53 PM
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