How to Tell if Someone is Anorexic

“Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder effected by a complex mixture of social, psychological and physical problems that are displaced onto food”(American Anorexia Bulimia Association, Inc.). The individual is unwilling or unable to maintain a body weight that is normal or expectable for their age and height (most clinicians consider weight loss leading to less than 85% of that expected body weight to be anorexic). Usually the disorder is easy to spot -- the following list will give you some of the diagnostic criteria. If you think someone has a problem, it is critical that they see a doctor, as the disease *can* be fatal if not treated properly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. PERSONALITY OF AN ANOREXIC: • Tends to be a perfectionist and an over-achiever in school. • Suffers from low self-esteem despite how much they accomplish. • Desperately needs control over all aspects of their life. When they feel their life is in chaos, controlling their body’s urge to eat is way to regain that feeling of control. • Competitive, especially when it comes to other girl’s weights. Has to be the skinniest. • Becomes irrational and defensive about their weight. • Displays an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. • Might have trouble expressing feelings of anger and stress.
2. FOOD BEHAVIORS OF AN ANOREXIC: • Skips meals (always has an excuse to avoid eating like “they ate earlier,” “stomach is upset” and so on). • Takes only tiny portions. • Will not eat in front of others. • Often will hide the food they have claim to have eaten. • Develops very ritualistic eating habits (i.e., cutting food into small sizes and spending more time playing / moving their food around their plate than eating). • Eats only “safe foods” that are low calorie non-fat with no or little nutrients. • Begins to hate or feels repulsed by foods that were once their favorites. • Obsessed with reading food labels and calculating their calorie / fat intake. • May use alcohol or drugs to help control their appetite.
3. PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF AN ANOREXIC: • No matter how much everyone tries to tell them otherwise they are thoroughly convinced that they are fat and/or getting fatter. • Constantly compares themselves with others, as if in competition. • Hates the natural occurring female developing process of their bodies (i.e., breasts, thighs, hips and belly). • Might wear baggy or layers of clothes to hide their emaciation and to stay warm. • Spends an unusual amount of time inspecting and criticizing themselves in the mirror. • Irregular periods. • Loss of hair and their once healthy glow that is replaced with brittle nails, stringy hair and “grayish” complexion with an overall abundance “peach fuzz” on the face.
4. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF AN ANOREXIC: • Exercises excessively. • Will maintain harsh physical routine even when there are exhausted. • Actual performance and skill will suffer. • Will tire easily. • Has trouble sleeping and sitting for long periods caused by bedsores or joint aches from loss of natural padding.
5. SOCIAL ACTIVITY OF AN ANOREXIC: • Tries to please everyone. • Can withdrawal from friends and family when feelings of inadequacy arise. • Tends to avoid sexual activity (especially in males). • Has a tendency to be rigidly controlling. Might try to control what and where the family eats. • Can be afraid of intimacy even though they crave it. • Will take an active part in preparing food, serving it and shopping for it though they will rarely eat the food they prepare. Instead, the anorexic prefers to vicariously experience the food through others.