Using this eating disorder screening tool, you can quickly determine if you or someone you know is struggling. This list of 5 questions will indicate common eating disorder symptoms.
Do you ever feel to full and want to get rid of the food or calories?
Clearly this question will indicate bulimic behaviors. It is important to note, you do not necessarily have to make yourself vomit in order to be bulimic. There are many other ways a person tries to get rid of food when they feel they have overeaten. These methods include: exercise, laxative use, restriction, etc.
Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?
It is very typical to feel out of control with food when you have an eating disorder. This feeling is associated with bulimia, binge eating, and compulsive overeating disorders. It is important to seek help if you or someone you know is feeling like this.
Has your weight dropped 15 pounds or more recently?
It is characteristic of anorexia to see a rapid weight loss. Weight loss like this is dangerous, regardless of the starting weight. A person with anorexic behaviors may not yet be below a normal weight. It is common to see someone start out above ideal body weight range, so that after weight loss they still look normal. Do not be fooled into thinking person is not in just as critical need for treatment.
Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
If there is a big difference between how you see yourself and others see you, there is a problem. The inability to see yourself accurately is called body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder is commonly linked with eating disorders and requires professional treatment.
Is your life dominated by a focus on food?
This is an issue that people with all types of eating disorders will have. A person who is trapped in an eating disorder will be constantly focused on food and body. Life loses all enjoyment when the thoughts are only about what foods they should and shouldn’t eat. A person cannot fully experience life when they are trapped in their own thoughts about food.
You are probably struggling with an eating disorder if you answered yes to at least two of the above questions. Recovery from an eating disorder requires professional treatment. Though some people have been able to quit engaging in behaviors alone, their underlying problems have not be solved. If someone is dealing with the above thoughts or scenarios, it is critical to immediately seek treatment.