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 want to get rid of your food because you feel too full?
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 ever feel as though you have no control over the amount you eat?
Feeling out of control with food is a solid indicator that there is some type of eating disorder involved. It may mean binge eating disorder or compulsive overeating, as well as bulimia. This feeling is very chaotic and uncomfortable and should be treated professionally.
Has your weight dropped 15 pounds or more recently?
Rapid weight loss is characteristic of anorexia. Excessive weight loss can come from any starting weight. You may find someone engaging in these behaviors who is not actually underweight by medical standards. A person may appear healthy if they start from a weight about ideal body weight range. A person who has had rapid weight loss like this needs to get treatment, regardless of their current weight.
Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
If you see yourself as overweight, but no one else does, this is an issue. Body dysmorphic disorder is characterized by not seeing your physical self accurately. This disorder can ruin your quality of life, and requires treatment from a trained professional.
Does food seem to have taken over your life?
All types of eating disorders will struggle with this issue. When struggling with an eating disorder, a person’s thoughts will be consumed with a focus on body and food. A person cannot enjoy their life when they are wrapped up in constant distracting thoughts about food. The world around them will go unnoticed and unexperienced when a person can think of nothing else.
Answering yes to two or more of the questions above indicates you are probably struggling with eating disorder symptoms. You must get help to recover from an eating disorder. Some people can stop the eating disorder behaviors on their own, but this will not fix the underlying issues. It is important to seek help immediately if you or someone you know is struggling with any of the above problems.