Symptoms of Eating Disorders

Indications that a woman may be suffering from an eating disorder:

1. She seems to be dependent on others for approval. (She doesn't know that she is valuable from within.)
2. She speaks about herself in a negative way. (She believes her self-worth is dependent on a low weight.)
3. She has erratic menstrual cycles.  
4. She is constantly concerned with her weight and body size.
5. She has an abnormal fear of eating a variety of food, eating with others, or eating in front of others.
6. She eats at odd times of the day and/or eats extremely large or small amounts of food.
7. Her sleep patterns are abnormal. She may be unable to sleep for extended periods of time.
8. She has a desperate need to exercise for long periods of time, well beyond that which is healthy.
9. She increases certain activities including frequent use of the bathroom or numerous showers. Chronic intestinal problems will result in habitual use of the toilet.
10. She exhibits a drastic or unnatural change in weight and/or appearance and attempts to hide her body from others with large or baggy clothing.
11. She is obsessed with calories and fat content of foods.
12. She uses diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup, or enemas (often she will try to hide her use of these substances).
13. She has unusual food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact with the lips (using teeth to scrape food off the fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out, but not swallowing; dropping food into a napkin on her lap to later throw away.
14. She hides food in strange places.
15. She often complains of being cold.