February 25 through March 3 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. This is part of a series of postings on the topic brought to you by SUNY Broome Counseling Services.
If you are concerned about a friend, family member or yourself, please reach out for help. Counseling Services is located in Student Services Building Room 210 or 778-5210. Off campus resources include: The Nutrition Clinic (877) 752-1007
The below is adapted from: https://childmind.org/article/signs-a-college-student-may-have-an-eating-disorder/
Weighty worries
While some weight concerns are normal, the mix of anxiety and the constant pressure to be thin can be a very dangerous mix for some. A history of serious anxiety is a strong indicator for eating disorders during college.
Dr. Baker, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, notes that if a student seems very stressed out or down and has been obsessing over losing weight, it’s important to intervene.
“If she’s reporting that she’s unhappy or very anxious, and she looks very different than the last time you saw her, then it’s time to ask,” says Dr. Baker. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, and each disorder has a different set of signs.
Anorexia
Anorexia is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia go to extremes, restricting food and over-exercising to prevent weight gain.
Signs that someone might be anorexic include:
Obsession with getting thinner: Constant preoccupation with gaining weight, calories, food intake or food ingredients that might be “fattening.” A general obsession with body size and weight.
Excessive exercising: This goes way beyond being a gym rat. If someone spends hours running on the treadmill to “work off” a small snack or insists on going jogging outside even when she’s sick or the weather’s bad, that may be cause for concern.
Food avoidance, hiding and lying: People with eating disorders often try to hide what’s happening from friends and family, which can make it harder to spot a problem. This might mean:
- Skipping meals or parties where eating or drinking are the main event.
- Avoiding the dining hall
- Always saying she’s had a big breakfast or is in “too much of a hurry” to eat.
- Wearing baggy clothes to hide weight loss.
A need for control: People at risk for anorexia are perfectionists and often set impossible goals for themselves, whether it’s getting straight A’s, having a super-clean room or being the president of every club on campus. When the chaos of college makes it hard to control their environment, people with anorexia try to alleviate stress and anxiety by controlling the one thing they feel in charge of—their bodies.
Serious weight loss: Losing a ton of weight, especially in a short period of time, is a sign of real danger. If someone looks painfully thin, it’s time to seek help.
Bulimia
Like anorexia, bulimia is a serious eating disorder characterized by an overpowering obsession with body image and desire to lose weight. However, it takes a very different form when it comes to signs and symptoms.
Bulimia is a cycle of bingeing—eating large amounts of food in a short period of time—and purging, which could include self-inducing vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, over-exercising or a combination of all three. People with bulimia aren’t necessarily noticeably thin, which can make it harder to spot.
Signs someone might be bulimic include:
Bingeing and purging:
- Buying and hiding large amounts of food
- Hiding uneaten food or wrappers from binges
- Inventing reasons to go to the bathroom to purge—if someone is always disappearing after a meal, that’s a big tip-off.
- Bad breath, swelling under the jaw or cheeks, tooth discoloration, acid reflux, or even knuckle calluses from self-induced vomiting.
Obsessing about weight: Talking about weight and size more than is usually considered normal. Constantly comparing her body to the bodies of friends, strangers and movie stars—and always finding herself wanting.
Withdrawal from social events:
- Skipping parties where eating is important
- No longer engaging in things she used to enjoy.
- Passing on activities that interfere with the routine of bingeing and purging.
Binge eating disorder
People who struggle with binge eating disorder (BED) will frequently eat large amounts of food, but unlike a person with bulimia, they don’t engage in any of the “purging” behaviors. The disorder is different from anorexia and bulimia because people with BED are not preoccupied with thinness, although they may struggle with poor self-esteem and often feel guilty and ashamed over any weight they’ve gained from their binges.
People with binge eating disorder may be feeling overwhelmed or out of control—they may struggle with managing stress or difficult emotions—and use food as a way to comfort themselves. Binge eating disorder is often associated with depression.
Signs that someone may have BED include:
Rapid weight gain: Binge eating leads to weight gain and can cause serious health problems including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and others. Kids who are binge eating may be wearing really baggy clothes to hide weight gain.
Hiding out: For people with BED, bingeing is usually done in private. If someone is making excuses to eat alone, hiding food around her room or you’ve notice large amounts of food missing from the dorm, it might be a sign of trouble.
Depression and withdrawal: People with BED often struggle with feelings of guilt and shame after a binge, becoming depressed and isolated which perpetuates the binge-eating cycle.
