New here and I have a question.Where do you draw the line between wanting to loose weight and a desire to be thin and an actual eating disorder?

At what point does it become more than the typical teenager that wants to be perfect?(I say teenager because this is about a teenager)

Are there any things in general that would tip you off to an eating disorder?

I'll explain more later

my mom is a nurse, and she is always nagging me because she thinks I have an eating disorder. She says eating the same foods, worrying about fat, knowing fat/calorie count in certain foods, eating no fat, over-exercising without eating properly, or throwing up are signs of eating disorders. (Can you give me details???)

Hi Ladybug http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

I'm so sorry I didn't reply to your posting earlier! I remember reading it and I didn't have the time right then to reply, and I guess it just got pushed to the bottom of the stack. now that it's back on top I want to reply.

Your question is a very difficult one to answer. An ED maybe present when food becomes the enemy...when obsession plays a part. There are irrational thoughts "If I lose 10 more pounds then I'll be happy" or "I'm so fat" (when really you're UNDERWEIGHT) They lie about food and eating. They are looking "sick" (dark circles under eyes) they are dizzy or weak. They lose attention easily, and are often cold. Their bones are sticking out unnaturally...Or they eat and then find an excuse to go to the bathroom right after their meal. They talk about losing weight as the be-all-end-all of their happiness and life.

There are a million and one "signs" of eating disorders, but they're so often mistaken as "normal behavior." Looking back on my life I know there were (and still are) so many signs of my ED...and yet, nobody sees them. Sometimes I just wish somebody would see them....

NEVER GIVE UP
~sarah~

I suppose it’s when it starts to turn into an obsession, LadyBug, that it’s more an eating disorder than a desire to be thin. Also, if the desire to be thin is unrealistic (wanting to be TOO thin), that’s certainly an eating disorder trait.

What 2crazy4u stated are all sure signs of an eating disorder, so if you feel that you, or somebody else (?), are falling under several of those categories, you would certainly be best to go and get a professionals opinion as soon as possible. Don’t put it off if you suspect you have an eating disorder; the longer you wait, the more serious the eating disorder gets and the harder it is to recover.

Let us know if you need to know any more. Perhaps a search on the internet would be a wise idea so you can understand a little more about eating disorders. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Good luck!
Ashlee

Oh, hi Sarah! Guess we’re here at the same time! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

(Great info, by the way... I was struggling trying to make sense... but I don't think it worked! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tongue.gif )

Take care,
Ash