Are you or someone you know at risk for developing an eating disorder?
Signs to look for:
- Constant thoughts about weight
- Enjoyment of cooking for others but not for yourself
- Your weight determines your mood for the day
- Avoiding eating with family and friends
- Feeling guilty after eating
- Frequently comparing body size and shape to others
- Weight fluctuates drastically over short time spans
- Compulsively exercising
- Preoccupation with the eating behaviors of other people
- Menstrual irregularities
- Eating to relieve stress or depression
- Self-induced vomiting
- Laxative abuse
- Diuretic abuse
- Constant concern of being fat
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased isolation
- Hair loss
- Preoccupation with nutrition, calories, food, cooking, and exercise
- Frequent weighing of self
- Binging uncontrollably on large amounts of food to the point of feeling sick
- Participation in frequent diets
- Lying to others about how you eat
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Dizzy spells, fainting, or blackouts
- Always feeling cold
- Fine body hair
- Swollen puffy cheeks
- Feeling confused about emotions or fear of expressing them
- Skipping work/school due to feeling fat or sick
- Eating the same rigid foods all the time
- Working out even when injured or sick
- Declining social engagements to work out
- Extremes in exercise regimen, either exercising excessively or not at all
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Purchasing clothing based on the size instead of the fit
** This list is not a complete list and should not be used in place of seeking professional assessment or help.
If you have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me for a free phone consultation.
Charlotte Joelsson, LCSW
11244 Waples Mill Rd, Suite D-1
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703.828.6610
Fax: 571.340.3193
