People who are bulimic do not shout it from the rooftops; in fact, they are usually secretive. If you have a friend or loved one who you think might be bulimic, you want to get help for them; but it feels wrong to confront somebody about an eating disorder unless you are certain. Here are some signs to help you make a confident assessment.
Instructions
1. Notice how she talks about her weight. Bulimics are extremely body-conscious. She may say things like, "I feel fat," and constantly talk about wanting to be skinny.
2. Monitor his eating habits. Bulimics will often eat an abnormally large quantity of food in a short period of time. Eating excessively with no apparent weight gain is one symptom of bulimia.
3. Pay attention if she is vague about when or where she eats. Though bulimics sometimes binge at meals, most keep their habits a secret. A bulimic person will avoid eating around others.
4. Keep yourself attuned to suspicious disappearances. If he gets up in the middle of the night to scrounge in the kitchen, or takes off from the house for a few hours with no clear reason, he might be binging in secret.
5. Check the medicine cabinet for laxatives. Using laxatives or enemas to purge is a sign of bulimia.
6. Listen for the sound of running water if she goes to the bathroom shortly after a meal. Turing on the tap is one way to cover the sound of vomiting.
7. Look for outward signs of purging and malnutrition, including thinning hair, unhealthy nails and skin, and a general lack luster appearance. Stomach acid leads to loss of tooth enamel and a bulimic may complain about cavities and tooth decay.
Tags: