What are the symptoms of eating disorders?

What are the symptoms of eating disorders?

You can’t always tell by someone’s appearance that they have an eating disorder. You can have an eating disorder at any body weight or size. Eating disorders often impact the way people think about food or relate to it, which is not reflected in their weight or size.

Specific symptoms of eating disorders vary by type. It may be difficult to spot an eating disorder as it often mimics dieting. Or, a person struggling with an eating disorder may be reluctant to share their eating concerns. If you or a loved one has an eating disorder, you may notice these general changes:

• Mood swings.
• Fatigue, fainting or dizziness.
• Thinning hair or hair loss.
• Frequent bathroom breaks after eating.
• Unexplained weight changes or drastic weight loss.
• Unusual sweating or hot flashes.

Other changes could include:

• Solo dining or not wanting to eat with other people.
• Withdrawing from friends or social activities.
• Hiding food or throwing it away.
• Fixation on food, calories, exercise or weight loss.
• Food rituals (chewing food longer than necessary, eating in secret).