Eating disorder warning signs: What to look for and when to seek help

Eating disorders can affect people of different ages, backgrounds, identities and body sizes. Recognizing potential warning signs can help you understand when it may be time to seek professional support.

What are the warning signs of an eating disorder?

Eating disorders can look different from person to person. Some changes may be noticeable to friends and family, while others can be easier to hide.

Warning signs may include changes in the following areas:

Food and eating habits

• Skipping meals, severely restricting food or eliminating foods or food groups.
• Developing rigid food rules, routines or rituals around eating.
• Eating unusually large amounts of food in a short period or feeling unable to control how much is eaten.
• Eating alone or in secret or hiding food and eating behaviors.
• Frequently going to the bathroom during or after meals.
• Self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics or other medications.
• Fasting or exercising excessively to compensate for eating.

Thoughts, emotions and behaviors

• Becoming intensely focused on food, calories, weight, exercise or body shape.
• Experiencing an intense fear of gaining weight.
• Feeling guilt, shame, sadness or anxiety after eating.
• Avoiding meals, restaurants, celebrations or other social activities involving food.
• Frequently checking weight or appearance.
• Becoming anxious or distressed around certain or unfamiliar foods.
• Experiencing irritability, anxiety, depression or social withdrawal.
• Feeling distressed when unable to exercise.

Physical and everyday changes

• Noticeable changes in weight or physical health.
• Fatigue, weakness, dizziness, feeling cold or difficulty concentrating.
• Nutritional deficiencies or other physical health concerns.
• Difficulty participating in school, work, relationships or social activities because of concerns related to food or eating.

Someone does not have to display every warning sign—or appear visibly ill—to benefit from professional support.

Eating disorders can look different from person to person

Not every eating disorder involves the same behaviors or concerns.

Anorexia nervosa, for example, may involve severely limiting the amount or types of food someone eats, an intense fear of gaining weight, or becoming highly focused on weight, calories, body shape or controlling food intake. Some people with anorexia may also experience binge eating or purging.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), on the other hand, does not necessarily involve concerns about weight or body image. Someone with ARFID may avoid foods because of their texture, taste, smell, temperature or appearance, have little interest in eating, or fear consequences such as choking, vomiting or allergic reactions.

Other eating disorders may involve episodes of binge eating, behaviors intended to compensate for eating, or significant distress surrounding food and body image. Symptoms also may not fit neatly into one diagnosis.

These differences are one reason eating disorders can sometimes go unrecognized.

Eating disorders can affect physical and mental health

Eating disorders can affect much more than a person’s relationship with food. Depending on the behaviors involved, someone may experience fatigue, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, digestive concerns, nutritional deficiencies, dehydration or other changes in physical health.

Eating disorders may also occur alongside concerns such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or substance use. Addressing the whole person—rather than focusing only on eating behaviors—is an important part of treatment.

When should you seek help for an eating disorder?

You do not have to wait until symptoms become severe or until you are certain that you or someone you care about has an eating disorder to ask for help.

If thoughts or behaviors surrounding food, eating, exercise or body image are causing distress or beginning to interfere with physical health, relationships, school, work or everyday activities, consider talking with a professional.

A qualified professional can assess eating behaviors, physical health and emotional well-being to help determine appropriate next steps.

How Rosecrance Therapies can help

Eating disorder recovery looks different for everyone. Rosecrance Therapies provides compassionate, evidence-based care for adults experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID, other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED), and other forms of disordered eating.

Rosecrance Therapies’ intensive outpatient program (IOP) for eating disorders is led by experienced eating disorder professionals, including therapists and dietitians. The program combines group and individual therapy, nutrition counseling and meal support, and medical and psychiatric monitoring to address the whole person.

Virtual IOP is available for individuals residing in Illinois and Indiana, with an in-person option available for those seeking care in the Chicagoland area.

You don’t have to know exactly what type of eating disorder you or someone you care about may be experiencing before reaching out. Rosecrance Therapies can help you understand what’s happening and determine an appropriate next step for care.

Learn more about eating disorder treatment at Rosecrance Therapies or contact us to get started.

312.239.5200