What is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is usually rooted to something that's going on in the inside, emotionally. The two most common eating disorders among teens are anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Not all people with disorders are female either -- approximately 1 in 10 victims are male.

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa (usually shortened to anorexia) usually happens when a person thinks they are "too fat" and stops the amount of food they eat. Anorexics think of themselves of fat, no matter how much they weigh at all. An estimated 10 to 20% of anorexics die each year. That's 2 in 10 people!

The grossest result of this is that you get kidney and liver damage because the lack of proper nutrition (healthy food) makes your body start attacking your organs. Ewww!

Below are some signs symptoms that person may be suffering from anorexia:

-- Noticeable weight loss: Well, obviously if you stop eating you'll be looking skinnier and skinnier, very fast. Pretty quickly, you can get to be very stick-person-like!
-- Fatigue: Since your body isn't consuming energy (calories), you're bound to be falling asleep in science class.
-- Always feeling cold: I'm not positively sure why this happens, but maybe it's because you don't have anything to get those stomach muscles moving.
-- Obsession with food: If your friend is constantly looking at the nutrition facts on everything she or he eats, this could be a warning sign.
-- Excuses for not eating: "I ate earlier", "I left my lunch at home", "I'm not hungry..."
-- Complaining about being too fat: Even some skinny people go through this, but it doesn't mean the person has an eating disorder; they just may be insecure.
-- Headaches: If your friend complains about headaches often, it could mean something. (Not necessarily, though.)
-- Perfectionist attitude: Most anorexics are perfectionists.

Consequences:

-- Depression
-- Skin issues
-- Dehydration
-- Shortness of breath
-- Irregular heartbeats
-- Cold hands and feet (as mentioned earlier)
-- Bloating
-- Constipation (eww!)
-- Hair loss (I'd like to keep my hair, thanks)
-- Stomach pains
-- Loss of bone mass
-- Kidney and liver damage (as mentioned earlier)
-- Osteoporosis
-- Insomnia
-- Depression (is your buddy constantly singin' the blues?)
-- Cardiac arrest
-- and death

...all caused by some stupid urge to be thin!

What is Bulimia?

Bulimia is when a person "binges" -- eating a lot -- and then, err... they throw it all back out again. Eww! Each binge could be a simple cookie or a 10,000-calorie binge! Bulimics usually know that they have a problem and are more likely to stop and get help.

Symptoms and Signs:

-- Binge eating: They go on major eating sprees, but instead of gaining weight, they'll lose it. Scary..
-- Secretive eating: A bulimic may go off somewhere to eat where people won't see her or him.
-- Many bathroom trips: If you see your friend sneaking around to the bathroom after eating, it could be a sign that she/he has bulimia.
-- Vomiting: Since you throw your food back up again, your body will eventually lose control and may start vomiting at um... the wrong time.
-- Fasting: If your friend tries to stop eating, it could mean that she has some type of eating disorder.
-- Mood dwings: Usually people who throw up a lot and eat little are pretty grumpy!
-- Tooth decay: (Because of the stuff in the vomit)
-- Depression: (Explained earlier)
-- Complaints: A bulimic may complain of a sore throat or a sore chest.

Consequences:

-- Fatigue
-- Dizziness
-- Headaches
-- Constipation and diarrhea
-- Chest pains
-- Low blood pressure
-- Abrasions on back of the hand or knuckles
-- Cardiac arrest
-- and death

If you think your friend has an eating disorder:

Approach them calmly and privately. Tell your friend that you're worried about them and that you'll go with them to a counselor or their parents. If your friend gets defensive, just drop it and talk about something else, but don't forget it!. Ask your parents to talk to your friend's parents about it, or speak with a school counselor or nurse. Whatever you do, be supportive of your friend! That means be a good friend -- which doesn't mean supporting a dangerous habit like anorexia or bulimia.

Thanks for reading my article. I hope you enjoyed it and that it taught you some things!

*clicks*
ducky2

Author's Note: For those who are wondering, I do not have an eating disorder. Thank you.