Five Signs That Your Friend Or Loved One May Be Struggling With Food

We live in a world with so much pressure these days. With the prevalence of social media and these Instagram-perfect lifestyles people wish to lead, it’s no surprise to see that more people are suffering from mental health problems, while around three percent of teenagers and four percent of adults now suffer from eating disorders.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, that number is on the rise, and it could well be that you know someone who is suffering from an eating disorder.

At their core, eating disorders are an addiction. They come in a number of shapes and sizes, but that’s what they are and anyone suffering from them does need help with addiction in order to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle.

It could be that you are worried that a friend or family member, perhaps even a colleague, may be suffering from such an addiction. Well, there are some signs that may determine if that’s the case and encourage you to push them in the right direction to get the help they need…

 

Odd behaviour before or after mealtimes

Around mealtimes, behaviour of those suffering from eating disorders can be a little different to what you’re used to.

Frequent excuses to go to the bathroom or refusing to eat in the presence of other people can be telltale signs, while strange rituals like cutting pieces of food into tiny pieces or eating things in a particular order may be a cause for concern too.

Control over what is eaten

People suffering with eating disorders like to be in control of what they are eating and they can become particularly upset if they don’t have that control.

For example, if dinner reservations are moved or a restaurant isn’t serving what they were planning on ordering, that can cause upset, while there are a host of other things they may become flustered over.

Making their own meals

If a loved one all of a sudden begins to show an interest in cooking, then it could be a sign. Of course, they may actually be showing an interest in cooking and it may be no cause for concern, but if they aren’t eating the meals they are making, or are preferring to make their own meals instead of eating with the rest of the family, then it could be a red flag that something isn’t quite right.

Discussing weight concerns

Talking about dieting and weight problems can be something worth taking note as. Eating disorders are often born out of an unhappiness with physical appearance and if there is a lot of talk around the desire for body shape to look different, then you may want to have an honest conversation with them and see exactly what’s going on.

It can be incredibly damaging to a person’s health going through an eating disorder, and supporting your loved one in getting help could be life changing, and life saving for them, for which they’ll be forever grateful.