How do I know if I have an eating disorder?

What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that manifest as unhealthy thoughts and behaviors around food and eating. Many people believe that common eating disorders like anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) are a choice, but they're actually a product of a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.⁵

Eating disorders can manifest as a broad spectrum of symptoms, including those that tend toward restrictive behaviors (limiting food intake) and those that revolve around binging behaviors (eating large amounts of food). They almost always involve chronic low self-esteem and a resulting distorted body image, with several other emotional and social effects arising as part of the condition.⁶

Ultimately, each condition—and its symptoms—is as individual as the person struggling. However, the hallmark of most eating disorders is a severe and lasting disturbance in the way a person engages with food, movement, and their body.⁵

Eating disorders vs. dieting

Dieting to avoid gaining weight may seem like a "normal" pursuit for many people. And while people with certain medical conditions do need to watch what they eat, for a vast majority of people, "dieting" is unnecessary and potentially dangerous.

Research has shown that dieting is a risk factor for developing eating disorders.¹ Restrictive dieting with the intent to lose weight is especially dangerous, being tied to increasingly disordered behavior.² studies have also shown that when people are dissatisfied with their physical appearance, they are more likely to diet, which in turn leads to pathological eating behaviors.³

The emphasis on attaining thin bodies for women and slim, toned bodies for men in the Western world has led to a widespread acceptance of dieting and diet culture. Aside from encouraging the development of disordered eating, this can work to hide eating disorders, "normalizing" the thoughts and behaviors associated with them.

To be clear, not all diets are eating disorders. But what makes dieting so dangerous is the mentality behind it. The human body can be healthy at all weights, shapes, and sizes, but dieting makes people think that only certain weights and sizes are okay. This can lead people to fixate on body image—a telltale sign of most eating disorders—and adopt increasingly unhealthy eating habits and outlooks to achieve an ultimately arbitrary size or shape.

Pathological eating vs. eating disorders

The line between eating disorders and pathological or disordered eating is fine but important to understand.

Generally, pathological or disordered eating refers to a variety of unhealthy behaviors used to lose or control body weight or shape, including:⁴

• Fasting
• Vomiting
• Using laxatives
• Smoking
• Taking diet pills

Just as with dieting, the presence of these behaviors doesn't necessarily indicate an eating disorder. Some people may engage in short-term extreme diets or very occasionally engage in pathological eating behavior without meeting the full criteria for an eating disorder. However, the presence of these behaviors is often a sign that someone is at a high risk of developing an eating disorder.

Someone who lives with an eating disorder consistently demonstrates pathological eating behaviors, and their focus on food and weight control becomes obsessive and can cause physical, psychological, and social problems.⁵

Eating disorder signs

Again, eating disorders present slightly differently in everyone. Even two people with the same diagnosis may have different signs and symptoms. But, in general, these signs can serve as indicators that something is wrong or a person is at the point of needing help:⁶

• Obsession with the calorie and/or nutritional content in food 
• Focusing primarily on weight manipulation and control of food intake, to the point that other areas of life, such as socializing, fall by the wayside
• Being extremely concerned about body shape, weight, or size and frequently checking the mirror to evaluate flaws in appearance 
• Restricting entire groups of food or restricting more and more foods over time
• Experiencing intense mood swings
• Withdrawing from family, friends, or usual activities because of the fixation on weight and food control 
• Continuing to engage in disordered eating behaviors, even when it causes health problems, significant life disruption, or extreme distress
• Physical symptoms like dizziness, muscle weakness, dry skin, and constantly feeling cold

If you or a loved one are experiencing these, it may be a sign of an eating disorder. These conditions generally don't go away or get better on their own, so seeking appropriate help is essential.

Do I have an eating disorder? (Quiz)

If you're still wondering how to tell if you have an eating disorder, taking a quiz can be another way to help. While these quizzes are not meant to replace an official diagnosis or medical exam, they may be able to help indicate if your or your loved one's behaviors put you at a higher risk.

Still, it's essential to follow up with an exam from an appropriate medical professional, such as your primary care physician or a psychiatrist. This can help you secure an official diagnosis and get on the road to proper care.

Seeking treatment

If you show some of the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder discussed here, you might benefit from reaching out to a mental health professional who can help evaluate your symptoms and recommend appropriate care.

A professional who specializes in treating eating disorders can perform a diagnostic assessment and develop a treatment plan that helps you to overcome disordered patterns of thinking and behaving.

Even if you don’t believe you have an eating disorder, you might consider working with a dietitian if you find yourself compulsively dieting or struggling with a negative body image. Seeking help now can prevent dieting behavior and body dissatisfaction from leading to an eating disorder down the road.