Could these be signs of an eating disorder?

Question

I have noticed a lot of these signs in my sister:
-she says she feels guilty when she eats
-she "punishes" herself when she eats too much
-she looks at every single calorie she eats and counts them
-she says that she is fat even though she isn't (she's about 5'10 and weighs 127-129 lbs)
-she has accounts on almost every single dieting site.

what should I do? how can I help her? if i tell her to go see a doctor she will think that I'm jealous! Please help me!

Answer 1

Sounds like she's at risk for one

Answer 2

Okay. I've recently had a similar thing to your sister, and I know from experience what you should and shouldn't do.

Don't just tell her to eat. Anorexia is so much more complex, and, in fact, it does absolutely nothing to tell someone to eat. It's the same as telling a depressed person to get happy. She might eat one bite after you force her, but her problem is psychological.

Don't go on about how skinny she is, because she might enjoy hearing that and continue to wither away (sounds sick but it's true!).

By the way, people who punish themselves after eating are usually obsessive-compulsive and have anxiety disorders. You might want to recommend a psychologist for those issues themselves, because food is just one of the projections of the problem.

Get her to see a doctor and a psychologist if possible. Don't make it a huge "encounter" or "lecture" though. Tell the parents, tell the doctors, but keep it a secret and don't tell any friends. That's just humiliating. Treat her like your sister and nothing different. Accept her, love her, but make sure she is getting help from the professionals. Shunning an anorexic can screw things up. Also, whenever she mentions her weight, don't respond. Look apathetic. Ignore it, but know secretly that she has professionals waiting for her.

Sorry to basically dictate these to you, but you absolutley have to handle this situation well. Not only to prevent death, but to prevent serious depression and a messed-up relationship with food.

Answer 3

I think so. 127 for someone that tall is very low. Try to find out why she does that, could be just needs more attention or some sorts of blaming herself for what she didn't do.
If she doesn't tell you, do your own investigation, maybe read her diary (sorry but it's necessary) or talk to her best friends or maybe to the school physician a good source for medical help.
If she is skinny by birth then she won't say that she feels guilty when she eats or punish her self, that's eating disorder (especially if she wasn't that skinny before and suddenly her weight drops so fast in so little time)
No, don't tell her about your investigation or seeing a doctor, she will take that as offense and blame herself more. Just be her best friend for now, it might be all that she needs.

Answer 4

I think that your sister does have an eating disorder, i know what you are going through because my best friend had bulimia. You are right, you cant tell her to go see a doctor cuz she will think that you are just jealous of her, she has to realize she has a problem by herself, but you can help her. Just tell her to look at the other girls and she will see that most of them are not as skinny as she is and let her know that it is important to take care of your body and stuff but that girls with curves look better, at first she will be kind of mad at you but then she will come around, thats what happened with my friend.

Answer 5

she either has an eating disorder, or is going to get one... i was exactly like that.... an innocent diet turned into a competition with myself, how much can i lose.... i would limit myself to 200 calories a day, and i would wake up at 3 in the morning so i could work out 4 hours before i had to get ready for school, and then i would work out at least another 4 hours after school.... i was obsessed. she NEEDS help. she may not like the fact that you're getting her help, but would you rather have her be mad at you temporarily or die?

Answer 6

Honestly, she's just a crazy dieter i think. I have that problem only slightly, but this could be a little over the edge. She still eats right? Is she losing weight? You should just let her be an obsessive compulsive dieter for now, but until she starts starving or going to the bathroom to throw up, step in.

Answer 7

Yes. She has a problem. I wish I weighed that much. I'm 5'10" and I'm about 165. I don't have a problem with my weight, I like the way I look most of the time. If you talk to her about it, she will get defensive, but sweetie, she NEEDS help, FAST. My cousin is five feet tall and weighs less that 100 pounds. She is anorexic, and our family had an intervention to convice her to seek help. She is currently going to a specialist and meetings [like AA]. Try to get other loved ones who can see she has this problem to all get her to realize it.

Answer 8

counting cal. is normal for weight control, but if she's punishing herself, yes probable is, I used to do that when I had an eating disorder. Help, is easier said than done, you have to find out why she feels that way, did someone say something, like that, then u have to fix it.

Answer 9

Oh yeah she has a serious eating disorder and she better go asee a doctor ... this can kill her in little time frame! Get articles off the internet and scare her into seeing a doctor!

Answer 10

Either she watches her figure a lot... or yes shes starting to develop an eating disorder ... talk to her and get ur parents involved.

Answer 11

It doesn't mean your jealous it means your concerned. Talk to her about it. An eating disorder is serious and needs to be dealt with seriously!