Anorexia
Anorexia is the easiest eating disorder to recognize since its sufferers tend to be thin. They may have outwardly apparent habits, like not eating very much, pushing food around and cutting it up, food hoarding, or a general preoccupation with food.
People with anorexia may have learned to publicly announce they need to gain more weight to convince others that they are eating regularly, Dr. Hedrick says.
“If they’ve been told by 50 different people they’re too skinny, they won’t tell their loved ones they want to lose more weight,” Dr. Hedrick says.
“Anorexia is often intertwined with one’s identity, which can make it harder to change.”
Bulimia
Bulimia is often trickier to notice, because most patients are a normal weight or overweight.
Symptoms a friend or family member might notice are frequent trips to the bathroom, especially after eating, or running water while in the bathroom to disguise the sound of vomiting. People with bulimia might complain of constipation to gain access to laxatives.
Generally, people with bulimia are more motivated to get well than those with other eating disorders, Dr. Hedrick says.
“There is often a lot more room and space to talk to them about it, and they’ll be more open.”
ARFID
Patients with ARFID might claim many food allergies or sensitives—their diet may be reduced to an unreasonably limited selection. They can present as “picky eaters,” but will usually exhibit significant weight loss.
