DO I HAVE AN EATING DISORDER?
“Sometimes when I sit down to eat, I get nervous and start to shake. I’m afraid that I’ll gain weight. I tell myself, ‘I have to lose [two more kilograms].’” –Kate. “I want to be attractive, and I’m terrified of getting fat. But I don’t want anyone to know that I throw up my food after I eat. It’s very embarrassing.” –Emmy. “I tell myself: ‘… Today, I’m going to do better…’ And then later in the day at some inevitable point, I binge. Guilt follows, and I want to die.”-Tina. You want to look good, and that’s normal. You want to be comforted when you’re anxious or depressed. There’s nothing wrong with that either. But if you’re like any of the girls quoted here, you could have a problem. If you do, you’re not alone. The fact is, millions of youths –most of them girls –have an eating disorder. Let’s take a closer look at ANOREXIA, BULIMIA, and BINGE EATING. Each of these disorders has distinct symptoms, but all of them inv