Like many other mental health conditions, eating disorders are prevalent across a wide array of social backgrounds, genders, and ages. However, in most cases, they occur in adolescence and young adulthood. Today, millions of young adults are battling eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. If they don’t find recovery services and address their condition, they could suffer a wide array of severe health effects. If you suspect that someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder, please don’t hesitate to seek help. You can reach out to the mental health interventionist services at Southworth Associates today by calling 844.521.0523.
Signs of Eating Disorders In Young Adults
In some cases, the signs of eating disorders can be challenging for friends and loved ones to recognize. Sadly, eating disorders can appear differently in teens and young adults than they may in more mature adults. Furthermore, due to the stigma surrounding these conditions, there is plenty of misinformation about them.
However, there is a range of critical symptoms of eating disorders that you and your loved ones can be aware of, ensuring the safety of the person you suspect of having an eating disorder. Some of these symptoms may be physical, while others may be rooted in their mentality. However, the symptoms that your loved one will display may vary based upon the type of eating disorder they’re battling.
Anorexia Nervosa
When a young adult is battling anorexia, they may believe that they are overweight, though their loved ones and doctors contradict this idea. As a result of their belief, they’ll try to restrict their food intake to ensure that they do not gain weight. There are a wide array of symptoms of anorexia, including:
- Anxiousness
- Depression
- Isolating themselves from their friends and family members
- Consistently weight loss or fluctuations in weight
- An obsession with food, dieting, body shape, and calories
- Problems with skin, hair loss, and loosened teeth
- Feeling cold when the weather is warm
- Hiding their body shape with baggy clothing or multiple layers
- Frequently having diarrhea, constipation, an upset stomach, or a sore throat
Bulimia Nervosa
Young adults battling bulimia nervosa also tend to be preoccupied with their body shape and weight. Unlike those with anorexia, people with bulimia secretly engage in binge eating sessions, during which they eat excessive amounts of food. However, to counter the possibility of weight gain, they get rid of the extra calories by purging their body of food. People with bulimia may show symptoms such as:
- Eating abnormally excessive amounts of food in a single sitting
- Losing control of their actions during binge-eating sessions
- Forcing themselves to vomit or excessively exercise to ensure that they do not gain weight
- Restricting calories between binge eating sessions
- Using dietary supplements to lose weight
- Utilizing enemas, diuretics, or laxatives to rid their body of food, though these tools are not necessary
Binge Eating Disorder
Everyone overindulges on food occasionally. For instance, you may have seconds or thirds at Christmas dinner. However, if your loved one is battling binge eating disorder, they consume abnormally large amounts of food frequently. In some cases, the person feels unable to stop eating. These binge eating sessions occur regularly. Due to this condition, the person may feel embarrassed about their eating habits. However, they also feel compelled to continue eating, which often leads to secretive behaviors and hoarding food. However, unlike other conditions, they do not engage in purging behaviors.
Contact Southworth Associates
At Southworth Associates, we strive to give you the tools that you need to encourage your loved one to seek recovery services. We utilize a wide array of intervention services to help you and your loved ones convince the person with an eating disorder to seek treatment. Our intervention services include:
- Medical intervention services
- Bilingual intervention services
- Mental health intervention services
- Family intervention services
Don’t let your loved one suffer any longer. Contact Southworth Associates today at 844.521.0523 to learn more about how you can convince them to seek recovery services.
