TeenHealthFX - Answers - Am I Anorexic?

Eating Disorders / Question
Published: January 12, 2009

Dear TeenHealthFX,

I'm worried that I might really be anorexic. People ask and I lie to them but I really think I might be... I severely restrict what I do eat and try to avoid eating whenever I can. I feel like a failure every time that food enters my mouth and answers to the pain in my stomach. I think I might have been like this for a while but just haven't realized it. At the start of the summer I was around 130 something pounds, I'm now down to 115 and it is January. I know I probably need help but I'm scared of what the help might be. I just want to know if I am or not... Signed, Am I Anorexic?

Signed: Am I Anorexic?

Dear Am I Anorexic?,

A person is diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa when he or she does not maintain a weight that is considered within a normal range for that person’s height and body type due to restricting their food intake and/or over-exercising. Some or all of the following will also occur with people who are anorexic:

An extreme fear of gaining weight or being “fat.”
Despite being very thin, a perception of being “fat.”
Limiting food choices to diet foods or foods low in calories.
A sense of pride in being able to pass up tempting foods while others indulge.
Periods becoming irregular or stoping all together.
Slow pulses, low blood pressure and frequent feelings of dizziness and weakness.

The fact that you are severely restricting what you eat, that you try to avoid eating when you can, that you feel like a failure whenever you eat, and that you have subsequently lost 15 pounds in 6 months strongly suggests that you are dealing with an eating disorder. TeenHealthFX thinks that it is very important for you to speak to your parents and/or a counselor at school about your concerns so that a consultation can be set up for you with a mental health professional trained in working with teens with eating disorders.

Seeking out help for any mental health issue can be scary. It can be scary to think about having to make changes, facing certain painful issues or feelings, or simply coming to terms that there is a mental health issue that requires treatment. However, if you let your therapist know that you are feeling anxious about seeking out help and about what the process entails, it helps your therapist to know that she or he needs to be very clear with you about what to expect from treatment and that a slow pace in the treatment may be warranted.

FX wants you to keep in mind that the longer you wait to seek treatment and the worse this problem gets, the more difficult treatment will become and the more restrictive your options will be. For example, those who at a point with extremely severe eating disorders may need to be inpatient at a hospital or residential facility rather than being able to go for outpatient treatment. So seek out treatment now and get treatment for yourself before your treatment options are more restrictive, before the problem worsens, and before further damage is done to your physical well-being.

If you live in northern New Jersey, you can contact the Eating Disorders Program at Atlantic Health at 908-522-5757 for more information and to set up an evaluation. If you live in northern New Jersey and need help finding a therapist you can also call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals in your area. In addition, you can contact your insurance company to get a list of in-network mental health providers or check with your school social worker or psychologist to get a list of referrals in your area.

For more information and referral services you can contact the National Eating Disorders Association at 1-800-931-2237.

Signed: TeenHealthFX