What can you do, if someone you know has an eating disorder?

What can you do, if you suspect someone that you care about, has been eating disorder? All of the signs are there, but you are unsure of how to handle it. Below are a few things that you can try, that hopefully will assist you.

The very first thing that you need to do is try not to put the person on the defensive. You would actually want to talk about this privately and not around other people. Sitting down with them and speaking to them in an open and calm manner, while expressing your concerns. You should expect that in the majority of cases, an automatic denial would be the answer. But by remaining calm and open, it may prove that the conversation will be beneficial.

It is important to listen to what the person is saying carefully, and not be judgmental. The person suffering from an eating disorder honestly believes what they’re saying and even though you might feel is contrary to the truth, such as when they say they are fat, to them this is a very real issue. Try not to use judgmental statements during this conversation and basically let them know that you are just concerned about their health.

Taking the time to find out as much as possible about eating disorders in general, as well as information pertaining to what you feel this person may be experiencing, will help you have a better understanding of what this person is going through. In reality what you are seeing is the physical symptoms of a mental issue.

Often people with eating disorder are facing depression and already feel isolated and misunderstood. Letting them know that you will be there to support them through their recovery, is going to be very reassuring to them. If person you are trying to be supportive of, exhibits behaviors that are life threatening or has symptoms of fainting or talking of suicide, is important that you find professional assistance.

If you are in a supportive role to a person with an eating disorder, it is important to remember that recovery will take time. Try not to be expecting huge and instant strides in a short amount of time and this is one of the hardest things for people in a supportive role to understand. Simple and small steps are needed, asking too much, too soon, can cause a relapse.

It takes time to relearn how to cope with life in a healthy way, as a person with an eating disorder, has taught them selves how to starve or binge, as a means of coping with life and its stresses. Helping them achieve those small goals can help them move forward and onward, to tackling the larger ones as time goes on.

Overcoming an eating disorder is not an easy process, but with the support of both family and friends the chances of recovery is increased dramatically. You are their light at the end of that tunnel.