I have a friend and i think she might have an eating disorder?!


Question: I have a friend and i think she might have an eating disorder.?
I have a friend who is really skinny but me and my friends have been really worried about her latley. Her name is Sophia and she is 15 years old. She hardly eats anything for lunch but she says she just has a small appetite. She always makes comments about her body saying she is fat and stuff. (but she is super skinny) one of her really good friends is also very skinny and Sophia is always making me lift them to see who is lighter.

A few weeks ago me and my friends confronted her about it but she denied it. We were really worried about it so we told a teacher. The teacher did not do anything about it. (She promised she would talk to Sophia but we know Sophia would have denied it)

Now we dont know what to do because we care alot about her but we dont want to loose her trust. She has not become an unhealthy size yet but we are more worried about her body immage. Like the things she says or the way she looks at herself in the mirror. What can I do to help her.?

Thank you.Health Question & Answer


Answers:
Hi,
First of all I want to tell you that you are a very good friend. You have noticed that something is wrong with your friend and you are sticking by her when she needs you most.
Second of all, I want you to know that I have been in your friends place. When I was in high school my parents got divorced and because I could not control what was going on with my parents I started to control what I ate. I think that is the biggest reason people have eating disorders, because they want to control something that they cannot.
My friends confronted me, just like you did, but I of course denied it. They even told a few teachers but by then I had come up with some good excuses and I was able to lie my way out of the situation.
Here is what worked.
My friends met with my parents and told them everything. I was really mad at them for doing this, so don't be suprised if your friend gets angry at you, but once my parents knew I couldn't lie my way out of it. They helped me to get the help that I needed.
My friends also told my guidance counseler so I had support inside school and at home.

Your parents know you better than anyone else ever will and when you are a teenager you underestimate them. At least I did with mine. But they saved my life and helped me through a really hard time.

Eating disorders are very seroious and if you really think you friend needs help, which it sounds like she does, then you should tell her parents. It could be a matter of life or death.

Hope this helps.Health Question & Answer

I hope you used a fake name :S
You don't want her to find this!!

Don't make an issue of the problem, or it will make her cower away even more. Maybe you could talk to her quietly on a one-to-one basis as this would be less confrontational. You could start not by confronting her, but as a way of reassuring her, that if she does have anything worrying her, she can always come to you. This might make her come out of herself aHealth Question & Answer

sometimes u gotta be a lil hard to get ur point through...tell her thoroughly but not mean to start eating more...try to get her to see that she is dwindling down to nothing and if she doesnt do something she will die of lack of food and starvation (same thing i know)...or maybe offer her some of ur food...she says she has a small stomach but she is probably starving so offer her some food and see if she will take itHealth Question & Answer

maybe you should suggest it to her parents.? i know your thinking ' what! she will go mad ' but at least then her parents can keep an eye on her and it wont have to be your job even if she doesn't talk to you for a while when she realises you care about her she will say sorry.
Health Question & Answer

get help. tell your parents or hers.Health Question & Answer

She will die..i had anorexia for two years my friends didn't notice or even care so thank God she has you two. I was hospitalized for it and neraly died because of heart problems. She definally has a eating disorder and you need to ethir tell her parents or tell the school social sercurtiy or cousouluer.. my friend from treatment died from it she was 15 like me and she died..i cry everyday because we were both so sick and gave eachother tips to throw up..burn calroies and cheat the treatment team. I feel like i killed her. You need to get her help..the earlier caught the easier it can be treated she might not have to go to the hospital. You can tell her my story about how i lost two good years of my life due to this awful disorder im learning how to live again and not worry about what i look like but that is hard.Health Question & Answer

Have a serious talk with just you and her. If you can see that she's really uneasy about it and seems to not be able to look you straight in the eye, she probably does have an eating disorder.
Try spending more time with her and try getting her to eat more, but don't force her. Try having a little party or sleep over or something and order pizza. Little things like that can help her. What she needs most right now is to know that her friends love her no matter what may be going through her head and soon she'll hopefully snap out of it.Health Question & Answer



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