Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRecognizing SymptomsHow You Can HelpWhat to AvoidHow to Talk to a Loved OneWhen to InterveneTips for YourselfFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Recognizing Symptoms
How You Can Help
What to Avoid
How to Talk to a Loved One
When to Intervene
Tips for Yourself
FAQ
Anorexia is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. The prevalence of anorexia nervosa is estimated to be up to 4% in women and 0.3% in men, with a slightly higher rate among adolescents and young adults.
Recognize Anorexia Symptoms in a Loved One
The first step in helping someone with anorexia is to recognize thesymptoms. Anorexia symptoms can be physical, mental, and emotional.
Physical anorexia symptoms include the following:
Mental and emotional anorexia symptoms include the following:
If you notice any of these symptoms in a loved one, it is important to talk to them about your concerns. Eating disorders are serious medical conditions that require treatment. Anorexia can be life-threatening if left untreated.
How You Can Help Someone With Anorexia
Below outlines the ways in which you can help someone with anorexia.
Medical Care
Medical caregiving for anorexia might include monitoring weight and vital signs. In addition, you may need to provide support during medical appointments andtreatments.
Practical Care
Practical caregiving for someone with anorexia can involve helping with everyday tasks such as cooking, shopping, and cleaning. A person with anorexia may need help preparingmeals that are nutritious and calorie-dense. You may also need to provide transportation to medical appointments.
Emotional Care
Emotional caregiving for someone with anorexia can be challenging. It is important to provide support and understanding. You may also need to help your loved one cope with the emotions associated with anorexia. For example, you may need to help them cope with body image issues,anxiety, and depression.
Below are five specific things you can do to provide emotional care.
Listen without judgment
For example, you might say:
Promote body neutrality
Body neutrality is a concept that promotes appreciation of what the body is capable of and how it helps us. Keeping body neutrality in mind when you speak to someone with anorexia can help you avoid triggering them in any way.
Encourage positive self-talk and healthy coping mechanisms
Anorexia can cause negative self-talk. It is important to encouragepositive self-talkand healthy coping mechanisms. One way to do this is to model healthy coping mechanisms yourself.
For example, if you are feeling stressed,take a deep breathand count to 10. This will show your loved one that it is OK to take care of oneself.
Be patient and understanding
Recovery from anorexia can be a long and difficult process. It is important to be patient and understanding. There will be good days and bad days. The most important thing you can do is to provide support and love.
Offer hope
It is important to offer hope.Recovery from anorexiais possible. There are many success stories. Remind your loved ones that they are not alone and that help is available.
What to Avoid as a Caregiver for Anorexia
There are some things you should avoid as a caregiver for anorexia.
Avoid criticizing or judging
A person with anorexia is likely already feeling a lot of criticism and judgment. As a caregiver, it is important to avoid adding to this.
Avoid talking about food all the time
A person with anorexia is likely already preoccupied with food. Talking about food all the time will only make things worse and maybe be triggering.
Avoid being overbearing
It is important to provide support, but it is also important to respect your loved one’s privacy and space. Beingoverbearingmay strain the relationship.
Avoid enabling unhealthy behaviors
As a caregiver, you might be tempted toenable unhealthy behaviorsin order to avoid conflict or make things easier. For example, you might make excuses for why your loved one didn’t eat dinner. This will only prolong the disorder and prevent recovery.
How to Talk to a Loved One About Anorexia
Below are five important tips for talking to a loved one about anorexia:
Choose a good time and place to talk
Be honest and direct
It is important to be honest and direct when talking to a loved one about anorexia. This can be difficult, but it is important to communicate your concerns in a clear and concise way.
Avoid judgmental language
Be open to listening
Your loved one might want to talk about their experiences with anorexia. It is important to be open tolistening without judgingor offering advice.
Offer help and support
Make it clear that you are there to help and support your loved one through their recovery. Offer to go to doctor’s appointments ortherapy sessionswith them. Let them know that you are available to talk anytime.
If you are worried about a loved one with anorexia, it is important to know when to intervene. The following are somesignsthat intervention might be needed:
If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Tips for Yourself as a Caregiver
Self-care is important for caregivers. Below are some tips for taking care of yourself while caring for a loved one with anorexia.
Make sure to take breaks
Caring for a loved one with anorexia can be emotionally and mentally draining. It is important to take breaks when you need them. This might meantaking a walk, reading a book, or spending time with friends.
Seek professional help
If you are struggling to cope, it is important toseek professional help. This might mean seeing a therapist or joining a support group.
Take care of your own health
It is also important to take care of your own health both physically and mentally. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising, andgetting enough sleep.
Set boundaries
It is important toset boundarieswith your loved one. This might mean setting limits on how much you are willing to help or setting aside time for yourself.
Seek support from others
Caring for a loved one with anorexia can be a lonely experience. It is important to seeksupportfrom other caregivers or from a support group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsA caregiver is someone who provides care and support for another person. This might include helping with activities of daily living, providing emotional support, or coordinating medical care.Some ways to support a loved one with anorexia include being patient, understanding, and supportive. It is also important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally.If you think your loved one has anorexia, the first step is to talk to them about your concerns. You might also want to consider seeking professional help.
A caregiver is someone who provides care and support for another person. This might include helping with activities of daily living, providing emotional support, or coordinating medical care.
Some ways to support a loved one with anorexia include being patient, understanding, and supportive. It is also important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally.
If you think your loved one has anorexia, the first step is to talk to them about your concerns. You might also want to consider seeking professional help.
A Word From Verywell
Caregiving for someone with anorexia can be a challenging experience. However, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Not everyone understands what it is like to care for someone with anorexia, but there are people who can help. Support groups and therapy can be a great resource for both caregivers and people with anorexia.
Caring for Your Mind and Body While Taking a Weight Loss Medication
3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.van Eeden AE, van Hoeken D, Hoek HW.Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34(6):515-524. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000739National Institute of Mental Health.Eating Disorders.Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia Nervosa.
3 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.van Eeden AE, van Hoeken D, Hoek HW.Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34(6):515-524. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000739National Institute of Mental Health.Eating Disorders.Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia Nervosa.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
van Eeden AE, van Hoeken D, Hoek HW.Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34(6):515-524. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000739National Institute of Mental Health.Eating Disorders.Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia Nervosa.
van Eeden AE, van Hoeken D, Hoek HW.Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34(6):515-524. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000739
National Institute of Mental Health.Eating Disorders.
Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia Nervosa.
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