How to Help a Friend with Eating Disorders

If you are reading this article, then you have a family member, friend, or perhaps yourself that is dealing with an eating disorder. This can be a very difficult and scary time for everyone involved. This article may not tell you everything that you need to know, but its a beginning, a place to get started and educated on the facts and myths of eating disorders. Avoiding it or ignoring it, will not make it go away. This is a very real & serious problem.

If you are going to be successful at helping someone with an eating disorder, you must educate yourself and them by reading books, articles and speaking to doctors, and counselors. Being educated will assist you as you reason against any inaccurate ideas that you my have been told, or read somewhere else. You'll be able to identify eating patterns and recognize the stories and lies associated by the disordered eating patterns.

By reading this article, you are showing that you care about them. Now be firm, but be careful you don't over do it and come across as manipulative or become manipulated by their explanations, promises or rules. Also, you do not make any promises, rules or explanations that you have no intention or capability to uphold, as well. This could only make the situation more severe. It is important to just be yourself, get an open, honest conversation started. Be loving and supportive towards them but also have respect for them and their situation.

Please understand, that an eating disorder comes with some damaging physical and emotional effects. Trying to force them to eat something is not the best option. Neither is demanding that they are out of control, or are crazy. This kind of behavior will only shut the doors of communication, making it nearly impossible to reopen.

Your friend needs help, there is no denying that, but you have to proceed with absolute caution. They may become angry that you are questioning them about attitudes and behaviors. They may also deny that they even have a problem. Your friend needs as much support and understanding as possible from caring, loving people in their life. Try to get them to talk about any feelings, to get them out into the open. Keeping things locked up inside is not going to help the situation, only make matters worse. But remember, you are not their therapist, only a friend and they need to have professionals involved in their care.

And remember: you are their model. So be good to yourself and live as an example they can follow. Share your own mistakes and failures and let them see its okay to be a goof up once in awhile, everyone is. What you are trying to accomplish here is showing your own imperfections, so that they won't feel so strongly about theirs.