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Anorexia/Eating Disorders/my friend has an obsession with healthy eating longterm

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Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 9/10/2009


Question
hi,
My really good friend at the end of last year decided she was going to go healthy.
She ended up sticking to it and put a total ban on fatty, processed etc foods. Her diets based on "good" nutrition, however she's become totally obsessive over food. Its all she seems to talk about and she catalogues her calories in a diary and she has a heavy daily exercise regime.
Not only that, she has had other side effects, such as not getting her period (she hasnt gotten it since she started this diet thing), shes cold all the time, very very frequent trips to the bathroom, shes tired and exhausted a lot, her BMI says shes underweight and shes fairly tall though now very skinny (she used to be quite athletic looking), and watches people eat "unhealthy" foods too - its a bit unnerving.
My friends and i are all worried about her so we asked her to see a doctor however she refuses to believe there is anything wrong with her diet. That may be the case but we're very sure there's something wrong.
If you could please shed any light on what to do or anything at all, that would be so great.

Answer

Jeannie Rust, PhD
Dear Rebecca,

Your friend is very lucky to have YOU for a friend!

A couple of things -- it sounds to me as if she's become somewhat anorexic -- I can't really diagnose her because I don't know her height and weight and what she's eating, but an eating disorder frequently can develop with someone who thinks she's just "eating healthy."  In addition to anorexia, it's possible that she could have something called orthorexia -- a condition where someone becomes obsessed with the kind of food they're's eating and making sure it's healthy (in their eyes)-- just like your friend.

Her heavy exercise could also be a concern.  Sometimes people use exercise as a way of controlling their weight.  Any time someone uses either purging, heavy exercise, diuretics, or laxatives as a way of keeping their weight down, they are bulimic!  This could also explain the frequent trips to the bathroom.

I'm just speculating on all of this but if she continues to lose weight, I'd talk with a teacher or her mother and tell them about your concern.  Do you have any idea how many calories she's eating daily??

Let me know how she does!

Warmly,
Jeannie Rust, PhD
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com

Jeanne Rust, PhD

Expertise

I have been treating eating disorders for over 25 years and I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. I am an expert in anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders and in co-occurring disorders as well -- depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc. I was the official eating disorder therapist for the University of Arizona athletic department and love working with girls and women of all ages! 12 years ago I started my own treatment centers in Arizona where we treat adolescents and adults. I love working with people and have been helping people online since 1994. My hearts go out to the people out there who are unable to find help, who aren't sure whether they need help, and who don't have much of an understanding of the terrible consequences, emotionally and physically, that go hand in hand with the eating disorder. I view eating disorders as coping mechanisms that people use when they are under stress. I believe that eating disorders most times have many similarities whether it is anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. The good news is that people can heal from an eating disorder and learn to create the lives they would like to live.

Experience

I have 25 years of experience in treating eating disorders of all kinds. I also do consultations for people who are starting treatment centers.

Education/Credentials
Northwestern University -- BA Masters in Counseling Doctorate in Clinical Psychology -- Saybrook institute

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