How to deal with someone who has an eating disorder?

Yep, just let her die. It is not your problem.

Diana wrote:

Don't make it your problem. people with eating disorders do NOT want people poking their noses into their business where they're not wanted. So if you want to remain in some good standing with her, ignore it. It may not be healthy, but emotionally that's what I think she wants. When she wants help, she'll get it, or she'll just grow out of it and mature like many girls eventually do. ED girls hate all this sneaking around and telling people behind their backs. Don't take it personally, but if you really can't stand to be around her idiosyncracies, changing roommates is your best bet.

Have her partake in some of God's special herb. She's sure to work up quite the appetite.

If she hasn't been eating lately, I caution you to hide your junk munchies because she will go through them faster than Jason in a Bangkok brothel.

Hold er down and shove a friggin beef samwhich down er throat!!!!!!

I work in residence life at a college and although I've had hours of training on how to help students help friends with EDs, the best advice boils down to this -- you should make an appointment to see a counselor. (an appt. for yourself I mean.) Counseling centers are well-trained and well-equipped to provide you with information and options regarding how to help your friend. You wouldn't believe the resources that are out there! They can help you figure out what would work best for you and your friend's relationship and also be healthy for your friend. Ignore the jokers who are making light of this situation and get to a counselor. Could save your friend's life.

ignore these Aholes! The last poster was right...talk to a counselor on the best way to approach her. She def. has a prob and really needs help. Also, u might need to move out for ur own health. I am in recovery from an eating disorder and had a roomate who was being sick and i moved out to take care of myself. those habits can rub off a little on u, even if ur healthy...at least slightly sick thoughts etc. My old roomate used to say mean things about my body...(she was jealous.) Talk to her but also take care of urself!!!

good luck!

Introduce her to me - she will eat me

Teach her to cook.It's worked on every cook that I know.

As another poster mentioned this earlier, would you call the counselor, parents, etc and intervene if she gained 30lbs by eating too much pizza and drinking too much beer?

Such a dumb assessment of a serious situation. What is the MATTER with some of you, anyway? Find someone...a counselor, a close friend...who will give this person the help and support she needs. Eating disorders are NOT funny.

Are you another one of those Duke girls?

One of my housemates in college had an eating disorder. I and my other housemates knew it was a problem long before she did. After several months of watching her deteriorate, enough people told her that they were concerend about her that she actaully started to see that she might have a problem. None of us could force this realization upon her. What we could do, however, was treat her with respect and honesty and be supportive. Even after she knew she had a problem, she was still not willing to go get help. Finally, after a year of being really sick, she drove herself to the emergency room and asked for help. She started a treatment program and it was frustrating watching her have ups and downs throughout the process, but we stood by her and were supportive and accepting. We offered her love which is something she didn't receive from her parents...the ultimate cause of her problems. The point I am trying to make is that you cannot force her into treatment, she has to choose to want to get better. What you can do is accept her, show her you care, and suppor her -- that will ultimately give her the strength to want to get better.

The handfull of youn women with an "eating disorder" pales in comparison to the real eating disorder in the US.

US Obesity Related Costs

Obesity Related Disease Costs Overwhelm HealthCare System

* Type II Diabetes ($63.14 Billion)

* Osteoporosis ($17.2 Billion)

* Hypertension ($3.23 Billion)

* Heart Disease ($6.99 Billion)

* Post-menopausal breast cancer ($2.32 Billion)

* Colon Cancer ($2.78 Billion)

* Endometrial Cancer ($790 Million)

* Hospital costs associated with childhood obesity rising from $35 Million (1979) to $127 Million (1999)

Obesity Related Costs of Lost Productivity

* Workdays lost: $39.3 Million

* Physician office visits: $62.7 Million

* Restricted Activity days: $29.9 Million

* Bed-Related days: $89.5 Million

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am trying to get in touch with a counselor who can hopefully help.

However, right now, I am witnessing my roommate skipping dinner. I offered to make her something, but she snapped, "no, thank you." Do I just let it slide till I can talk to the counselor?

Shove a 9 inch candy bar down there throat.

Full blown anorexics are rather intractable to treatment. The literature shows that 25% of them eventually die from their problem. A larger percentage battle with their body image problem for the rest of their life. If you really want to take this on, which you should think long and hard about before doing it, then the best approach is to simply say: "If you ever want to talk to someone about your eating habits or how you are feeling about yourself, I will be hear to listen." That's it. The rest is up to her.

If she does open up to you then you should encourage her to seek help not from RAs or other phoney helpers but from people trained specifically to deal with eating disorders. There are good facilities around the country for this. The key is never to judge her. In the end, she will gain weight only if she wants to.

How about all of the fat people who eventually die from their problem?

Fred Norris wrote:

Shove a 9 inch tube steak down there throat.

First you tell your friend that they are " your gonna die" (chris rock). Next you tell them "ya you might be fat but thats life, deal with it". I would tell the person to get a f***ing life and eat your just going to die like the rest of us!!! No one likes anyone with eating disorders, but people like people like people with barbeques!! So what you should get from this is basically enjoy like, eat becuase no one cares anymore!!!