How do you know if you or someone you care about has an eating disorder? Read the statements below and note how many you identify with.

1. Even though people tell me I am thin, I feel fat.
2. I get anxious if I can't exercise.
3. (Female) My menstrual periods are irregular or absent.
4. (Male) My sex drive is not as strong as it used to be.
5. I worry about what I will eat.
6. If I gain weight, I get anxious and/or depressed.
7. Other people talk about the way I eat.
8. I would rather eat by myself than with family and friends.
9. I enjoy cooking for others but don't usually eat what I cook.
10. I have a secret stash of my favorite food/candy.
11. When I eat, I feel like I can't stop.
12. I lie about what I eat.
13. I don't want to be bothered or interrupted when I eat.
14. If I were thinner, I would like myself better.
15. I have missed work or school because of my weight or eating habits.
16. I tend to be depressed and irritable.
17. I tend to feel guilty when I eat.
18. I avoid some people because I am embarrassed about my weight.
19. When I eat, I feel bloated and fat.
20. My eating habits and fear of food interfere with my relationships.
21. I do strange things with my food. (Cut into tiny pieces, spit food out before I swallow, rearrange my food or eat in a specific order, etc).
22. I get anxious when people watch me eat.
23. I vomit or take laxatives to control my weight.
24. I want to be thinner than my friends.
25. I have said or thought, "I would rather die than be fat."
26. I have stolen food, laxatives, or diet pills from stores or other people.
27. I have fasted to lose weight.
28. In romantic moments, I do not let myself go because I am worried about my fat.

Scoring: Take a look at the items you identified with. All of the behaviors listed in this self-examination are flags used for identifying eating disorders. The more items you related to, the more serious your situation is. Please check with your doctor of contact us to further evaluate you for a possible eating disorder and get you on the track to recovery and freedom from this disease.