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To schedule an appointment or for more information, please
contact
Dr. Penson at 323-580-3383 or by email
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BE AWARE: A sufferer DOES NOT need to appear
underweight or even "average" to suffer ANY
of these signs and symptoms. Many men and women with
Eating Disorders appear NOT to be underweight... it
does not mean they suffer less or are in any less danger.
Anorexia Nervosa / Bulimia Nervosa
- Dramatic weight loss in a relatively short period
of time.
- Wearing big or baggy clothes or dressing in layers
to hide body shape and/or weight loss.
- Obsession with weight and complaining of weight
problems (even if "average" weight or
thin).
- Obsession with calories and fat content of foods.
- Obsession with continuous exercise.
- Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately following
meals (sometimes accompanied with water running
in the bathroom for a long period of time to hide
the sound of vomiting).
- Visible food restriction and self-starvation.
- Visible bingeing and/or purging.
- Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives, ipecac
syrup (can cause immediate death!) or enemas.
- Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
- Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food
around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food
into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact
with the lips (using teeth to scrap food off the
fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out,
but not swallowing; dropping food into napkin on
lap to later throw away.
- Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets,
suitcases, under the bed) to avoid eating (Anorexia)
or to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
- Flushing uneaten food down the toilet (can cause
sewage problems).
- Vague or secretive eating patterns.
- Keeping a "food diary" or lists that
consists of food and/or behaviors (ie., purging,
restricting, calories consumed, exercise, etc.)
- Pre-occupied thoughts of food, weight and cooking.
- Visiting websites that promote unhealthy ways
to lose weight.
- Reading books about weight loss and eating disorders.
- Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
- Hair loss. Pale or "grey" appearance
to the skin.
- Dizziness and headaches.
- Frequent soar throats and/or swollen glands.
- Low self-esteem. Feeling worthless. Often putting
themselves down and complaining of being "too
stupid" or "too fat" and saying they
don't matter. Need for acceptance and approval from
others.
- Complaints of often feeling cold.
- Low blood pressure.
- Loss of menstrual cycle.
- Constipation or incontinence.
- Bruised or calluses knuckles; bloodshot or bleeding
in the eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on
the cheeks.
- Perfectionistic personality.
- Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
- Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
- Insomnia. Poor sleeping habits
Compulsive Overeating / Binge Eating Disorder
- Fear of not being able to control eating, and
while eating, not being able to stop.
- Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others.
- Chronic dieting on a variety of popular diet plans.
- Holding the belief that life will be better if
they can lose weight.
- Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets,
luggage, under the bed) to eat at a later time.
- Vague or secretive eating patterns.
- Self-defeating statements after food consumption.
- Blames failure in social and professional community
on weight.
- Holding the belief that food is their only friend.
- Frequently out of breath after relatively light
activities.
- Excessive sweating and shortness of breath.
- High blood pressure and/or cholesterol.
- Leg and joint pain.
- Weight gain.
- Decreased mobility due to weight gain.
- Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations.
- Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue.
- Insomnia. Poor Sleeping Habits.
Source: www.something-fishy.org
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