Lorri Antosz Benson

Abnormal preoccupation with body appearance or weight.

• Abnormal preoccupation with food, nutrition, calories, health, and/or cooking.

• Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals.

• Depression and suicidal thoughts.

• A significant change in appetite.

• Excessive exercise despite fatigue or weakness.

• Moodiness and irritability.

• Reduced concentration, memory, and thinking ability.

• Loss of interest in hobbies and schoolwork.

• Anxiety, especially around food and meal times.

• Feelings of guilt and self-hatred.

• Constantly making excuses to avoid eating.

• Compulsive rituals surrounding food and meal times, such as not letting different food touch eat other or eating only one type of food at a time.

• Wearing excessively baggy or bulky clothes.

• Hoarding food.

• Isolation and withdrawal from friends.

• Complete avoidance of social situations involving food, including family meals.

• Significant reduction in food intake.

• Denial of hunger.

• Strange eating habits such as playing with food instead of eating it.

• Constant concern about weight.

• Secretiveness and deceitfulness.

• Preference to eat in isolation.

• Reddened fingers, sores in and around mouth, and swollen cheeks or glands (caused by self-inducing vomiting).

• Obsession with clothing size, scales, and mirrors.

• Problems with drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, or crime (especially with Bulimia)