Signs and Signals

An individual who is struggling with an eating disorder may withdraw from their normal activities and self-isolate. Self-Isolation may display through an individual only doing what is required of them. Sometimes, the energy that an individual possesses is solely focused on "attending to" their eating disorder. Someone who is struggling may "not seem like themself." An individual may find it difficult to experience fun, be uninterested in extracurricular activities, and may not feel the motivation to make or maintain meaningful relationships and memories with their peers. 

An individual with an eating disorder may begin to exercise and eat meals on a set schedule. Nick's schedule was extreme, often running several miles a day in addition to before-breakfast lift and after school lacrosse practice. An individual's nutrition may also be noticeably unhealthy; consuming a dangerously low amount of calories. Oftentimes, an individual experiencing an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise may go from thoroughly enjoying their athletic experience and exploring new food groups to utilizing both of them for the sole purpose of losing weight.

Along with a rigid exercise and nutrition regime comes control. An individual that has an eating disorder may find it hard to act spontaneously in these spaces. Sometimes, an individual will think it is unacceptable to eat outside of their "comfort foods" or to miss an exercise. This may cause them externally noticeable distress. This distress sometimes ends in the individual overcompensating for the food or lack of exercise they found to be "unacceptable".

An individual who is struggling with an eating disorder may have negative thoughts surrounding their athletic performance or appearance, despite success in these fields. An individual may comment negatively about their appearance outwardly, saying things such as "I am so overweight" or excessively commenting on the number of calories in certain foods.

Because an individual that is struggling with an eating disorder operates in a calorie deficit, they may exhibit low energy levels. They may struggle to keep up with their peers on the athletic field or begin to exhaust quicker than usual. An athlete may lose strength or athletic ability, as they are not putting enough "fuel" into their bodies.

An individual with an eating disorder may also be overly sensitive to cold temperatures. Additionally, even when the weather is warm, an individual may feel cold or exhibit signs of decreased body temperature (shivering, goosebumps, teeth chattering).