Since there are only two eating disorders which seem to fit what she's describing she must mean either Anorexia or Bulimia. Well, I checked the symptoms of both and couldn't find me there.
She thinks:
- I don't eat enough. But the thing is that she comes from a family that eats loads. Pretty much everyone in her family is overweight. I have never eaten a great deal, I'm only small and I'm a vegan. I come from the opposite type of family that was pretty strict with eating habits and snacking was watched closely. We had to ask if we could have a kitkat or whatever just after school, because we knew we always had dinner at five.So, I don't eat a great deal perhaps compared to most people but I definitely eat. I also don't take breakfast. Never have.
- I exercise excessively. I walk the 2 miles into town and back about once or twice a week for my appointments. That's it.
- I drink coffee and tea to suppress appetite. I have been known to, but this is mostly to combat snacking and because I have a caffeine addiction. I don't do it to miss meals, which I apparently told her I did, which I don't remember saying.
- I obsessively count calories in food. I don't know where she gets this from as I have to admit I don't even know what a calorie is. I know you get energy from them. That's about it. I've never counted a damn calorie in my life. I don't give a f.
- I'm underweight. I weight 47 kg / 7 and a half stone / around 103 lbs. So I think I'm fine, but others may think differently.
Here is what Wiki says are signs and symptoms of Anorexia:
I'll bold the ones I have.
- Refusal to maintain a normal body mass index
- Amenorrhea, a symptom that occurs after prolonged weight loss; causes menses to stop, hair becomes brittle, and skin becomes yellow and unhealthy.
- Fear of even the slightest weight gain; taking all precautionary measures to avoid weight gain or becoming overweight[18]
- Obvious, rapid, dramatic weight loss to at least 15% under normal body weight[19]
- Lanugo: soft, fine hair growing on the face and body[16]
- Obsession with calories and fat content of food
- Preoccupation with food, recipes, or cooking; may cook elaborate dinners for others, but not eat the food themselves
- Food restriction despite being underweight
- Food rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, refusing to eat around others, hiding or discarding food
- Purging: May use laxatives, diet pills, ipecac syrup, or water pills; may engage in self-induced vomiting; may run to the bathroom after eating in order to vomit and quickly get rid of ingested calories
- Excessive exercise[20] including micro-exercising, for example making small persistent movements of fingers or toes.[21]
- Perception of self as overweight despite being told by others they are too thin
- Intolerance to cold and frequent complaints of being cold; body temperature may lower (hypothermia) in an effort to conserve energy[22]
- Hypotension or orthostatic hypotension
- Bradycardia or tachycardia
- Depression
- Solitude: may avoid friends and family; becomes withdrawn and secretive
- Abdominal distension
- Halitosis (from vomiting or starvation-induced ketosis)
- Dry hair and skin, as well as hair thinning
- Chronic fatigue[18]
- Rapid mood swings
I also fast occasionally.
But she is really insistent that I have an E.D. and it's winding me up no end. I went to bed at eight last night and it was the only thing on my mind.
Go to the doctor and find out. Worst-case scenario? They're right. Most likely? Nothing wrong, and that should shut them up.
