Posts by Aaron Castillo9

Bulimia definitely isn't the issue here; she could never bring herself to overeat because the very idea repulses her.
The same goes for vomiting. If she has a standard meal, she’ll just skip eating for a longer stretch afterward to ensure she isn't constantly eating "normally"—which, in this case, means eating full meals.
So, while she might eat a satisfying meal occasionally, she prefers to fast for a bit afterward. She’s fine with salads or fruit, but she avoids bread, pasta, or anything too heavy. She absolutely detests sweets and won't touch them. She also tends to lie to others, claiming she's already eaten.
Because she looks healthy and eats moderately at times, she convinces herself everything is fine. But this is deeply psychological; it's about her relationship with food. It’s made worse when people around her make jokes about her eating or say things like, "Come on, just take a bite like everyone else," or "You're eating too slow, you can't even swallow water." I get why that kills her appetite, but others don't realize they're poking at a serious problem.
I can't label it as anorexia or bulimia, just like I said before.
(Plus, she’s too embarrassed to see a psychologist...)

Amanda Stewart7 said:Don't take things so literally. Look, she’ll start by saying she’s afraid to eat—because that’s exactly what she told me, I'm talking about a friend here. And since she’s self-aware about it, that gives some "distinguished psychologist" the perfect opening. They’ll go straight for the thing they KNOW is going to sting.

So, you think she should lead with that? It doesn't sound like a bad idea...🙂 You have to start somewhere, after all.

..And honestly, she’s never been overweight by any stretch. In my eyes, she’s genuinely beautiful, and I know others see her that way too. But she has this strange, insecure side to her that I don't fully grasp, since I can't truly be inside her head... I just know there are moments when she worries she isn't smart enough, and hearing that is honestly the hardest part for me.

redharbor9 said:NO!! That is hands down the dumbest move you can make here. In her head, that just sounds like "you're overweight," and it only fuels a warped body image.

What you described is how the downward spiral starts. You need to deal with this right now. Find a way to motivate her to actually seek help. Telling her she's too thin or looks bad basically translates to "you're fat and need to lose weight" to someone in that state. Try... I don't know... maybe suggest it could be parasites, or anemia, or whatever else—it varies from person to person—but NEVER use "you're too thin" as an argument.

How old is she and what does she do? She might be able to skip the GP and go straight to a psychologist if she has the means... obviously, you have to find someone who actually knows what they're doing.

First thing is to tell everyone to shut up about her being skinny. Her perception is totally busted and those comments just make it worse. If she's a minor, you might even have to look into involuntary treatment... showing her what a nasogastric tube looks like sometimes snaps them back to reality so they'll finally talk to a professional. Once that happens, things get easier.

Yeah, I get it now—she told me, "Why does everyone tell me I'm getting thinner, while everyone else who looks like me doesn't? It's like they think I used to be fat or something..."
She's 23 and a college student (an arts major, by the way).

She says she’s at a loss for words when it comes to explaining her situation to the doctor, especially since her appetite hasn't changed at all.
Is it feasible, for instance, to have her boyfriend accompany her to the appointment to lay everything out for the physician? I feel like that might be the most realistic way to portray the situation, given that he’s the person closest to her.

I agree—it all comes down to her mindset. From an outsider's perspective, she doesn't look ill, even though people constantly tell her she needs to gain weight. She doesn't seem bothered by those comments at all.
She insists she has her weight under control, but living that way seems incredibly taxing. I worry that things could spiral out of control quite suddenly; it’s really just a matter of when.
I was thinking that maybe her boyfriend could eventually convince her to sit down with a professional...

I’ve already suggested she go see a doctor, but she thinks it’s a waste of time. Her logic is that since her weight seems fine and she hasn't experienced any significant drops in the past, there isn't much to report. She keeps insisting that people have much more serious issues than she does and claims I'm just making a big deal out of nothing.🙄

I’m facing a bit of a dilemma. I suspect my best friend might be struggling with an eating disorder. It doesn’t necessarily look like typical anorexia or bulimia, but I’ve noticed some concerning patterns. She eats incredibly slowly and seems to struggle through meals—though she prefers to say it just makes her "more comfortable." She eats very little and seems terrified of actually feeling full.
She has this persistent perception that everyone else is smaller than she is and that she’s overweight. To give you some context, she’s about 5'8" and weighs 119 pounds. Even when I point out that she’s actually much thinner than people who weigh significantly more, she still insists she’s large. She even confessed recently that she’s terrified of gaining weight and feels she needs to lose more just to reach some ideal standard.
Hmm... I’m honestly at a loss for words. Back in high school, she would almost entirely avoid food—maybe one ice cream a day—and I just brushed it off as a passing phase of puberty since her weight never dropped to a dangerous level back then. But clearly, these habits have resurfaced now that she's a young adult. Now, she’s aiming to drop down to 110 pounds and tells me she’s genuinely afraid of eating. I don't know how to approach this without her getting defensive or feeling like I'm forcing her to eat. If anyone has any advice on how to handle this delicately, I'd appreciate it.🤷