- how hard it was to change her identity as a person with an eating disorder
- how she had hopes of a new start in college
- the main factors that changed her outlook enough to be able to change
- the depression that she went through
- how you can maintain hope after an eating disorder

In this post, I wanted to address the 3 main types of eating disorders and some basics of how to recognize the signs of them.  We will start with Anorexia Nervosa:
*intense fear of gaining weight or becomming fat
*avoidance of food or meals
*counting calories, weighing food
*restricting food intake
*excessive exercise
Bulimia Nervosa:
*eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time
*lack of control of overeating
*attempts to prevent weight gain such as vomitting, misuse of medicines, fasting or excessive exercise
Binge Eating:
*this is more than just overeating sometimes (we all do that), this involves a lack of self-control over eating most of the time.
*often this involves emotional eating as well
*often are overweight and depressed

These are just the very basic signs and/or symptoms of 3 classic eating disorders. Eating disorders are very serious and always damaging to your physical health. They all usually involve a distorted reality and view of oneself and weight. All of very difficult emotionally as well.
As a counselor, I encourage anyone who knows someone or if they themselves, have a problem like this to seek help immediately. Go talk with a trusted adult that can get yourself or this friend some help. Eating disorders are very challenging but there is healing and overcoming in them. Please seek help if you or a friend needs it; the sooner the better. Hang in there and never give up!
*Summer