Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: latebind on 23/06/2010 12:37:29
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I have a friend who is very thin, but she keeps telling me she is fat and she goes to gym every day and feels guilty when she doesnt go. She tells me she is FAT with a capital F and really she is no more than skin and bone. I dont want to tell her that she is anorexic because that might end our friendship so I need to help her in another way, please tell me what to do I am so worried about her cos she hardly eats and hardly sleeps and is always complaining that she is chubby and fat and it breaks my heart into a million pieces. :( :( :(
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This is a UK-based source of information but may be of use ...
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http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk (http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/problems/eatingdisorders/eatingdisorders.aspx)
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I don't know your situation, but I think that honesty is the most straightforward way to go.
I think you should tell her your feelings and thoughts so you can talk about it. That you are worried about her, that she shows some symptoms that resemble anorexia and you don't want her to get sick so you would like to help her. You can tell her that even though she doesn't realise it, she is very skinny (maybe you can calculate her BMI score (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmi-m.htm) together
This kind of honesty may be a good way to preserve your friendship. If you keep worrying or act behind her back to somehow get her to realise her problem may do more harm than good.
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More info ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder