The Pressure Of Freshmen Year Of College Can Cause Eating Disorders
Stress can trigger an eating disorder, and for the college student who is away from home for the first time, the stress them more likely to developing an eating disorder.
Symptoms of an Eating Disorder
“Boggiano says the common signs of an eating disorder include:
A preoccupation with calculating calories, fat grams and carbohydrate grams, a need to weigh oneself more than once a day, allowing the numbers on the scale to determine mood, exercising, skipping meals or purging after overeating, exercising to burn calories rather than for health or for fun, an inability to stop eating once eating begins, eating in secret, feeling guilty, ashamed or disgusted after overeating, basing self-worth on looks or weight
worrying continuously about weight and body shape, abusing diet pills or laxatives.”
Where to Seek Help
For any college student who thinks they may have or be developing an eating disorder aside from the “freshmen 15” which is very common. Speaking to a health care provider on campus or calling home is a good place to start.
Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Eating Disorder Self Test. Take the EAT-26 self test to see if you might have eating disorder symptoms that might require professional evaluation. All answers are confidential.