What Are the Signs of an Eating Disorder Relapse?

Does your loved one have an eating disorder? They’re not alone.

Almost 10% of the global population has one of the many eating disorders. As a result, there are so many treatments for eating disorders available. You should encourage your loved one to take full advantage of them.

At the same time, you should also help your loved one avoid a potential eating disorder relapse once they agree to get help. They’ll need to work their way through many stages of change and stages of recovery, and a relapse will always be a possibility.

Here are some signs that’ll suggest your loved one may be experiencing an eating disorder relapse.

They Avoid Eating Around Others

There is a lot of shame that comes along with dealing with an eating disorder. Because of this, those who are struggling with one will often choose not to eat around others.

If you’ve noticed your loved one eating alone, this might be a sign they’re having an eating disorder relapse. They might be trying to stick to a diet they know others wouldn’t understand.

Be wary if you see your loved one running off to eat elsewhere whenever it’s time to sit down for a meal.

They Say Mean Things About Themselves

Not surprisingly, those with eating disorders will often have a lot of not-so-nice things to say about themselves. They often struggle with self-esteem issues.

A good eating disorder therapist can help people change the way they talk about themselves. But when someone is going through an eating disorder relapse, they might revert back to their old habits.

If a person is doing battle with, say, a binge eating disorder and trying to recover from it, listen to the things they say. Their words might let you know they’re having a relapse right before your very eyes.

These binge eating disorder recovery tips might help you and your loved one get back on the right path.

They Experience Mood Swings

Many eating disorders will take a real toll on people’s bodies and minds. They can lead to them acting irrationally and going through wild mood swings in short periods of time.

If you’ve noticed your loved one is having dramatic mood swings, it could be yet another sign that they’re having an eating disorder relapse. You might want to mention it to them and let them know you’re here for them if they need any help at all.

Look Out for These Eating Disorder Relapse Signs

When your loved one is first getting help for an eating disorder, you’ll be very proud of them. But you should also be somewhat cautious since an eating disorder relapse could be right around the corner.

Ideally, you won’t have to worry about them relapsing at any point. But it never hurts to be on the lookout for signs that might show they’re going through an eating disorder relapse.

Find more helpful health-related tips by reading through the rest of our blog articles.

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