It can be confusing which one is which and how to spot signs of them in friends, family members, and even you. In this article I will try to help you learn what they are and how to spot them.

I read in many places while doing research for this article that many people who suffer from an eating disorder start behaving like this because they feel like they have something out of control in their lives. If they can't control anything else, they can control the amount of food that gets put into their bodies. In a round about way, this control is making them feel good about themselves even though they are really killing themselves in most instances. Left untreated, an eating disorder can have many, many negative results physically on your body. They can even lead to death.

Anorexia - Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa include constant fear of gaining weight or fear that they are fat even though the person is at or below what is considered a "normal" weight for their body type, sudden severe weight lose, doesn't eat at all or what they do eat is very small, controlled portions. In women, menstrual cycles will stop and in men there can be severe hormonal changes. Please read Tess' Story for a personal account of what is like to live with Anorexia.

Bulimia Nervosa - This is also called binge and purge eating. A person suffering from this will eat, usual in secret, more than the average person would eat in one sitting. Then to "not gain weight", they will make themselves vomit, take laxatives, over do themselves in exercise, take a large amount of diet pills. They may suffer from severe stomach pains, sores in and around the mouth, damage to their teeth. Even though they think this is a form of control, they may feel out of control.

Compulsive Overeating Disorder or Binge Disorder - This is the same as bulimia only the person doesn't do a purge after eating. A person suffering from this eats even past the point of feeling full or they eat when they aren't even hungry. Most people who do this gain weight quickly and may overeat to help them deal with depression. They seek comfort in food that they aren't getting elsewhere in their lives. Many overeaters do this in secret and feel uncomfortable eating in front of other people.

The above information just touches on each subject. The links below are the 3 main sites I used to find information. Please have a look at

I saw a news program one night about all these so-called Pro-anorexia websites out here in the cyber universe. I though who in the world would be pro (or for) anorexia? So me being the curious soul that I am set out to see what all the hype is about (**PLEASE NOTE** I will not post links to sites in this article. I DO NOT endorse pro-anorexia.

Eating disorders is one big problem people have with their body image. Many, many of us see ourselves as too fat or too skinny, too pale, too short, etc. I really can understand the desire to be thin. I haven't been thin since I was like 5 years old! But after reading about anorexia and then finding a few pro-anorexia sites, I was saddened to see what these women do to themselves just to be thin and the side effects from not eating are horrible.

Your hair falls out. My hair is one of the best features I have. It is curly, black, and lays halfway down my back. I couldn't imagine letting my hair fall out just to be thin. Your metabolism slows down, your breath stinks, you become moody, etc. These are some of the side effects of depriving your body the nutrients it needs to keep you alive.

If you think about it, anorexia is a form of slow suicide. Yes, an overweight person can die from being overweight. But not feeding your body what it needs daily is a slow way of killing yourself. Eating foods daily from the Government FDA Food Pyramid for a healthy weight and get a moderate amount of exercise and not go overboard.

I did come across a website from a lady who shares my view of being anti-pro-anorexia sites. She brings up the point that if we look at what the media shoves in our faces and especially what many Hollywood celebrities look like, American society is pro-anorexia. Success and beauty are sometimes measured by how thin you are, how pretty you are, or who can buy the most expensive clothing.

So all this leads to what can we do, especially women. First of all if you are anorexic, bulimic, or have an eating disorder of any kind, know that you are not alone. There are many, many ways to get help and stop your destructive behavior.

Second, find help, find help now. Anorexia and bulimia is not attractive!!! You are killing yourself.

Once you are on the road to recovery, you will feel better about yourself. Admitting you have a problem is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you are a strong person and you respect yourself, your family, and friends to put an end to what you are doing.