How To Support An Anorexic Friend

People who are suffering from Anorexia Nervosa are called Anorexic. Anorexia is a kind of eating disorder where the people suffering from it control their diet to a dangerous extent and just might end up starving themselves. If any of your friends or family is anorexic it is hard to just watch them suffer, while their health deteriorates drastically, day by day. If they are not supported and helped at the right time malnutrition would lead to permanent health conditions, or may even lead to enormous weakness due to deprived nutrition and ultimately death. It is a condition normally seen in females, with rare instances of males being anorexic as well. If any of your friends is anorexic, here are a few ways that you can help :

Talking/Counselling – Friends are the best counselors, no matter what the problem is. It will be hard to convince your anorexic friend that they are suffering from a serious eating disorder, because most of the time, anorexic people believe everything is fine. Talk to them in detail and help them understand the importance of proper nutrition, and guide them as to how much they should eat, when they should eat, and what are the mistakes they are doing that they shouldn’t. But, do not be too bossy or preachy. Since, your friend trusts you, it would be easier for him/her to understand what is going wrong and what they need to do. The results won't come overnight or through just one talk, and this is where your patience and perseverance will come into play. Also, educate yourself about Anorexia Nervosa, its symptoms, treatment and related talking points.

Get Them Professional Help – Depending upon the situation of your anorexic friend, decide if they need professional help. If yes, do the needful at the earliest. In most cases, be prepared to get a negative reaction from your friend as it is a personal decision. However, rest assured they will surely be more than thankful later on. It is necessary for the anorexic friend to take professional help, because such problems do not go away by themselves.

Help Them Come Out of Their Shell – Usually, anorexic people tend to stay reserved and restrict themselves socially as the intensity of their anxiety continues to increase with time. However, as a friend, make sure that you stick around and do not let too much stress build upon them. Help them come out of their restricted thinking and perhaps spoil them by taking them out, going to parties, eating out, giving treats, and so on.

Do Not Hurt Them – Anorexic people are generally seeking attention and crying for help, though not intentionally, but subconsciously. Make sure to not make any accusing statements about their diet or comments on their looks as a friend, even if you are tired of helping them get out of their anorexic state. It is important that you deeply understand what they are going through, and remain a friend, no matter what. The idea is to showcase that you are concerned, and take actionable steps toward relieving them from that situation. But, in the end, you also need to respect their privacy and individuality. Demanding and commanding them to change will never get  results, but slowly settling down on the issue will help.

Be A Friend, Not A Father – As mentioned earlier, it is important to not invade their personal and private space for the sake of Anorexia. As frustrating as it might be to you, for not being able to help your friend see the problem that is right in front of them, it is essential not to cross the line. If your attempts have not been gaining results as you expected, do let the parents know if they do not already know about it. Ask others what can be done to help him/her change their dangerous diet regime.

Become A Role Model – It is always a good idea to eat right, exercise daily and lead a healthy lifestyle. When you do this and enjoy great benefits and results, your anorexic friend would not mind following in your footsteps. The idea is to bring them out of their ‘Anorexic’ zone, slowly and naturally, without being harsh or policing their food, day and night.

Make Them Feel Good – Eating disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, are often problems that are triggered by tremendous emotional stress, emotional drain/pain and self-hatred. Rather than trying to scare them, threaten them or use various kinds of negative techniques and outbursts to feed them right - heal the root issues that cause Anorexia to develop in the first place. Tell them they look good as it is, and make them feel good. Show that you care for him/her and infuse your concern in a logical manner, yet sensitively enough as to not touch their emotional chords negatively.

Anorexia is a problem that can take a lot of time to heal and friends and family of the anorexic person have to keep trying to help their loved one while keeping patience. As a friend, it is important to realize that your friend is suffering from a serious condition; doing so will help you brush off small emotional put downs while you are trying to help, and also will keep you focused on the bigger picture, that is getting your friend free of anorexia.