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It shocks me to find out how many Teen Categoryz members have eating disorders, or have had one, so here's an article that'll help you out.

Eating disorders can happen to any teens, and it's hard to watch yourself grow thinner and thinner, watching yourself suffer like that. There are three main types of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating.

Anorexia- What to Expect
Anorexia is an eating disorder where you refuse to eat, in order to lose weight. Some signs of anorexia are:

• Making excuses not to eat OR eating very little
• Watching their weight carefully
• Saying that they're fat even though they're not

Anorexia is a dangerous eating disorder because not only are you destroying your body, you're depriving your body of things that'll help you. I know what it feels like, because I almost got this deadly eating disorder.

Bulimia-What to Expect
Bulimia is another eating disorder where you binge-eat for two or more days a week, and then you purge, or fast to get rid of the weight. Some signs of bulimia are:

• Being very sercretive about food
• Sneaks or hides food
• Having frequent changes in weight
• Having irregular periods (for girls)
• Making excuses to go to the bathroom after meals
• Exercising or taking laxatives after eating
• Tooth marks or wounds on the knuckles from forced puking

Bulimia is different from anorexia, because people with anorexia weigh almost half their normal weight, and bulimia sufferers are quite close to their normal weight.

Compulsive Eating-What to Expect
Compulsive eating is when you eat large amounts of food, and then do nothing to stop it. Some signs of compulsive eating are:

• Eating uncontrollably
• Feeling upset or distressed after binge eating
• Doing nothing to "make up" for eating so much, such as puking or exercising

Compulsive eaters usually feel upset that they lack the self-control needed to stop binge eating, and they desperately want to stop.

How to help someone who's suffering from an eating disorder
There are lots of ways you can help someone with an eating disorder, including:

• Talk to their parents and tell them about the eating disorder
• Go visit a counselor or a psychiatrist, if needed
• Try to boost up the sufferer's self-esteem

Hope you enjoyed this short yet useful article!