[bluegirl...?]

Can you just be underweight without having an ED?

I've pondered this for awhile now because, well, I guess I *am* underweight... but I dont think I've got an ED. I've taken the quiz on PC multiple times and it says basically it's possible, but I don't know..

I don't *think* I have one; I mean, I've had many symptoms of some, but I have no problem with myself. I guess I am so-so on myself, too thin here, too fat there.. but I don't see an ED present, though a lot of my friends and family sometimes question me and my eating habits..

Ergh, I'm so confused and unsure >_<

[pegasus]

Usually with an eating disorder there are other things that go with it, particularly emotional problems, anxiety, depression etc. So you wouldn't have an ED just for being thin.

[Perna]

If you are worried about it, it could be that you may be on the borderline, have some not too healthy ideas and habits about food and eating. If you are too thin, then there probably wouldn't be parts of your body that you think are too fat and it probably wouldn't bother you if your grandmother/aunt Mabel :-) were encouraging you to have seconds and "put a little meat on your bones".

When I was thin, I didn't even think about my weight and eating at all and thought all of my body was fine, as little as I thought about it.

[whoswho]

Generally, eating disorders are seen as a mental/psychiatric illness with physical consequences. The immediate physical dangers must be treated first in order to later assess underlying mental and emotional issues.

Here's a good questionnaire to fill out and to ask yourself if your eating might be a problem. The site also contains a lot of other useful information about eating disorders if you're willing to look around.

Good Luck.

[Lisa Michelle]

If you're underweight because you don't eat enough then that's something you should think about, but it doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. I think, at least for anorexia there has to be a FEAR of being 'fat'. I think it would help to look at the REASONS you're underweight, why do you not eat enough? Or do you eat enough and you're just naturally underweight? (some people eat normally or even a lot and maintain low weights).
If you're worried about food and weight and your eating is as a consequence to those worries, then it could be an eating disorder.
I'm not a doctor though, so if you're worried maybe ask a doc. But no, being underweight doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. Same as being overweight doesn't mean you have one.

[eskielover]

One can be too thin even if they eat normally because of a high metabolism. One can end up with anorexia (extreme low weight dangerously below normal) because of cancer, stress, or a number of other reasons. They medically call it anorexia if your weight drops too low & has to be treated medically. (I had that problem with the stress I went through when my Mother was dying of cancer). They could't understand that I didn't have the anorexia nervosa no body image issues & I wasn't restricting on purpose. I just couldn't eat because I felt so sick & every time I would eat & would feel sick, so I just didn't eat for so long I ended up in the hospital on IV nutrition.

This happened to me several times, so the obvious treatment they thought I needed was in an eating disorders treatment center.....so I met many others who were dealing with ED's both anorexia, bulimia, & overeating. Most of those people didn't start off with body image issues......many started off abused, or were effected by something like having an abortion or experiencing trauma's in their lives that they had no control over. ED, even though it feels that you have no control over it, is the one thing in life that we do have control over. Control over eating ends up being the one thing in life that can be controlled.

I have always been concerned about not eating so much that I would end up overweight like others in my family in the past. I let it go for a few years & ended up way overweight, then had to loose weight which turned into an extreme weight loss because my Mothers situation happened at that time.

Just having a concern about not wanting to be overweight doesn't mean anorexia either. All the mental issues that can bother a person can turn into body image, or there is the problem when someone does have Body Dismorphic D (where they see their body in a way that it isn't). There are a lot of things involved in an ED, but there are always other mental illness issues that are going on with it that also need to be treated.

You need to look at yourself, your reasons for your low weight & your past. I know I looked at myself & saw a walking skeleton, so I didn't see myself as fat when I was so thin, but my medical Dr had to take care of the physical anemia that I was going through that wasn't any different than someone with anorexia nervosa.

Hope this & all the other replies have helped you look at your situation & have a better understanding.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by bluegirl...?

Can you just be underweight without having an ED?

I've pondered this for awhile now because, well, I guess I *am* underweight... but I dont think I've got an ED. I've taken the quiz on PC multiple times and it says basically it's possible, but I don't know..

I don't *think* I have one; I mean, I've had many symptoms of some, but I have no problem with myself. I guess I am so-so on myself, too thin here, too fat there.. but I don't see an ED present, though a lot of my friends and family sometimes question me and my eating habits..

Ergh, I'm so confused and unsure >_<

yes you can be underweight and you can be over weight without having an eating disorder. there are many reasons why a person would be under weight or overweight that has nothing to do with eating disorders.

examples

certain medications cause people to loose weight and certain medications cause people to gain weight. ie welbutrin in known and has a warning label that says in some users this medication will cause weight imbalances.

some medical problems cause people to gain or loose ie cancer causes some people to loose weight, thyroid problems causes some people to gain weight.

iron levels in some peoples bodies make them gain or loose weight.

people with active lifestyles tend to have fluctuating weights that go up and down.

Some people normally gain weight in the fall and winter months and loose weight naturally during the spring and summer.

Some people depending on their food diets naturally are over weight or underweight but it has nothing to do with an eating disorder, just their eating practices.

If you google the words causes for being underweight or causes for being overweight you will probably see many more reasons that are not related to eating disorders.

[SWA 1971]

Yes, I think so. I say that because I've always been underweight, & I think it's odd I developed anorexia when I was underweight (I still am, but close to the goal weight my dietician set for me. I have mixed feelings on being at a healthy weight).

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by SWA 1971

Yes, I think so. I say that because I've always been underweight, & I think it's odd I developed anorexia when I was underweight (I still am, but close to the goal weight my dietician set for me. I have mixed feelings on being at a healthy weight).

I just found out today that people can be called anorexic even if they dont have an eating disorder.

because I have the eating disorder I have to keep track of what I eat and make sure I am above a certain weight and above a certain amount of calories a day. I have been sticking to my treatment plans and saw the doctor today. I was weighted in. he wouldnt tell me my weight but told me I was below by target therefore labeled anorexic even though Im following my plans. I couldnt understand why he was calling me anorexic today when I havent been rejecting food, havent purposely keeping myself underweight all that kind of stuff I used to do a few years ago. I was afraid he was going to put me back in the treatment center downstate again.

he told me to relax. the word anorexic doesnt always mean the eating disorder. its a medical term for anyone who is under a certain percentage of the weight they should be as their physicans directed ideal weight standards.

some terms that might help -

obese is being overweight/above your doctors ideal weight system
morbidly obese is being a lot over weight/above your doctors ideal weight system.
average is being right on target with your doctors ideal weight system
anorexic is being underweight of your doctors ideal weight system.

the eating disorder anorexic has other symptoms too besides being underweight like being focused on thinking you are too fat, obsessed with not eating lacking an appetite. obsessed with needing to know how much you weigh every day especially before and after meals. theres other things too.

your post says you are underweight. thats why they are calling you anorexic. talk to your doctor they can tell you more about why they are calling you anorexic and what to do about it.

[SWA 1971]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

I just found out today that people can be called anorexic even if they dont have an eating disorder.

because I have the eating disorder I have to keep track of what I eat and make sure I am above a certain weight and above a certain amount of calories a day. I have been sticking to my treatment plans and saw the doctor today. I was weighted in. he wouldnt tell me my weight but told me I was below by target therefore labeled anorexic even though Im following my plans. I couldnt understand why he was calling me anorexic today when I havent been rejecting food, havent purposely keeping myself underweight all that kind of stuff I used to do a few years ago. I was afraid he was going to put me back in the treatment center downstate again.

he told me to relax. the word anorexic doesnt always mean the eating disorder. its a medical term for anyone who is under a certain percentage of the weight they should be as their physicans directed ideal weight standards.

some terms that might help -

obese is being overweight/above your doctors ideal weight system
morbidly obese is being a lot over weight/above your doctors ideal weight system.
average is being right on target with your doctors ideal weight system
anorexic is being underweight of your doctors ideal weight system.

the eating disorder anorexic has other symptoms too besides being underweight like being focused on thinking you are too fat, obsessed with not eating lacking an appetite. obsessed with needing to know how much you weigh every day especially before and after meals. theres other things too.

your post says you are underweight. thats why they are calling you anorexic. talk to your doctor they can tell you more about why they are calling you anorexic and what to do about it.

Really? I hadn't heard that before. Hmmm.

[Kirol]

Hm. Sounds like to you need to eat better portions, but these guys have given some sound advice.
You won't have an eating disorder if the underweightness is intentional, just not getting enough down 'ya!

[maryjain lockhart]

I am underweight&when I 1st met my new PCP he walked in with my chart(with my height/weight/BMI) and said, "so another anorexic case, huh? What kinda eating disorder do u have?" I've been thin all my life, weighed more@times&weighed less@times&never thought I had a problem. But then I realized that I purposely don't eat sometimes or restrict myself2empty calories like soda, coffee&juice and candy or junk food. So I talked2him bout it&realized I'm doing these things cuz I feel outta control with my BPD. Talk to your doc&see why he thinks ur anorexic&see what u can do2change it