Does my friend have anorexia?

You see, my friend says they has anorexia. Well, more like brags about it? I've heard that anorexia can be confused and people think you must be really skinny to have it and all, which makes me not actually sure if they have it and if I should worry and support them.

They commonly say they have anorexia to many people also commonly saying they don't eat, they never eat or "I haven't eaten for a week!" to nearly everyone they know, including teachers. But, I do also see them eat despite their words. They also say they've lost a lot of weight when me personally haven't seen any change at all. But its hard to notice changes unless drastic by just looking. They also refuse or try to avoid to do P.E. while also complaining about their weight and how overweight they are. And in not a rude sense, they are overweight, not saying it's a bad thing. And even though I know I'm gonna feel bad for saying this too, but I also think they're attention seeking as I can't see how they have Anorexia, but then again I don't have a great range of knowledge about that subject.

You don't have to be underweight to be anorexic, but due to the thermodynamics of restricting, people tend to drop weight at such a rapid speed it's unhealthy. Restricting a little bit is just a bad diet, but can't be sustained so it's nothing to worry about.

Due to the surrounding circumstances, I think your assessment might be correct and she is attention-seeking.

On the other hand, bulimics often don't lose weight. They restrict for a while and then snap and binge. Some variations of anorexia involve binging and purging as well. If she's going to the bathroom every time she's eaten, it might be time to start worrying about her.

Firstly, you don't have to be skinny to have anorexia...

You don't have to be underweight to be anorexic...

You have to be thin to have annorexia. Its literally the top line of the diagnostic criteria, and BMI is how you guide severity.

There is no movement away from this - that would completely ignore all the very dangerous aspects of annorexia - electrolyte imbalances, bone density, etc - which manifest at very low body weight only.

There are a variety of other diagnostic labels for people who have disordered eating but don't lose weight. Its fundamentally far less dangerous though - pretending it is is not helpful..

Adhering to the culturally relative diagnostic criterion above the principle is to ignore the lived experience of thousands of overweight people who develop anorexia. Are you seriously suggesting that anorexia, the mental illness anorexia, starts as the bones begin to demineralise? That is self evidently idiotic.

Props for knowing the criterion though, go you!

You have to be thin to have annorexia. Its literally the top line of the diagnostic criteria, and BMI is how you guide severity.

There is no movement away from this - that would completely ignore all the very dangerous aspects of annorexia - electrolyte imbalances, bone density, etc - which manifest at very low body weight only.

There are a variety of other diagnostic labels for people who have disordered eating but don't lose weight. Its fundamentally far less dangerous though - pretending it is is not helpful..