The child becomes overly focused on losing or controlling weight. The anorexic cuts back on food consumption, plays with her food, says she isn't hungry, or makes excuses for being absent at mealtime. The bulimic eats, then disappears into the bathroom or into her bedroom to vomit or purge through laxative use. Food supplies begin to disappear at alarming rates as the binger eats, purges, and eats again. The child lies and deceives you daily to cover up a lifestyle spiraling into dysfunction.
Deception produces massive amounts of guilt and shame.
Family arguments, accusations, denials, and attempts to control the offender are unending. The child begins to isolate herself from family and friends, hiding from the ones who love her and want to help. The child chooses friends who are also dysfunctional, because she looks and feels less guilty and abnormal among them. The child's self-esteem erodes into stealing, sexual promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, school failure, job failure, panic attacks, illness, hospitalization, and suicide attempts. She knows increasing dysfunction and despair.