Eating disorders have become very prevalent for young men and women in the past few decades. Many teenagers and young adults who have eating disorders die, or become chronically ill for the rest of their lives. I have been very fortunate. I beat my eating disorder with the help of rehab, friends and family, but I still have body issues that I am not comfortable with. Before I write about the symptoms, I'd like to tell my story, so possibly someone who reads it won't make the same mistakes I did.

When I was in high school, I was enrolled in every dance class I could get into. I danced ballet, tap, jazz, and flamenco. After high school, I was accepted into Julliard's School of Ballet. On my first day in the dorms, I noticed how tiny all the other girls were. That is when the trouble started.

I decided that I would put myself on a diet. All I ate was Twizzler and lettuce. If I had to eat at a dinner, like with family, or for an event, I would cut my food into tiny pieces, eat a few of those pieces and then stir everything around so that it looked like I had eaten more than I actually had. I was losing some weight, but in my mind, I had not lost enough. Dance classes were getting more and more difficult, and the need to be the best was going to my head.

I began taking diet pills. This was when ephedrine was still available, and the diet pills I bought were loaded with it. I decided on a new diet regimen. I cut out the lettuce and twizzlers, and replaced them with 10 diet pills a day and two multivitamins. I also drank a lot of water. This went on for about a year. I was getting smaller and smaller, but still thought I was huge. I felt like if I were to go out on stage and arabesque, I would smash through the floor. I added a 5 mile run each day, and started taking 15 diet pills a day. I had stopped taking the vitamins, because I was convinced they were making me gain weight. One night, my roommate comes in our room, and throws me a small baggy. She said it was cocaine, and that it would help me keep the weight off and help me exercise more. So, I opened Pandora's box that night. I continued functioning like this for one more semester. Taking all the cocaine and amphetamines I could get my hands on. For some kind of nourishment, I drank orange juice. That was the closest thing to food I would allow myself. The next step in my life I tripped on. Julliard asked me to leave the program and seek help for my problems.

I entered a rehab facility being 5'10" and weighing 85 pounds. I stayed in the facility for a month, got clean, and even put on some weight. I now am married and have a beautiful daughter. I still teach dance several times a week. I still have issues with my body, but instead of starving myself, I wear a tunic wrap over my tights for class.

(1)If you suspect an individual has an eating disorder, closely monitor their eating habits. They will cut their food into tiny pieces, may eat one or two pieces, and swirl the food around.
(2)If this individual does eat at a meal, count how many times he or she goes to the bathroom. They could be purging.
(3)If the individual is constantly talking about how fat they are, or is always looking in a mirror, this could either mean they are very vain, or that they have extreme body issues.
(4)Notice changes in behavior and routine.
(5)Of course, look for any sudden weight loss.

Eating disorders are very dangerous, and thousands of teenagers and young adults die because of them.

Learn more about this author, Harper Borwitz.
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