Eating disorders aren't about food. Food or lack of food is used to deny or mask emotional hunger. You and your friends are complex. Causes of eating disorders are complex because they are about your heart and soul. But when you obsess over food, you can avoid all the deep, difficult feelings there. "It's a powerful drug! When all your time is spent counting calories and analyzing your body, little time is left for dealing with life's challenges," says Vivian Hanson Meehan.

The longer you have an eating disorder, the harder it is to put an end to it. If you feel you or your friends are on that destructive slope, try to get help as soon as you can. The best chance you have is to know the facts and to recognize symptoms early enough! So here are some facts.

Anorexia Nervosa

Teens with anorexia nervosa are terrified of being fat. It's an irrational fear. Anorexics think they are fat even when their rib bones stick out. A teen with anorexia denies her hunger and lies about what she eats, but she is preoccupied with food and calories full-time. Her lunch may be half a carton of low-fat yogurt, or half a cucumber cut in an exact number of slices. For breakfast? Three corn flakes, carefully counted out.

One percent of adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 20 starve themselves. Four times as many college students become anorexic. Few anorexic teens are men, but it does happen. (Five to 10 percent of anorexia sufferers are male.) About 50 percent of anorexics also develop behavior patterns associated with bulimia. Anorexia strikes regardless of race, religion, or background. Only 50 percent of anorexics get well!

Some warning signs of anorexia nervosa

• deliberate self-starvation
• distorted body image
• abnormal weight loss
• obsessive fear of gaining weight
• absence of periods.
• rituals around food
• compulsive exercise
• sensitivity to cold
• hair loss

Bulimia Nervosa

Teens with bulimia nervosa maintain a normal body weight. But sneaky trips to the bathroom after meals and secret binges indicate serious problems. The bulimic gets stuck in a binge and purge cycle. Vomiting doesn't just get rid of unwanted calories; it gives a deep sense of relief. Like any other drug, it makes you temporarily feel better. A bulimic may steal money just to support her habit, which can cost as much as $50 a day. Extreme binges? The equivalent of 210 brownies, or 20,000 calories. Average binges are around 3,400 calories, about an entire pecan pie.

Bulimia goes untreated far longer than anorexia because a person with bulimia keeps it secret. The anorexic denies there is anything wrong, but the bulimic hides in shame.

Some warning signs of bulimia nervosa

• binge eating, usually in secret
• vomiting
• abuse of laxatives, diuretics, and diet pills
• compulsive exercising
• swollen glands (the chipmunk look)
• broken blood vessels in the eyes and face
• irreparable tooth decay caused by the acid wash of vomiting

Not such pretty facts, huh? But there is hope! If you or one of your friends suffers, know you can get better. The earlier you seek help, the easier it will be. But you can't do it alone. You need the help of skilled therapists, lots of support, and people who love and believe in you. You're smart, and you can do it.

For related articles on teenwire.com and other websites, check out:

• Thin Is Not the Answer    
• Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc.    
• American Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders