WHAT TO DO AS A FRIEND OR PARENT

If you suspect that a friend, your child or a relative suffers from an eating disorder, the following advice may be useful:

Get informed about eating disorders. Read articles and books or find information on the Internet.

Understand that being thin does not mean being pretty or healthy.

Be honest to the person whose eating habits worry you.

Share your concerns. Be warm and clear, not scornful. It is far better to say in a calm, honest tone: “Your weight worries me” than say reproachfully: “Look what you’ve become…”

Talk to an expert. Don’t let yourself think of the person you love as an eating problem.

All men have special abilities and virtues. Put emphasis on these skills and virtues! They need it so much more than we do.