From Matthew Tiemeyer,
Your Guide to Eating Disorders.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Steven Gans, MD

Eating disorders have powerful symptoms that affect body, mind, and behavior. Symptoms of eating disorders range from benign to life-threatening.

Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa

What happens when a person commits to extreme weight loss, doing whatever it takes to avoid a normal level of food intake? Anorexia ravages the body and often leads those who struggle with it to lose friends and alienate family members.

• Physical, Mental, and Behavioral Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
• The Need for Control in Anorexia
• One Woman's Path to Overcoming Anorexia (Book Review)

Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa

Physical symptoms in bulimia are not always obvious, but behavioral problems often stand out. It is common for those with bulimia to have very chaotic lives that mirror their chaotic eating habits.

• Physical, Mental, and Behavioral Symptoms of Bulimia
• Lifestyle of a Person Struggling With Bulimia
• The Dangers of Ipecac Abuse

Symptoms of Binge-Eating Disorder

Is binge-eating disorder (BED) just overeating, or is there more to it? Being overweight does not mean that a person has BED, though a person with BED is more likely to be overweight than others. Those with binge-eating disorder often feel intense guilt about their eating patterns.

• Physical, Mental, and Behavioral Symptoms of Binge-Eating Disorder
• What Happens in a Binge
• Should Binge-Eating Disorder Be a Formal Diagnosis?