How can I help my best friend who has an eating disorder?

She just told me yesterday that she was bulimic, and now is anorexic. I don't know how to help her. She's really skinny but she thinks shes fat...please tell me how to help
-Livvy

You're in a tough spot. No matter what you say or do your friend is still going to say she's fat. Being w/ her, encouraging her to eat will only result in her eating to please you & then vomiting it up. Do you know what has caused her to become this way--crude remarks @ school or home, a fixation on an actor or model, competition w/ someone?

Are you in a position to talk w/ her parents? Be prepared & have literature they can look at. Maybe have before & after pictures from your album showing how much weight she's lost. Sometimes when we live w/ someone we don't see the decline. Ask the school nurse or counselor for booklets. Go online & print off articles. Show your concern w/o being judgmental of anyone. Your friend needs therapy to discover the roots of her problem.

You're a good friend. Be aware she may hate you for awhile when her "secret" is out in the open, but you're doing the right thing.

My sister is bulimic so I face the same problem as you do. When you hang out don't try to force her to eat, but don't try to pig out either, odds are that if she pigs out with you, she'll make herself throw up later. Never stare at her when you're eating or anyone else is, you don't want to make her feel awkward.
Tell her that she is beautiful and that it really hurts you to see her doing this to herself. Say that you are afraid to lose your best friend to something like this. Make sure she knows that you'll always support her and tell her that you'll help in anyway that you can. If you hang out at your house have healthy snacks to eat.

I'm not sure how old you are but try to find a school counselor or counselor to talk to. They can direct you.

The bottom line though is you can't prevent her from having an eating disorder. Anyone with an addiction or compulsion has to decide for themselves to get help.

Be her friend. Love her unconditionally. Speak to a mental health person for more direction.

theres really nothing you can do but be her friend. she has to be the one to want to recover and sadly for this to happen she's probably going to have to get alot worse before she gets better. she may also try to push you away at times and not want to hang out as much, anorexia causes people to want to isolate themselves.

ah.
my friend went through this..
and we shes still young
she was 12..
but were 13 now. she always didnt eat everyday at lunch and one day she threw up in front of the boys.. it was embaressing for her.
she fainted in front of her parents.. it was reeally bad.
tell her the bad thingss about being bulimic.
force her to eat.
everyone has flaws about themeselves that they dont like.
no bodys perfect