Could I possibly have an eating disorder? Should I seek professional help?

I'm a 20 year old female, 5'6", and 86 pounds. No matter how low the number on the scale gets, I look in the mirror in complete disgust and just see fat. I restrict my calorie intake, exercise for at least 2 hours a day, and sometimes use laxatives. I didn't have a menstrual period for 2 years, but I take birth control pills now so I have one. I know I have a problem, but I'm not sure if I sure if I should get help. I feel like if I go to my family doctor, he will basically take one look at me and laugh because I'm too big to have an eating disorder.
Does my condition possibly warrant medical attention? Should I make an appointment with my family doctor, or wait until I get to a lower weight?

86 lbs.!!?? Trust me your doctor will believe you have an eating disorder now. Go NOW.

You do have a eating disorder, but you have also made the first step at getting better... you want help.

Your doctor will never laugh at you, he/she will always put their patients first. They wouldn't be in that line of work if they didn't care.

Make the appointment now, you wont regret it.

Good luck! (from a male with a eating disorder ;)

I think you are:D I think i have an eating disorder but im 115.Maybe you should see a doctor if you faint or feel dizzy.

Yes you do have a problem because 86 for your height its very unhealthy

you are SEVERELY underweight. please ask your doctor for help. any doctor that would laugh at you at that weight is the dumbest doctor on the planet. you have an eating disorder, and you deserve help. recovery is a very difficult process, and you need to get this help before it's too late. your doctor should be able to refer you to a qualified nutritionist and psychologist who specialize in eating disorders, and they will be able to help you through this. you fit all of the criteria for anorexia, and it is very obvious that you need help. what you are doing is unhealthy and has the potential to kill you.
please try to slowly increase your caloric intake so that you can become safe and healthy, or at least comfortable with intaking a greater amount of calories. also, although i'm sure you already know this, you should decrease the amount you're exercising and stop using laxatives (laxatives work in the colon, where food has already been digested and all of the calories have already been removed, which means that they don't prevent you from taking in calories).

please, don't wait until you're at a lower weight. as a complete stranger with experience with eating disorders, i am afraid for your life. you are at such a low weight, and you deserve recovery. please get yourself help

I would absolutely not wait until you get to a lower weight, you have an eating disorder, and you should seek professional help as soon as possible. This eating disorder should not be left alone, because if it is, it will only continue to get worse and worse. Your body will continue to suffer both mentally and physically if you do not treat this disorder.

I want to recommend an informational site that I think you should definitely look into: http://www.eatingdisorder.com/eating-dis... on there you will find a lot of helpful and useful information about different eating disorders, their causes and symptoms, different treatment options that are available, and more.

There also is a toll-free helpline number on the site which I highly recommend that you call and speak to a trained professional, who will help you with anything you need, they will answer your questions, and will try to help point you in the right direction as far as what steps you should be taking moving forward.

Good Luck to you.

Honey, you are out of control. Your self image is so twisted already, you can't see for yourself that it IS time to get medical attention. You really need help, but you can't tell, you see...fat. But in reality you are EMACIATED. You need to be getting inpatient care at a mental health facility that specializes in mental health problems like eating disorders because your real problem isn't based in your stomach-it's in your head.
There are bad thought patterns that have caused you to see yourself disporportionately and you need therapy to fix that. You're not fat. You're literally starving yourself to death. And you need help. By all means, yes. Go to the doctor.

Hun...the doctor will totally understand your situation. YOU ARE NOT FAT. You are actually dangerously underweight. I know where you're at in life, I'm struggling with an eating disorder myself, trying to recover, yes, but still in the storm. My doctor tells me I am very underweight also, and I weigh more then you ( 5'3 89 lbs). I have been to a clinic who also agrees with this. I know its really hard to see that your arn't fat, I understand that. You need help though, realizing you have an ED is the first step in recovery, I denied the fact for two years. There just isn't a doubt that you are anorexic; you have ALL the symptoms. (emaciation, loss of menstrual period, and excessive restriction/dieting). If you don't get help soon, you are going to get seriously ill or even die. I really don't want this to happen to you! You can't do this on your own, please seek help.

Good luck and I care about you xxx Shady