My friend used to be overweight so she started dieting and lost 20lbs in only 3 months. I'm bothered because she's afraid of gaining weight again so she restricts herself from eating. She only eats 4 crackers from breakfast to dinner. She's almost skin and bones but she still thinks she's fat. How can I convince her to eat properly and make her realize she is not fat?

Well, of course, you need to be there to support her and encourage her, but it sounds like she may need to seek professional help. There could be more issues than her just being worried about gaining weight.

This sounds like anorexia, so she might need professional help just like JoyJoy suggests. Anorexic people think they are fat, despite what the mirror shows, and it is hard, if at al possible, to convince them otherwise. The problem is "in the head," so to speak.

Have you told her how concerned you are? Depending on how open you are with each other, you could somehow bring up the issue and see what she thinks about it. Maybe you could go to a councilor yourself and figure out how to approach it in the best way possible? Or, you could talk to her about trying to get help as well. Maybe, if it would make her more comfortable, the two of you could go together. It really depends on the person, but there are many things you can do to help her. Remember, she needs to want to help herself in order to change.. if she's doing it for someone else, it may not help.

__________________
-Brittany Brydahl

Wow, topics about weight that can go that extreme is already a serious matter. It is good that your friend has someone like you. It is important for friends to recognize unusual matters in order to prevent anything drastic from happening. You have to take note of your observations of your friend. Discuss this matter with her immediate relatives and check if they have noticed something similar to your observations. If you think that her behavior is not only happening for a short period of time, then like what others are saying, it would be best to seek for professional help. Always remember not to handle things alone. But it is important that you continuously give the support your friend needs from you. I wish you the best. What other steps have you made so far?

I think you need to sit your friend down and tell her how worried you are about her. Perhaps suggest that you and her go and visit her doctor just to make sure everything is okay and that your friend is otherwise healthy.

If she's skin and bones already and she still thinks that she's fat or she fears that she'll get fat if she eats too much, then i think she may be anorexic. I think she needs to see a doctor for evaluation because if she's truly anorexic, no amount of encouragement can convince her to eat.

What a terrible situation for you and your friend. Have there been any improvements or have you taken any steps towards helping her yet?

Take her to see a shrink ... she might be having one of the eating disorders