Recognizing the Red Flags of Eating Disorders: Insights from Gladstone’s Mimi Walsh Wehberg
Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions, and knowing what to look for can make all the difference. Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness therapist Mimi Walsh Wehberg recently joined WJZ Baltimore on their Wellness Wednesday segment to share what families, friends, and individuals need to know about recognizing eating disorders before they escalate.
Why Eating Disorders Deserve Our Attention
Mimi opened the conversation by grounding viewers in the physical stakes. Because nutrition affects every system in the body, disordered eating can ripple outward in ways that are easy to dismiss at first. This can include something as seemingly minor as feeling lightheaded when standing up too quickly, all the way to serious complications like organ failure. Eating disorders can be fatal, which is why early recognition matters so much. Mimi also drew an important distinction: disordered eating doesn’t always rise to the level of a clinical eating disorder, but it can evolve into one. Staying alert to patterns is a form of prevention.
What Does an Eating Disorder Red Flag Actually Look Like?
It’s normal to experiment with different ways of eating, like cutting out certain food groups, intermittent fasting, trying what you read about on social media. Mimi isn’t worried about that in and of itself. What gives her pause is when someone’s relationship with food or exercise becomes rigid and inflexible, and when it starts to interfere with their relationships, work, or daily life.
She offered a vivid, relatable example: imagine someone who loves their daily run. Now imagine they’re lacing up their sneakers and heading out the door during a snowstorm, when the sidewalks are completely iced over. Most people would take a rest day without much thought. For someone struggling with an eating disorder, skipping that run might feel genuinely impossible. That inability to flex, to adapt, to let go of the rule even when the situation calls for it, is a meaningful warning sign.
How Signs of Eating Disorders Differ in Teens vs. Adults
Mimi noted that eating disorder symptoms can look different depending on age, and for teens, the stakes of early detection are especially high. Adolescent brains are still developing, which means teenagers may not naturally think through the long-term consequences of their choices the way adults often do. In teens, red flags might include:
- Mood changes — increased irritability, anxiety, or emotional withdrawal
- Social withdrawal — pulling away from friends and activities they used to enjoy
- Unusual food-related behaviors — such as a parent finding hidden or partially eaten food in unexpected places, like under a bed
For adults, the signs can be harder to notice, particularly for those who live alone. There may be no one at home to observe that they’ve been skipping meals or ramping up their exercise routine significantly. This is part of what makes community awareness so valuable. Friends, coworkers, and family members can all serve as an informal safety net.
A Conversation Worth Continuing
Mimi’s message is ultimately one of compassion: stay curious about the people you care about, and don’t dismiss the small things. A rigid food rule here, a social withdrawal there — these aren’t necessarily signs of a problem, and they are worth a gentle conversation.
If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness offers comprehensive, compassionate mental health care across multiple Maryland locations. Our team is here to help.
Watch the full interview on Gladstone’s YouTube channel: Mimi Walsh Wehberg on Eating Disorder Red Flags — WJZ Wellness Wednesday
This segment is part of an ongoing Wellness Wednesday partnership between WJZ and Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness. Past topics have included weight management and mental healthcare, seasonal affective disorder, DBT therapy, and more. You can find all of our Wellness Wednesday interviews on the Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness YouTube channel.
