[Scene: Two college friends, Lisa and Jordan, are sitting in a quiet café. Lisa is stirring her tea absentmindedly, while Jordan picks at a muffin. They start discussing eating habits, and the conversation takes a deeper turn.]

Lisa: You barely touched that muffin. You okay?

Jordan: [Shrugs] Yeah, I just… don’t feel like eating. I’ve been trying to be “healthier,” you know? Cutting back, tracking calories.

Lisa: That’s fine, but… how much are you cutting back?

Jordan: Just enough. I mean, okay, sometimes I skip meals, but it’s just willpower. Intermittent fasting and all that.

Lisa: [Gently] Jordan, skipping meals all the time isn’t just fasting. It kinda sounds like anorexia.

Jordan: Whoa, no. I’m not that bad. It’s not like I stop eating completely. I just… I like feeling in control.

Lisa: I get that, but if controlling food starts controlling you… that’s a problem.

Jordan: [Sighs] I don’t know. Sometimes I feel guilty if I eat, and then other times, I can’t stop myself.

Lisa: Like bingeing?

Jordan: Yeah. I’ll go days eating barely anything, and then suddenly, I’m inhaling an entire pizza, a tub of ice cream, whatever I can find. And then… I feel disgusted.

Lisa: That sounds a lot like binge eating disorder (BED)—where you eat large amounts in a short time but feel out of control.

Jordan: Maybe. But I don’t always keep it down, either.

Lisa: [Concerned] Jordan… are you purging?

Jordan: [Quietly] Yeah. Sometimes I throw up after eating too much. Or take laxatives.

Lisa: That’s bulimia. And it’s really dangerous.

Jordan: I know, but it’s the only way to fix it after a binge.

Lisa: It’s not fixing it—it’s hurting you.

Jordan: [Defensive] Well, what am I supposed to do? Just let myself get fat?

Lisa: No. You’re supposed to be kind to yourself.

Jordan: Easy for you to say. You eat normally.

Lisa: [Looks away] Not always.

Jordan: What do you mean?

Lisa: I used to obsess over only eating “clean” foods. No sugar, no carbs, no processed anything. If I had even one “bad” meal, I’d feel like a failure.

Jordan: That sounds like… I don’t know, a diet?

Lisa: No, it was orthorexia—an obsession with healthy eating. It looked good on the outside, but it consumed my life.

Jordan: I’ve never heard of that.

Lisa: Most people haven’t. But it’s real. And it’s exhausting.

Jordan: I guess we’re both dealing with stuff, huh?

Lisa: Yeah. And you know what? I think a lot of people do. There’s also ARFID—Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. It’s not about weight, but some people avoid food because of sensory issues or anxiety around eating.

Jordan: So, not just picky eating?

Lisa: Way more than that. Some people physically can’t eat certain textures or smells. Others fear choking or getting sick, so they just… stop eating.

Jordan: Wow. I never realized there were so many different eating disorders.

Lisa: Yeah. And they’re not just about food—they’re about feelings. Control, fear, self-worth.

Jordan: …So what do we do?

Lisa: Talk to someone. A doctor, a therapist, even just a friend. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Jordan: [Nods] Maybe I’ll start with you.

Lisa: Always here for you. And for the record… I think you deserve that muffin.

Jordan: [Small smile] Maybe I’ll take a bite.