Does anyone recognise this kind of behaviour?

[Norsk1]

I've changed my name as I know a few Mumsnetters.

Not quite sure as to where to start, but I'll make this as brief as I can. My son is 17, and started 6th form in September. He is bright, and outwardly appears to be fine. However, I have the distinct feeling that he is anything but, and I am uncertain as to whether he is suffering from depression and/or has an eating disorder.

I went into his room today to do a quick vacuum - I generally let him clean up his mess, and get into his room once a fortnight. I pulled out his bed and found a load of uneaten food in various stages of decay. This isn't the first time - last time it was a few sandwiches he'd not eaten at school for lunch.

There were empty wrappings of food he had eaten - namely chocolate and crisp wrappers. He does eat at mealtimes, as we sit down and eat together.
He is 5"11 and weighs 8 stone, so is quite slight.

The other thing that worries me is that for quite some time he has been pulling out his eyelashes. It went unnoticed by me at first, but I couldn't fail to notice when he had plucked the majority of them out. He has told me that he doesn't notice that he is actually doing it. I'm aware there is a term for this sort of thing - whereby people usually pull out their hair.

In the past, I've suggested to my son that we take him to see our GP, but he is adamant that he does not want to see anyone.

I'd like to hear your thoughts please, especially if you have experienced this sort of thing. Should I just go ahead and make an appointment, or do I just wait and hope that this is just a phase that he'll grow out of? The latter perhaps seems naive.

Get him to a GP - his BMI is in the bottom 1%. Anything under 2% in a child/young adult is medically concerning. Maybe speak to GP on the phone first, then get him to speak to him/her on his own, assuming you can get him there.

Is there a pastoral type person at college?

my ds has a stomach condition, which was only diagnosed quite late in his teens, this mant that eating was quite anxious for him as it often caused him real pain.

yes yes gp

Thanks so much titchy and Custardo. In answer to your question titchy, I'm not sure that they have a welfare person - I'll have to find out.

Hope your ds is managing well with his stomach condition, and has not had to cut out too much food he enjoys Custardo.

I've made an appointment for my son to see our GP next week, so hopefully he'll be able to suggest something, and put us on the right track.

I do the eyelash pulling (curently have half a set on my left eye) I do it when I get stressed or am tired, im 42, I dont know im doing it either.

He may just feel 6 form is all a bit much and is worrying about it all. Get him an appointment at the GP, let him go in himself and he may open up.