Find My Teen Help For Eating Disorders in California
More and more teenagers are suffering from eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating in California, USA and elsewhere in the world. Girls suffer from eating disorders more than boys although boys do suffer from eating disorders as well. It is imperative that a parent knows what they are dealing with when faced with a child suffering from eating disorders since they are not only dangerous to the health and well-being of the child but also a symptom of a much larger issue. 
There are many reasons why children and adults develop eating disorders. One of the most common reason is to feel more attractive and desirable. Western media and culture extols leanness and being slim as the hallmarks of beauty and teenagers, in their desire to feel needed and wanted, may resort to negative habits such as inducing vomiting after meals in a bid to get slimmer. This may be in spite of the fact that they are already slim or of a normal body weight.
Low self-esteem and emotional distress can also trigger eating disorders in teens. They may become bulimic or anorexic in a bid to become more attractive or start eating food for comfort or due to boredom, resulting in binge eating. Other causes of eating disorders include depression, perfectionism, peer pressure, and being involved in activities where being slim is perceived as an advantage.
Teen eating disorders have many negative effects on the person who is suffering from them such as tooth decay and loss, thinning hair, and loss of muscle and bone density to name only a few. Those who use eating disorders as a way of dealing with depression get trapped in a vicious cycle since improper eating habits cause depression which makes the problem worse.
Understanding the cause of a teen’s eating disorder and opening up communication channels with the child are the first steps towards dealing with the problem. It is also important to learn what it will take for a child suffering from an eating disorder to recover, something a professional counselor is qualified to help with.
It is therefore important for a parent to be on the lookout for signs that would indicate that their child is suffering from an eating disorder and to find a way to gently but firmly get the teenager on the road to recovery.
Originally posted on March 27, 2014 @ 8:00 am
