Handling Your Teen Girl’s Eating Disorder
Adolescence is a trying time for any teenager; not only have they got to grapple with the changes taking place in their bodies, they suddenly find what others think and say about them matters more than ever. This is especially true when it comes to a teen’s peers as they desire to fit in and be accepted. This uncertainty combined with the media’s portrayal of beauty can leave some teenagers, especially girls, with deep-seated feelings of insecurity, low self-esteem and body image issues. 
This can lead to a teenager engaging in bad nutrition and exercising habits in a bid to attain the body the body they desire or turning to food for comfort. This can quickly degenerate into an eating disorder, putting the health and normal growth of the teenager at risk.
Studies and research has shown that more and more people are suffering from eating disorders and they are getting younger. Women and girls are the ones predominantly affected with various eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia, anorexia and orthorexia. As such, worrying whether one’s teenage daughter is suffering from an eating it is a legitimate concern for any parent and one that requires immediate attention.
Cases of young teens suffering from eating disorders has been steadily increasing. The most common eating disorders that teens suffer from include bulimia, binge eating (comfort feeding), anorexia and orthorexia. Those who suffer from bulimia normally binge eat then force themselves to purge the food either by vomiting or by using laxatives. Those suffering from anorexia barely eat and have rituals where food is concerned.
Orthorexia is an eating disorder where one is obsessed about eating right. Teenage girls suffering from orthorexia watch what they eat obsessively and rarely eat away from home, preferring to pack emergency food packs. Teens who eat for comfort or binge eat consume food past being sated.
It is therefore important for a parent who thinks or knows that their child is suffering from any eating disorder to handle the problem correctly. They should get as much information as possible about their child’s eating disorder from both the teen and other sources.
Once they have determined a problem might exist, a visit a professional with the expertise to deal with eating disorders, such as the highly qualified team in Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, is advised for proper diagnosis and treatment. Call us or click below.
Originally posted on May 31, 2014 @ 8:59 am
