Text Box: Eating Disorders The overall term Eating Disorder refers to a variety of disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder. The common feature of all the disorders is abnormal eating behavior, often accompanied by a distorted body image. Anorexia Nervosa is diagnosed when a youngster's food restriction causes weight to drop 15% below what is normal. Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating are characterized by attempts to binge and/or get rid of food already eaten. Most recently neurochemicals have been implicated in the cause of eating disorders. A combination of medication, cognitive behavior, individual and family therapy are the most common forms of treatment. -Robin F. Goodman, Ph.D. What is an eating disorder? The term Eating Disorder refers to disordered eating, including the propensity to engage in compulsive exercising, food restriction , purging after meals, use of diuretics and laxatives and eating without actually enjoying the food. Food becomes the enemy, and food-centered activities become a great sources of stress and anxiety. Not only is the disordered individual unhappy about how she looks, but her dangerous eating behaviors will often lead to serious medical problems. As many as 3 to 5% of adolescent girls are engaging in some form of eating disorder behavior. Two-thirds have been found to diet despite being within normal weight ranges. Anorexic individuals have a 5 to 7% chance of dying within ten years and those with bulimia may die within five years from their disease or suicide. If treated, however, a person with an eating disorder has a 70% chance of a full recovery. Eating disorders are most likely to start during puberty when teens are dealing with bodily changes and academic and social pressures; those with the disorder usually have a distorted image of their body. Controlling food may seem like a good antidote to stress or loneliness, but it really doesn't change feeling unhappy. Why does it happen? There is an array of risk factors which seem to contribute to the tendency toward eating disorders—including family histories that show weight problems, physical illnesses, depression and alcoholism. Restricting calorie intake sometimes causes a feeling similar to the high induced by a release of opioids, a brain chemical. Youngsters who develop Bulimia are more likely to have a close relative with the disorder, and the neurochemical serotonin has been implicated in the diagnosis of bulimia. Other contributing factors such as depression, peer pressure, unrealistic images in the media, abuse, overcritical and rejecting parents, or the use of food to show love, can all lead to or exacerbate the problem. How is it treated? Identifying the problem—Eating disorders are not immediately recognizable, as girls are often praised for their appearance, thus they think they are fine and may not want help. If you suspect someone you know may have an eating disorder, you should seek out the advice of a professional who is trained in identifying the symptoms. If treatment is prescribed, it may involve individual cognitive therapy that teaches the individual to have a more realistic body image, in conjunction with family counseling to improve communication and expression of feelings and support. Interpersonal and group therapies have also shown to be necessary components of treatment. The most important goal is to accept your looks and learn strategies for healthy eating and for feeling successful in areas of life that don't involve food.

 

Questions & answers

 

How do I know if my child has an eating disorder?

You may not realize it right away. It is common for youngsters to hide their weight loss by wearing loose fitting clothes or by engaging in other behaviors to disguise the disorder. Be concerned if your child complains of being fat, avoids meals, or makes excuses for a marked change in weight. (see Questionnaire )

 

My child spends a lot of time in the bathroom after meals. Should I worry?

Certainly many youngsters, especially teens, seem to spend a lot of time in the bathroom analyzing and adjusting their appearance. However, the child with an eating disorder may go to the bathroom after meals to purge (a term used to describe vomiting) or take laxatives in order to get rid of food.

 

Should I force my child to eat?

Forcing anyone to do anything is never advisable. An eating disorder is a serious problem, but pressuring a child to eat will not change her behavior, her thinking or her self image. Forcing her can lead to increased tension and guilt, stresses that can exacerbate the problem. It is especially important to avoid power struggles and drama around food.

 

How do I parent a child with an eating disorder?

Patience is critical. Although it is frightening to see a child physically compromised, intervention should be carefully planned, at times under medical supervision. Treatment can involve both the child and family over a period of time. Even when a child's weight returns to normal, it takes time for new, healthier behaviors and a realistic self-image to be established.

 

  
                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.remudaranch.com/

 

http://www.eatingdisordersclinic.org/

 

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/p.asp?WebPage_ID=337

 

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Eating_Disorders/

 

 

 

Helpful Links
Text Box:

Heartland

Experiential Learning Programs, Inc. 

(H.E.L.P.)

386-756-3669
Text Box: Heidi’s Story Eating Disorder Questionnaire Text Box: The following is an impression shared by a client during a HELP session: ……….”I saw in my mind’s eye light coming into my heart and separating the scars and the wounds away from my heart like a laser beam would surgically remove a mole or a scar. I knew if I could find the courage to allow the light to penetrate and permeate the inner storage vaults of my past hurts, shames and other injuries, then I’d experience a new level of healing…….. As the laser or truth separated the “bad growth” from the healthy tissue, my body was then able to dispose of the unwanted material once it saw it for what it really was, separate and apart from the healthy part of my heart. A healthy heart is a beautiful thing, and feels beautiful; but I had long forgotten what that beauty, that innocence, felt like; it was a long-forgotten ghost of the past that I somehow could not coax into my present life.”