Help for Teen Eating Disorders

Insight to different types of Eating Disorders
There are several types of eating disorders among teens.  Some of these
disorders include anorexia nervosa, starvation diet, binge eating
disorder, bulimia nervosa, and diabulemia.

Here are some resources from Amazon for teen eating disorders to
help you:


We will discuss the following three eating disorders that are big issues
with teens.  The 3 we will cover is Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and
Binge Eating.


Anorexia Nervosa
A teen who has anorexia may be torn between not being able to bear putting
on weight, and yet not wanting to die of starvation. To them, putting on
weight means losing control.

A teen may usually feel that what they eat, and if and when they eat it,
may feel like the only part of life that they have under control. The act
of eating can come to represent everything bad, including the feelings
that aren’t allowed to come to the surface.  Not eating, and losing
weight, can therefore become the only way of feeling safe for this teen.

Although anorexia means loss of appetite, this is quite misleading.  A
teen with anorexia will deny themselves food, although they may actually
feel extremely hungry.

A teen with anorexia, will usually do the folowing:

    * If your teen drops weight to about 20% below normal
    * Does your teen deny feeling hungry
    * Does your teen exercise excessively
    * Does your teenager feel fat
    * Does your teen withdraw from social activities


Bulimia Nervosa
Definition of Bulimia Nervosa:

Bulimia nervosa, commonly known as bulimia, is an eating disorder.  It is
a psychological condition in which a teen engages in recurrent binge
eating followed by intentional purging. This purging is done in order to
compensate for the excessive intake of food, usually to prevent weight
gain. Purging can take the form of vomiting; inappropriate use of
laxatives, enemas, diuretics or other medication; or excessive physical
exercise.  An eating disorder, common especially among teen girls of
normal or nearly normal weight, that is characterized by episodic binge
eating and followed by feelings of guilt, depression, and
self-condemnation. It is often associated with measures taken to prevent
weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, the use of laxatives, dieting,
or fasting.

A teen that may have an eating disorder such as Bulimia Nervosa may do the
following:

    * If your teen makes excuses to go to the bathroom immediately after
meals
    * If your teen eats huge amounts of food, but doesn't gain weight
    * If your teenager uses laxatives or diuretics
    * If your teen withdraws from social activities


Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating is an element of another eating disorder previously covered,
bulimia nervosa. 

Binge eating disorder is similar to, but it is distinct from, compulsive
eating.  Teens with binge eating disorder do not have a compulsion to
overeat and do not spend a great deal of time fantasising about food. On
the contrary, a teen with binge eating disorder will have very negative
feelings about food.  As with other eating disorders, binge eating is an
expressive disorder - that is, the disorder is an expression of a deeper
psychological problem.

Binge eating disorder is a psychiatric disorder in which a teen may do the
following:

    * teen periodically does not exercise control over consumption of
food
    * teenager eats an unusually large amount of food at one time (on
average, 1500 calories).
    * teen eats much more quickly during binge episodes than during normal
eating episodes
    * teen eats until physically uncomfortable
    * if your teen eats large amounts of food, even when they are not
really hungry
    * does your teen always eats alone during binge eating episodes, in
order to avoid discovery of the disorder
    * teen often eats alone during periods of normal eating, owing to
feelings of embarrassment about food
    * teen feels disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binge eating

It is actually hotly contested whether binge eating disorder has its own
diagnosis. Some believe that it is a milder form, or subset of bulimia
nervosa, but others argue that it is its own distinct disorder.


Program Descriptions of Anorexia, Bulimia, and related Eating Disorder
Issues
Most specialized eating disorder programs are adaptable to continue the
length for long-term treatment.  Residents should have very similar
backgrounds and experiences.  Age differences and genders may differ from
each program.  On campus living can be arranged depending on the treatment
requirement.  The program should not have major disciplinary or violent
residents because of the specialized and focused needs that these
disorders require.

It has been said that eating disorders are (a misuse of the eating
function to deal with problems in living) - (Hilde Bruch, 1980).  Clients
will learn to manage their eating in non-compulsive, normalized ways, and
develop a healthy, positive relationship to food and physical activity.


What Causes Eating Disorders among Teens?
What causes eating disorders is not entirely clear, though a combination
of psychological, genetic, social and family factors are thought to
contribute to the disorder.

It is thought that youth in sports, such as ballet, gymnastics and
wrestling are thought to potentially contribute to developing eating
disorders because of the emphasis on leanness. There is also a role for
genetics. Individuals who have a close relative with an eating disorder
have an increased risk for also developing an eating disorder.  There is
also an increased incidence of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety
disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, amongst kids and teens with
eating disorders. Sometimes, problems at home, such as drug or alcohol
abuse, can put a teen child at higher risk to develop behaviors of an
eating disorder.


Treatment for Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are most successfully treated when diagnosed early. 
Unfortunately, even when family members confront a teen about his or her
behavior, or physicians make a diagnosis, teenagers with eating disorders
may deny that they have a problem.  Thus, teens with anorexia may not
receive medical or psychological attention until they have already become
dangerously thin and malnourished.  Teens with bulimia are often normal
weight and are able to hide their illness from others for years.

We highly advise parents that have a teen child with an eating disorder to
seek help from our Get Help Now
form.  Another area we recommend to help you and your teen child get the
help needed is our Consumer Help
Area.





The information provided here gives insight to:
eating disorders, teen eating disorder, help for eating disorders, teen
disorders, binge eating, teen anorexia, teen bulimia, teens with bulimia,
teens with anorexia, binge eating teenagers






The following teen programs or resources are provided according to
relative searches based on the internet, and does not mean they are
endorsed by us.