Teenage is probably the most exciting part of one’s life as it brings new changes and even a new outlook towards life. However, for some teenagers it could turn out to be the most stressful stage of their lives as it brings physical and emotional changes too. The teenage years are likewise the stage which coincides with puberty. It is the phase of a biological cycle wherein a child’s body becomes an adult body. It is during this critical stage when teen eating disorders commonly surface among teenagers.
Teen eating disorders post a serious threat, simply because teenagers are still within the growth years and the impact of an eating disorder on their developing bodies can stall the process. There is no single identifiable cause of eating disorders. In fact, experts link eating disorders to an interplay of factors which include family relationships, psychological problems, and genetics. The teen may eventually have low self-esteem and feel depressed and dejected.
There are two kinds of eating disorder, one in which the teen tends to starve himself/herself by not eating and the other one in which the teen eats uncontrollably. The one that exhibits loss of appetite is called anorexia whereas the other that involves overeating is called bulimia.
Anorexia nervosa is generally characterized by an indulgent obsession with dieting and exercising in order to lose weight. Anorexic teens exert extra effort to conceal their weight loss, which is why parents often fail to detect them. Furthermore, anorexic teens will usually try to explain away their deranged eating behaviors once confronted. However, as anorexia progresses, the signs and symptoms become glaring and difficult to deny. Some of the most common symptoms include dramatic weight loss, strange or secretive food rituals, skipping meals, fixation on body image, use of diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics, etc.
Bulimia refers to a condition characterized by recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors called purging. The purging can involve many techniques including self-induced vomiting, fasting, the use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics, over exercising, etc. Purging is done because the teen does not want his or her body to gain weight. This eating disorder has a wide range of symptoms symptoms, including strict dieting followed by high-calorie eating binges, visiting the bathroom after meals, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications, excessive exercise, withdrawal from friends and family, depressive moods, amongst others.
Teens with eating disorders are frequently in denial that something is wrong. The problem starts when parents are unaware of the symptoms because the teen typically keeps them hidden. Parents must understand that these are psychological disorders, and grounding or punishing the teenager for having these disorders will only complicate the problem. Parents who suspect that their teen may be suffering from an eating disorder should seek professional help as soon as possible.
A combination of treatments which include cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medication would most likely help teens to recover from bulimia. On the other hand, anorexia appears to be a more serious problem, so the treatment protocol usually involves nutritional feeding, medical monitoring, and psychological treatment.
