What Are Eating Disorders?
Psychological illnesses known as eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, cause severe abnormalities in eating behavior. Teens with anorexia struggle to maintain a healthy weight. Bulimia is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes that are followed by compulsive actions like vomiting or the use of laxatives to purge the body of food. Unrestrained overeating is a hallmark of binge eating.
One in 100 females may suffer from anorexia nervosa. Teens who have anorexia are at least 15% underweight and dread gaining weight. They think their physical image is the primary indicator of their self-worth.
Teen Eating Disorders Treatment
Teen eating disorder treatment may be both physical and emotional. Extreme weight loss, personality changes, physical weariness, and/or anxiety and despair are perilous for teenagers and terrifying for parents. The necessity for professional assistance with teen eating problems is evident.
Teen Eating Disorder Statistics
- Currently, there are 30 million Americans who have an eating disorder.
- Additionally, half of these persons fit the description of depression.
- 15 percent of males and 44 percent of girls in high school are actively attempting to shed weight.
- Only 10% of those who suffer from eating problems get help.
- 20 to 25 percent of pathological dieters develop an eating problem, while 35 percent of normal dieters graduate to compulsive, pathological dieting.
- An eating disorder causes the death of one person every 62 minutes.
- Compared to all other causes of death among young girls, teen anorexia has a mortality rate for females that is 12 times greater.
- Half of the adolescents who suffer from anorexia or bulimia fully recover.
This last statistic is vitally important. Despite the extent and danger of teen eating disorders, there is hope.
Warning signs
Warning signs of bulimia include:
- Extreme preoccupation about being overweight
- Strict dieting followed by high-calorie eating binges
- Overeating when distressed
- Feeling out of control
- Disappearing after a meal
- Depressed moods
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Frequent use of laxatives or diuretics
- Excessive exercising
- Irregular menstrual cycles
What Causes Eating Disorders in Teens?
An eating disorder might have many different causes. Experts connect eating disorders to a variety of causes, including heredity, psychological issues, and familial dynamics. The teen can be obsessed with becoming skinny and have low self-esteem.
Being an adolescent athlete in a lean-focused discipline like ballet, gymnastics, or running is occasionally linked to eating problems. One study found a connection between anorexia and perfectionism, worry about making mistakes, high personal standards, and parental expectations and criticism.
Symptoms of Eating Disorders in Teens
Symptoms of eating disorders may include the following:
- A distorted body image
- Skipping most meals
- Unusual eating habits (such as eating thousands of calories at one meal or skipping meals)
- Frequent weighing
- Extreme weight change
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Skin rash or dry skin
- Dental cavities
- Erosion of tooth enamel
- Loss of hair or nail quality
- Hyperactivity and high interest in exercise
Teenagers who suffer from eating problems frequently deny that anything is wrong. They might be irritable, fearful, or despondent. They could distance themselves from friends and develop hypersensitivity to criticism. Because the kid hides them, just like the trauma, insecurities, despair, or poor self-esteem that may help precipitate the disease, the difficulty emerges when parents are unaware of these symptoms.
How Are Eating Disorders in Teens Treated?
Although there is no easy treatment for eating disorders, they are treatable.
A combination of treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medication, can be used to help teens overcome bulimia. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps by identifying and replacing inaccurate thoughts to help change behavior and emotional state.
Anorexia treatment usually involves nutritional feeding, medical monitoring, and psychological treatment.
Risk Factors and Causes of Teen Eating Disorders
Teen eating disorders are not brought on by a single risk factor. Instead, the majority of studies have revealed that many risk variables are often at play.
1) Genes
Heredity is a factor. Frequently, eating issues run in families. Studies on twins have shown that 40–50% of the risk variables for eating disorders, such as teen anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, are hereditary.
2) Brain functioning
There is a link between eating problems and how the brain works. Eating disorders and abnormal brain activity patterns have been related by imaging studies.
3) Perfectionism and Psychological Factors
A new research connected teen perfectionism to eating problems. Parental expectations and set thought patterns might promote eating problems in certain teenagers.
4) Childhood Trauma
Teens who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to develop teenage eating disorders. Unresolved childhood trauma is a serious warning sign. The danger might also increase if a teen experiences traumatic events.
5) Social Factors and Peer Pressure
Peer teasing in combination with early childhood obesity is a significant risk factor. Teenagers are also adversely affected by media portrayals that idealize thinner-than-average bodies.
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