Teen Eating Disorder Treatment

Table of Contents
Types of Eating Disorders
Causes of Eating Disorders
Myths About Eating Disorders
How Parents Can Help

It could be one of a parent’s worst nightmares – their child is becoming dangerously thin or overweight, to the point that their health is being drastically affected. Arming yourself with the facts and understanding of what an eating disorder is, how it can be treated, and learning the steps to take to instill healthy ideas into your child’s mind can help both you and your teen overcome this devastating illness.

It is important to remember that you are not alone, as well. According to research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, 3.8 percent of girls and 1.5 percent of boys between the ages of 13 and 17 years old suffer from some form of eating disorder.

The good news is that there is hope and help available to treat your child’s eating disorder. The first step is to become educated about eating disorders and what it means to be afflicted.

Types of Eating Disorders

The term “eating disorder” is a broad term to describe any affliction that makes an individual have either an addiction to or an aversion to food. There are several types of eating disorders, and each type can range from mild to severe. All are serious medical and psychological conditions which need to be addressed by professionals in a position to help. Four primary types of eating disorders are:

Anorexia Nervosa

The most commonly referred to eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. This disorder is characterized by several symptoms, including:

• Extreme weight loss and thin, even skeletal appearance
• A distorted body image
• Lack of menstruation
• Denial of weight loss or extremely low weight
• Restrictive eating habits or compulsive calorie counting
• An obvious and concerning fear of weight gain

Perhaps the most frightening statistic concerning anorexia nervosa is the fact that teens who suffer from this very real and very treatable illness are 18 times more likely to die at an early age than members of the general population.

The health effects of severe cases of anorexia nervosa range from brittle hair and nails to brain damage, multi-organ failure and even death. Other long-term effects include:

• Lanugo – the growth of fine hairs all over the body
• Low blood pressure
• Slowed breathing and pulse rate
• Anemia
• Dry, yellowish skin
• Osteoporosis and osteopenia (a thinning of the bones)
• Dangerously severe constipation
• Lack of energy, lethargy or sluggish energy levels; overall weakness
  
  

Bulimia Nervosa

Unlike those who suffer from anorexia nervosa, individuals who suffer from bulimia nervosa may have a healthy body weight or be slightly overweight. The main characteristic of bulimia is the binge-and-purge cycle that is definitive of the disorder. An individual suffering from bulimia may binge excessively and then take steps to mitigate or eliminate the weight gain effects of the binge episode. For instance, they may force themselves to vomit, use diuretics or laxatives to eliminate waste, or exercise excessively to burn the additional calories.

Those who suffer from bulimia, like their anorexic counterparts, often suffer from a poor or distorted body image. They are often upset with their weight, desire to lose weight, and feel as though they are somehow inferior due to their body shape, size or weight.

The problems associated with bulimia, both short and long term, can be quite severe. They include:

• Worn tooth enamel or decaying teeth due to overexposure to stomach acid.
• Severe dehydration
• Intestinal disorders from malnutrition and the overuse of chemical laxatives
• Acid reflux and other painful digestive disorders
• Chronic sore throats or inflamed glands of the neck or throat
• Electrolyte imbalances that can lead to heart attack

A person suffering from Bulimia Nervosa may succumb to the need to binge as seldom as a few times per week to as often as several times each day.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Similar to bulimia, binge eating disorder is characterized by severe bouts of obsessive overeating. Those who suffer from binge eating disorder, however, are not compelled to purge what they consume, nor are they concerned with “burning” the calories through exercise. Because of this distinction, individuals who suffer from this variation of eating disorder are often severely overweight or morbidly obese.

The significance of morbid obesity from a health perspective lies in the long-term health effects of such a condition. People who are obese are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular issues like blood clots, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. Heart attack is also a concern as the heart is placed under a great deal of stress.

Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Classified

Not every teen who suffers from an eating disorder will fall neatly into one of the three main diagnoses. Because of this, the most common diagnosis is one of EDNOS, or eating disorder not otherwise classified. These individuals may suffer from bits and pieces of the other disorders, leaning more heavily in one direction or the other, but still not meeting all of the criteria.

It is important to remember that an EDNOS diagnosis is just as critical as any other, and must be treated accordingly.

Causes of Eating Disorders

Unlike some other physical health conditions, the causes of an eating disorder can vary depending upon the individual who is suffering. Many teens who fall victim to eating disorders suffer from additional mental disorders such as depression, anxiety or PTSD, low self-image or substance abuse.

Treatment for Eating Disorders

The treatment for an eating disorder should focus on three distinct phases:

• Acute care: Restoring the individual to a healthy weight
• Psychological care: Treating the emotional and/or mental indications that have led to the eating disorder
• Preventative care: Developing healthy thought patterns and training the individual to make healthy decisions in the future.

These phases may ultimately overlap in many cases. For instance, a teen who suffers from binge eating disorder may undergo psychological care before they reach their goal healthy weight. However, each segment of the treatment module must be addressed for the treatment to be successful.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment model that is based upon a partnership between a therapist and the teen who suffers from an eating disorder. It is designed to help the individual child learn better ways to think (cognitive) in order to make better choices (behavior). The process takes approximately 16 weeks and involves hands-on approaches to therapy, including homework assignments and role-playing. In some cases, the treatment model may be extended beyond the initial period based upon decisions made by all of the parties involved.

CBT can be administered in a private setting or group settings. In many cases, the treatment plan will involve both private and group sessions.

• Medication
  In many cases, the teen who suffers from an eating disorder will have underlying medical conditions that relate to the disorder from which they suffer. Medications are often prescribed for these conditions. In addition, however, medications have proven useful for the treatment of depression or anxiety during the treatment of some eating disorders.

Myths About Eating Disorders

There are several popular myths about eating disorders than can lead parents and other individuals who may be in a position to look the other way. It is important to understand several facts about eating disorders in order to prevent the possible disastrous effects.

• Myth #1: Eating disorders are an attempt to get attention.
  The Truth: An eating disorder is a very serious mental and physical illness. Teens who suffer from eating disorders typically will go to great lengths to conceal their activities.
  
  
• Myth #2: Teens who suffer from eating disorders are vain and only interested in how they look.
  The Truth: Eating disorders have nothing to do with vanity or “being pretty.” While a teen may feel that looking “perfect” will solve their problems, the actual disorder is much deeper. Those who suffer from an eating disorder have a distorted sense of their bodies and will continue to obsess regardless of the effects of dieting, exercise, binging or purging on their physical appearance.
  
  
• Myth #3: If you are not emaciated, you’re not sick.
  The Truth: This is a very dangerous myth because only a small percentage of those who suffer from anorexia become as thin as is generally portrayed or believed. The damage to the body and the exacerbation of the mental disorders involved in eating disorders is significant long prior to the emaciated stage. Additionally, many of those who suffer from a dangerous eating disorder, like bulimia, will maintain a physically healthy appearance.

What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children

As parents, we try to make the lives of our children as wonderful as possible. We care of them, educate them, love them and provide them with the necessities of life. It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that our child may not be the happy, healthy individual for whom we have so many amazing dreams.

One of them most important things that you can do as a parent of a teen who is suffering from an eating disorder is to not judge. Do not try to find the root cause of their disorder by yourself. Do not blame yourself or anyone else for the situation at hand.

Rather than focus on the negative, find your teen a qualified treatment center and obtain help for their condition as early as possible. Early intervention can play an enormous role in a child’s recovery and help them to lead full, happy, healthy lives.