subject: Does My Teen Have An Eating Disorder? [print this page] Maybe it is because your child never seems to want to be at the dinner table anymore or maybe you're finding hidden food around the house, but something tells you, that all is not well. Often parents ignore that little voice that tells them that something is just not right. Your child seems happy and seems to have a good self-image. Besides, eating disorders only happen to celebrities and unhappy people, right?
Unfortunately, teenagers are not known to be open books, even when things are going wonderful in their lives, let alone when there is something negative going on. It is difficult for a lot of parents, without running the risk of being accused of snooping, to find out any information other than what the teenager wishes them to know. When you suspect your child has an eating disorder, nine times out of ten, you'll need to brush up on your detective skills in order to find the answers.
Pay attention to changes in their behavior, such as keeping to them selves, when normally they would be joining in family activities. Are they suddenly isolating themselves and loosing contact with their normal group of friends? Teenagers can go through periods such as these with out an eating disorder, it is when there are other signs such as skipping meals, chronic exercising and noticeable weight loss or bathroom trips, that send up the warning flags to most parents.
As much as most parents do not want to invade a child's privacy, in the matter of potential life and death, it may be a necessity evil. Most parents do not know, that there are entire online communities, which focus on eating disorders and how to maintain one. These communities are what they call "Pro Ana" or "Pro Bella" and are basically a group for those people who have the specific eating disorders Anorexia or Bulimia.
This is not a support group in the sense of overcoming an eating disorder, it is a "support" group that shares tips on how to live the anorexic or bulimia lifestyle, how to hide your "lifestyle choice" from your family and friends, as well as a place to seek advice on how to make it through treatment, while keeping your "lifestyle" intact. Peer pressure is an extremely hard habit to break, and within these communities, teens band together and basically protect each other and their eating disorders.
Another warning sign is an obsession with dieting and self help books and believe it or not, stories about eating disorders. Oftentimes, the teenager is not reading them for any other reason, except to uncover new ways to lose weight. To a person suffering from an eating disorder, there is always more weight to lose, they are always a few pounds away from perfection and this next diet or trick will surly achieve it.
by: Bjoern North
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