The demand to have an ideal body can be one of the triggers for eating disorders in adolescents. Eating disorders can appear in various types, each with different symptoms. If not immediately recognized and treated, eating disorders in adolescents can endanger health.
Eating disorders are psychological disorders that cause a person to have unusual eating habits, which can affect one's physical and emotional health. If left unchecked, eating disorders in adolescents can cause malnutrition, low blood pressure, weakened heart rates, and constipation.
Types of Eating Disorders in adolescents and Symptoms that Arise
Eating disorders in adolescents can be triggered by low self-confidence, opinions of people around about the ideal body shape, and obsession to get the ideal body shape.
In addition, eating disorders in adolescents can also be caused by dietary habits at a very young age, have psychological disorders, such as depression and excessive anxiety, and have family members who experience eating disorders.
Here are some eating disorders commonly suffered by teenagers:
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes sufferers try to reduce weight by eating too little and exercising too hard.
Anorexia is characterized by feelings of fear of having a fat body and always feeling fat even though the body is very thin. At an advanced stage, anorexia can cause menstrual disorders, such as irregular periods, not even menstruation at all.
Bulimia
Bulimia is an eating disorder in which the sufferer tries to remove the food he has swallowed. People with bulimia will usually vomit food or take laxatives to remove the food they consume.
Teenagers who suffer from bulimia can eat large amounts of food at once until they feel nauseous, and can also consume food in very small amounts or not eat at all.
Binge eating
Another eating disorder that is often experienced by teenagers is binge eating. Binge eating is a habit of eating too much, causing discomfort.
Binge eating can be characterized by always eating even when not hungry, eating large portions, feeling guilty about yourself after eating a lot, and the habit of hiding food.
How to Overcome Eating Disorders in Adolescents
If you see symptoms of eating disorders in your teenager, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will conduct questions and answers about eating habits, symptoms experienced, and a child's medical history, as well as conducting physical examinations to assess his health condition.
While undergoing medical treatment, to help the recovery of adolescents with eating disorders, you as a parent can do the following ways:
Give full support
Providing full support to adolescents with eating disorders is the first thing parents need to do to help with child recovery.
Parents can provide support by learning more about these eating disorders, so they can understand the conditions experienced by adolescents. In addition, parents can also provide examples of good and healthy eating patterns. To build closeness, parents can invite children to exercise and do activities together.
Parents also need to foster adolescent self-confidence, for example by giving words of praise when they are performing and avoiding sentences that pertain to body shape.
Teach how to control the mind
Parents can teach teens to practice mind control. One way is to write negative thoughts on one sheet of paper along with positive affirmations. For example, write "I can't eat bread because I'm going to get fat", and on the opposite page, write "My eating disorder that says I can't eat bread, but I can eat bread and I won't get fat just from eating bread".
Also, convince yourself by saying to yourself, "I can recover from my eating disorders, and I can be healthy again." Make this a commitment, so slowly negative thoughts can be controlled.
Give medication according to doctor's recommendation
Doctors will usually provide treatment to overcome binge eating, depression, or anxiety felt by teenagers. Taking medication given by a doctor and exercising control to the doctor regularly will help recovery from eating disorders experienced by adolescents.
To prevent eating disorders from recurring, parents can give examples of good eating habits, encourage teens to discuss ideal body shapes, and explain that what is more important is to have a healthy body, achievement, develop positive things, and increase self-confidence.
Eating disorders in adolescents should not be underestimated, because they can interfere with growth and development, achievement, and health. If you find symptoms of eating disorders in your teenager, you should immediately consult a doctor to get appropriate treatment.
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