How To Help A Teen With An Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are a serious concern, especially among teenagers who are still developing relationships with food. These disorders can have a serious impact on their mental and physical well-being, leading to long-term complications if not addressed in a timely manner.

As parents, it can be incredibly challenging to watch your teen struggle with any health condition, but this is especially true for eating disorders. Understanding the causes and signs of eating disorders in teens is the first step in helping them overcome this difficult condition.

What Causes Eating Disorders in Teens?

One of the most important questions parents ask is what exactly causes eating disorders in teens. The truth is, as with many behavioral health conditions, there is no one definitive cause. Eating disorders in teenagers can arise from a combination of genetic, environmental and psychological factors.

Genetic factors

Research indicates that genetics can play a major role in the development of eating disorders. Teens with a family history of eating disorders may have a predisposed risk due to inherited traits.

Psychological factors

Teens who experience anxiety, depression or low self-esteem may be more susceptible to developing eating disorders. The pressure to fit in and achieve a certain body image can also lead to unhealthy eating behaviors.

Environmental influences

Research indicates a negative correlation between media exposure and body satisfaction. The societal emphasis on thinness and beauty standards can heavily influence teenagers. Exposure to unrealistic images in media and peer pressure can contribute to the onset of eating disorders.

How Many Teens Have Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are more common than many people realize. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), approximately 9% of people in the United States will suffer from eating disorders in their lifetime. This highlights the need to catch the signs of eating disorders in teens early on.

Warning Signs of an Eating Disorder

The signs of an eating disorder often vary from person to person. However, some common signs parents should look out for include:

• Dramatic Weight Loss or Weight Fluctuations: Significant changes in weight, whether loss or gain, can be a red flag.
• Preoccupation with Food, Weight and Body Image: Constant concern about calorie intake, dieting or feeling overweight despite being underweight.
• Avoidance of Meals or Specific Food Groups: Skipping meals or avoiding certain foods can indicate an unhealthy relationship with food.
• Changes in Eating Habits: Sudden changes in eating patterns, such as binge eating or extreme dieting, should be monitored closely.
• Withdrawal from Social Activities: Teens with eating disorders may isolate themselves from friends and family.
• Going to the Bathroom Immediately After Meals: Going to the bathroom immediately after meals, especially if this is new behavior, can be a big red flag for eating disorders.

How to Help Someone with an Eating Disorder

Supporting a teen with an eating disorder involves understanding, patience and providing the right resources. Some steps parents can take to help their teen may include:

Fostering open communication

Having conversations about your teen’s health and eating habits can be challenging. You want to encourage open and honest conversation about their feelings without attaching judgment or stigma to the struggles they choose to share.

It’s important to let your teen know that you are there for them, no matter what, and that you want to support them.

Remember, your teen may not choose to share everything, especially in the beginning. With time, however, they may begin to open up and be more vulnerable about their struggles.

Educating yourself

As with many mental health conditions, there’s a lot of stigma and misunderstandings surrounding eating disorders, especially in the media.

Start by learning more about eating disorders and see if you can find any real-life examples of people sharing their struggles. This may help you better understand what your teen is experiencing, which in turn will give you the knowledge you need to provide informed support to your child.

Seeking professional support

In many cases, professional eating disorder support may be needed to give your teen the help they need. This may include reaching out to a therapist, dietitian or physician to provide structured interventions to your teen.

Engaging a healthcare professional for eating disorder help typically improves recovery outcomes.

Encouraging healthy habits

Teens with eating disorders typically have unhealthy relationships with eating and food. They may also have an unhealthy focus on weight or appearance.

Try encouraging your teen to engage in balanced and mindful eating as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Being patient and supportive

Finally, and as the advice above highlights, patience and support are key. Recovering from an eating disorder takes time. It can be a long and sometimes difficult journey, and some days will be better than others.

Celebrate small victories with your teen and continue providing encouragement along the way. 

Teen Eating Disorder Treatment Options

If you believe your teen would benefit from more structured eating disorder support, there are several treatment options available. In many cases, two or more of the options below are used together to create holistic and effective treatment plans for eating disorder recovery.

Medical monitoring

Regular check-ups with a healthcare provider can monitor your teen’s physical health and address any complications arising from the eating disorder.

Nutritional counseling

Dietitians can help develop a balanced meal plan that meets the nutritional needs of your teen while fostering a healthy relationship with food.

Therapeutic interventions

When a teen’s eating disorder is rooted in psychological challenges, therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be highly effective in supporting recovery.

Inpatient or outpatient programs

If your teens’ eating disorder is severe and impacting their day-to-day life, it may be time to consider an inpatient or outpatient program. These programs offer comprehensive and structured care combining several of the treatment options above. The goal is to equip teens with healthy coping skills and habits that equip them with the tools they need to maintain recovery.

Eating Disorder Recovery in California

If your teen is struggling with an eating disorder, it can be difficult to know how to help them. By providing compassion and support at home, you can make a big difference in their recovery. But what happens when support at home just isn’t enough?

Sierra Vista Hospital, located in Sacramento, California, is here for your teen’s mental and behavioral health needs. We provide inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services, including eating disorder treatment, to adults and adolescents seeking improved well-being. Our individualized treatment plans aim to meet each person’s needs and challenges.

Learn more about how we can help by giving us a call at 916-273-4300 or get in contact with us by using this form.

If you believe your teen is experiencing a mental health crisis, CALL 988 or seek the nearest emergency room. 

For physical health emergencies, CALL 911 or get to the nearest emergency room.