Your Daughter and The Truth Behind Eating Disorders
Do you suspect your daughter has an eating disorder? The truth behind eating disorders is shocking and rather scary for parents who don’t know where to turn. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associate Disorders, Inc. (ANAD):
- Approximately 30 million people in the US of all genders and ages suffer from some type of eating disorder.
- Every 62 minutes, a person dies from an eating disorder.
- 0.9 percent of women in America suffer from anorexia at some point in their life.
- 1.5 percent of women in America suffer from bulimia nervosa at some point in their life.
While boys can suffer from eating disorders, they are much more common among girls. There are several different kinds, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.
Eating Disorders: Definitions
The first thing you need to know if you’re concerned that your daughter is suffering from an eating disorder is the type of eating disorder it may be. Here are a few brief definitions of the most common kinds.
- Anorexia Nervosa- Girls with anorexia have an intense fear of becoming fat. Because of this, they will often not get enough calories. They often do not recognize the seriousness of their weight, even if it is extremely low.
- Bulimia Nervosa- This type of disorder is defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating, or eating a large amount of food. After the binging episode, the person attempts to induce vomiting or exercises excessively, takes laxatives or fasts to make up for the binge.
- Binge Eating Disorder- Like with bulimia, binge eating disorder is recognized as recurrent episodes of binge eating.
Signs of an Eating Disorder
If you’re worried your daughter might have an eating disorder, pay attention to certain tell-tale signs that indicate she needs help from a professional. These signs include:
- Constant fear of becoming overweight
- Food phobias
- Food avoidance
- Calorie counting
- Preoccupation with food
- Eating alone
- Eating more in one setting than a normal person would often
- Purging (vomiting, taking laxatives or exercising excessively after eating)
- Extreme weight loss
If you notice your daughter is displaying any of these signs, it’s important to get her the help she needs. Untreated eating disorders are no joke, and can lead to serious medical complications. Your daughter may become malnourished and damage may occur to her brain, kidneys, heart, bone and liver.
In addition to medical attention, she may need assistance from a psychologist or therapist to help her understand why this eating disorder occurred in the first place.
After Care: Boarding School at Greenbrier
Once your daughter has received the help she needs to begin overcoming the eating disorder, she may need a neutral, yet therapeutic environment in which to start her new life. Greenbrier Academy for Girls is a therapeutic boarding school that offers a safe space for troubled teens. Our school features an addiction recovery program that will help your daughter examine what she wants from life at the deepest level. She will experience several exercises, seminars and discussions that will assist her in understanding her true desires and help her change her past belief systems that led to her eating disorder.
In addition, professional therapists and medical staff will monitor her eating habits and health throughout her stay. This includes watching what food choices she makes, random weigh-ins and monitoring her actions during meals and after. Her nutrition and B-12 levels will also be checked regularly as well.
Worried your daughter might have an eating disorder? Watch for signs and get help for her as soon as possible, then trust in a therapeutic boarding school like Greenbrier to assist her in starting her life over in a more positive and healthy manner.
