Variations

View Original

Could My Teen Have an Eating Disorder? 9 Signs Parents Should Look For

More than half a million American teens struggle with an eating disorder. While the most common eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia, there are several more eating disorders that impact teens as well. All eating disorders are extremely dangerous to a teen’s health, making them feel imprisoned in their own mind and consumed by their fear of gaining weight. However, most teens with eating disorders are eager to hide their symptoms and avoid receiving help. 

So what are some warning signs of eating disorders that parents should look for? 

1. Missing meals

If you notice your child has been turning down food or making excuses to get out of meals, they may be trying to lose weight by starving themselves. Conversely, eating unusually large amounts of food or hiding food to eat in secret can also be red flags. Leaving the table immediately after meals, especially to go to the bathroom, may be a sign that they are forcing themselves to throw up after eating.

2. Unusual eating habits

If your teen has an eating disorder, you may notice some bizarre behaviors surrounding food. They may have strict rituals such as measuring out precise quantities of food or chewing each bite a certain number of times. They may constantly count calories, fast for periods of time, or remove food items they’d normally eat, such as picking croutons off a salad.

3. Excessive exercise

While a healthy amount of exercise is great for anyone, teens with eating disorders often become addicted to exercise as a means to feel thin and relieve their anxiety over food. More than 1 hour per day of strenuous exercise is considered excessive for teens. If your teen overexerts themselves regularly or if their obsession with exercise is interfering with other areas of their life, they may have a problem.

4. Misusing medication

When people think of bulimia, they often think of people overeating and then forcing themselves to throw up. However, abusing medication is another way that many teens force food out of their bodies. If your teen is frequently using laxatives, enemas, diet pills, or diuretics, they may be struggling with bulimia. If your teen has diabetes and purposely underuses insulin to control their weight, they may have an eating disorder called diabulimia. If you suspect your teen is over or underusing medication, seek help right away. 

Click below to schedule your consultation with one of our Diagnosticians

See this form in the original post

5. Being body-negative

Teens with eating disorders struggle with low self-esteem and have an intense fear of being fat. This fear results in them frequently looking in the mirror to point out their flaws. They’ll also negatively compare themselves to peers or celebrities often. These teens usually have a distorted body image, viewing themselves as being much heavier or unattractive than others see them.

6. Having risk factors

While it’s possible for any teen to develop an eating disorder, there are certain factors that can put your teen at heightened risk, including:

  • A family history of eating disorders

  • Alcoholism in the family

  • Involvement in high-pressure activities such as wrestling, ballet, or modeling

  • Having a perfectionistic personality

  • Having experienced physical or sexual abuse

It’s also important to note that although many people think of eating disorders as a girls’ issue, boys are also at significant risk. 1 in 4 pre-teens with anorexia is a boy, and binge-eating disorder is just as common among boys as girls.

7. Physical changes

If your teen has an eating disorder, there are a variety of physical changes that may result from malnutrition or forcing themselves to purge. Brittle hair and nails, tooth decay, acid reflux, irregular periods, sleep problems, constantly feeling cold, dry or yellowish skin, muscle weakness, constipation, lethargy, dizziness, stomach cramps, and large fluctuations in weight are all potential signs of an eating disorder impacting their physical health. 

8. Social withdrawal

When your teen is obsessed with focusing on their body, there’s little time left to enjoy life’s pleasures. Your teen may seem depressed, moody, or irritable. They may show little interest in hanging out with friends or participating in activities they used to enjoy. They may cancel plans often and want to be alone, thinking they don’t look good enough or thin enough to be in the presence of others.

9. Resisting help

It can be hard for parents to accept that their teen may have an eating disorder, especially if their teen denies it and refuses to take any help. But it’s critical to realize that eating disorders can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you suspect your teen may have an eating disorder, a specialist can support them on a path to recovery.

So you know you need help, but aren’t sure how to find the right help?  

Picking a therapist or type of therapy can be confusing, and “trial and error” with the wrong therapist can cause many families to feel overwhelmed and give up on seeking help.

Our Diagnosticians can provide psychological testing to remove the guess-work and guide you on your best path toward mental wellness.

Click below to schedule your consultation

See this form in the original post

Subscribe to our blog on topics that affect your life

See this form in the original post

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the highlighted topic. For a full consultation, and personalized assessment plan, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.

See this form in the original post

More about Variations Psychology

Variations Psychology is a group practice specializing in diagnostic testing to identify psychological conditions.

Our comprehensive evaluations test for conditions that impact mental health and development such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, and developmental delays.

In addition to diagnostic services, we offer Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) of K-12 students to assess needs for accommodations in school. IEEs provide an objective second opinion on existing IEP and 504 Plans.

For K-12 and post-secondary students, we offer evaluations to assess needs for accommodations on standardized tests, college entrance exams (e.g. - SAT, ACT, AP Exams), and graduate and professional licensing exams (e.g. - MCAT, LSAT, GRE, CBEST, NCLEX, GMAT, CA Cosmetology Exam, CA Contractors State Licensing Exam, CA Bar Exam).

Schedule your consultation below to learn how our diagnostic services can support you and your family.

See this form in the original post

Variations Psychology is located in Newport Beach, CA and provides psychological testing to residents throughout Orange County and its surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Irvine, Shady Canyon, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Coto de Caza, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Yorba Linda, Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Pelican Hill, Crystal Cove, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Lake Forest, Huntington Beach, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach, and more.

References:

Eating Disorders (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml

Eating Disorders in Men and Boys (n.d.) National Eating Disorders Association. Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/research-on-males

Eating Disorders: What Families Need to Know (2010). University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/eatdis.htm

For Parents: Eating Disorders in Teens (2018). American Academy of Family Physicians. Retrieved from https://familydoctor.org/for-parents-eating-disorders-in-teens/

General Statistics. (n.d.) National Eating Disorders Association. Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/general-statistics

Is Your Teen at Risk for Developing an Eating Disorder? (2015). American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved from https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/pages/is-your-teen-at-risk-for-developing-an-eating-disorder.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAjw3azoBRAXEiwA-_64OpL5_noPWwO89ZQ5d2QNblv2p2Z_db3nXC8pXgt_pJXLpyoSMAfZWhoCVIcQAvD_BwE

Teen Eating Disorders: Tips to Protect Your Teen (2018). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-eating-disorders/art-20044635

Shinn. M.M. (2019). Top Tips for Feeling Free in Your Own Skin:A Woman’s Guide to Summer Body Image. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/top-tips-for-feeling-free-in-your-own-skin 

Shinn. M.M. (2018). 10 Ways to Connect with Your Grumpy Teenager Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/10-ways-to-connect-with-your-grumpy-teenager 

Shinn. M.M. (2018). Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Whose the Most #Liked of Them All? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-whos-the-most-liked-of-them-all

How to Cite This Blog Article:

Shinn. M.M. (2019). Could My Teen Have an Eating Disorder? 9 Signs Parents Should Look For. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/could-my-teen-have-an-eating-disorder-9-signs-parents-should-look-for