Teen Eating Disorder Treatment
RESIDENTIAL EATING DISORDER TREATMENT CENTER FOR ADOLESCENTS & TEENS
A Hidden Disease
Teenage eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia, are complex mental health conditions that come with serious health risks. Teens drastically alter eating habits due to many factors, such as fear of gaining weight, a desire to maintain control, or any number of reasons that may or may not be related to a separate primary diagnosis. Prolonged teen eating disorders can have a devastating effect on health and can even lead to death. The importance of monitoring teens for disordered eating and identifying its symptoms early cannot be overstated. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial to prevent the severe medical and mental health ramifications that can arise from disordered eating behaviors.
While Polaris Teen does not treat eating disorders as a primary diagnosis, we consult with you to assess possible treatment options. We determine whether the eating disorder is indeed the primary diagnosis or if it is a secondary issue caused by another root behavioral health issue that can be treated at our facility. If we determine that an eating disorder is indeed the primary issue as opposed to a secondary disorder, we will work with you to refer you to an appropriate eating disorder treatment facility.
- Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
- Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.
- Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.
- 50-80% of developing anorexia or bulimia is genetic.
- An estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
Unfortunately, many parents don’t realize their teen has an eating disorder until symptoms are obvious. It isn’t easy to recognize the signs early on. This is because teens hide eating disorders from family, friends, and even doctors. Many teens with eating disorders do well in school, obey their parents, and have a healthy social life. They maintain the illusion of a happy, fulfilled life, but, in reality, they are constantly struggling to maintain the unachievable standards set for themselves.
As teenagers experience change — chemically, biologically, socially, and cognitively — they are at risk for eating disorders. If left undiagnosed or untreated, eating disorders can be incredibly dangerous. Fortunately, while they may not always be easy to cope with, solutions and answers are available.
Causes Of Teen Eating Disorders
There is no singular event that triggers an eating disorder in teenagers. Contributing factors include expectations made by peers or the desire to meet an impossible beauty standard. A lack of self-esteem, hormone imbalances, genetics, and many others are also possible factors. If you believe your teenager is suffering from an eating disorder, don’t wait and hope it goes away. The sooner you find eating disorder help, the easier it is for them to fully recover and return to their normal health.
The Rise In Eating Disorders
Unfortunately, teen eating disorder statistics show that they are on the rise. Both young men and women suffer from this challenging disorder. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANRED), over 80 million people in the United States suffer from eating disorders. This includes anorexia nervosa, bulimia, Body Dysmorphia, binge eating, and others.
Additionally, anorexia and bulimia primarily affect teenagers. ANRED provides an action plan and answers to frequently asked questions for those with loved ones suffering from eating disorders here. The most important step you can take is to get eating disorder support for the individual as fast as possible. In the case of your child’s doctor or counselor advising hospitalization, do so immediately.
Common Adolescent Eating Disorders
Anorexia is characterized by an individual’s deliberate refusal to eat or decrease the amount they eat. They may refuse to stay at a healthy body weight and obsess over body weight. In extreme cases, using laxatives to lose weight is common as well. They are obsessed with food and are usually very thin. Fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, thin and broken hair, loss of menstruation, dehydration, constipation, and osteoporosis are also common. They may be depressed and lose interest in their friends or regular activities. The individual may skip meals, eat only foods that are low in calories, avoid eating in public, and be obsessed with their image. Restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is another classification of eating disorders affecting teens, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.
Bulimia is characterized by either normal or excessive eating behaviors followed by an individual’s deliberate expulsion of their food (most often through vomiting). Studies show that up to 4% of certain populations will suffer from anorexia in their lifetimes, and up to 2% will suffer from bulimia, though the exact figures vary significantly by study. When bulimics binge, they often do so in secret, and the act is replete with guilt. People with this kind of teen eating disorder are usually of average weight or are overweight. Those with bulimia may be dehydrated and experience kidney failure and/or heart failure. They may have tooth decay, gum disease, absent or irregular menstruation, digestive problems, constipation, anxiety, or depression. Substance abuse combined with an eating disorder can result in suicide or death.
An individual with a binge eating disorder consumes large amounts of food in an uncontrollable manner. This is characterized by eating even when they’re not hungry and feeling uncomfortable when full. They are often depressed, disgusted, ashamed, or guilty about eating. Unlike bulimia, those with a binge eating disorder won’t compensate for the act of overeating, and restricting diet can result in additional binging. This disease has many causes, including family history, psychological issues, dieting, and age. Many binge eaters also have a history of failed dieting.
Warning Signs of Teen Eating Disorders
Bulimia
- Inability to stop eating
- Secrecy surrounding eating, such as wanting to eat in privacy
- Eating unusually large amounts of food with no obvious change in weight
- Disappearance of food, numerous empty wrappers or food containers in the garbage, or hidden stashes of junk food
- Rarely eats normal meals and typically binges on food
Anorexia
- Dieting, despite being thin
- Obsession with calories, grams of fat, and nutrition
- Pretending to eat or lying about eating
- Preoccupation with food
- Strange or secretive food rituals
Teen Eating Disorder Differences Among Genders
These same myriad studies have concluded that anorexia is more common in girls. This is because girls are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem in their developmental years. Furthermore, girls deal with issues related to body dysmorphia, social pressures to conform, and various other risk factors. Lastly, the influence of impossible beauty standards forced upon young girls by the media makes them especially vulnerable to anorexia.
Both result in rapid and unhealthy weight loss. Eating disorders are particularly common in teenage populations, largely because of their extreme changes in hormones and their likelihood of suffering from low self-esteem and body dysmorphia.
Polaris Can Help
Our residential facilities provide an environment that supports healing within the whole family by involving parents and loved ones in the treatment process. Family therapy plays a crucial role in structured treatment, encompassing medical care, group therapy, and individual counseling.
Polaris Teen Center offers individualized care because our residential capacity is limited. This decision provides you or your loved one with the best quality care possible. Our Residential Program can provide therapy and treatment for a range of mental health issues and disorders.
Even though our facility is prepared to address a variety of disorders, we have the same goal for each of our individual patients. We strive to represent a source of strength and support for both the patient and their family and loved ones. Eating disorder treatment for teens requires a comprehensive approach involving both medical and mental health professionals. Our mission is to help the client heal and grow through essential social interaction and family dynamics while addressing the root cause of their disorder. As a highly adolescent-focused program, our team develops an invaluable awareness of the unique qualities of each teen and their individual needs.