Adolescents and Eating Disorders - Research Paper Example

Adolescents and Eating Disorders Eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa, have been problematic in adolescents for many years. However, due to the rise of thin and underfed starlets gracing the covers of fashion magazines, the amount of adolescents suffering from these disorders has increased over the years. As adolescents gaze upon these images, many of them feel that their own image falls far below what is expected of them from society and the media. In an attempt to make themselves similar to these images, numerous adolescents turn to eating disorders to obtain what they believe is the perfect body type. Eating disorders are “a group of serious conditions in which the individual is so preoccupied with food and weight that they can focus on little else (Walsh & Cameron 9).” The most common eating disorders are bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge-eating. Though each eating disorder effects the way that a person controls their eating habits and maintains their ideal weight, they are marked with unique characteristics. Bulimia nervosa involves binging and purging, with the individual eating what they want, but then forcing themselves to purge so that they do not gain any weight. An individual suffering from anorexia nervosa either starves themselves, exercises excessively, or both to maintain a certain weight, which is often significantly less than what they should weigh. Binge-eating occurs when an individual frequently consumes great amounts of food. The person may be aware of what they are doing, and they may be attempting to stop, but they feel a compulsion to binge. Binging often goes hand-in-hand with bulimia. Regardless of which eating disorder an adolescent is diagnosed with, the cause of the disorder always varies. The primary causes of eating disorders are society and media, both of which favor thinness, wrongfully connecting success and happiness with being thin. Young girls are especially effected by this negative and distorted image of perfection, though young boys in recent years have also begun to be influenced by the idolized images. Similarly, eating disorders can be caused by psychological and emotional health, such as someone having a low self-esteem or negative self-image, which can stem from society and media. The individual may be impulsive or a perfectionist, which would cause them to make sure that their body is considered to be perfect. Also, many adolescents with eating disorders feel that they have no control over other aspects in their lives, like relationships or conflicts with family members, so they resort to eating disorders to give themselves some level of control over themselves (Teachman 82). Though research is still ongoing to determine the likelihood of biological factors increasing the risk of an adolescent developing an eating disorder, some researchers believe that there are genes that can make people more likely to develop an eating disorder. If an adolescent has a parent or a sibling who has been diagnosed with an eating disorder, that adolescent is more likely to also develop an eating disorder. It is because of this that some scientists are convinced that there is a genetic link between people likely to develop an eating disorder. Moreover, some evidence exists to suggest that serotonin, which is a normal brain chemical, has the ability to influence eating behaviors (Lask & Waugh 64), which can lead to the development of eating disorders. The symptoms for eating disorders vary between each disorder, though they do have some similar symptoms. The most common symptoms associated with eating disorders include the adolescent being obsessed with their weight, depression or other mood disorders, a preoccupation with food, and negative self-image. Symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa include denying hunger, excessive exercising, dizziness, abdominal pain, and menstrual irregularities or amenorrhea, which is a complete loss of menstruation. Symptoms linked to bulimia nervosa are excessive exercising, self-induced vomiting, going to the bathroom after eating a snack or meal, damaged teeth, and sores in and around the mouth and throat. The symptoms of binge-eating include eating alone and eating excessive amounts of food, with snacks often containing the same quantity, if not more, of a regular meal. There are many treatment options available to adolescents who suffer from an eating disorder. The most commonly sought treatment method for adolescents is cognitive or behavioral therapy (Thompson & Henderson 207), either between an individual and their doctor or a group. The purpose of therapy is to help the adolescent change their unhealthy eating habits, as well as the negative views they have of themselves. Therapy will teach the adolescent how to monitor their eating, improve their mood about themselves and towards others, and cope with stressful situations. If a cause of the eating disorder is negative self-image, therapy will aid the adolescent in changing how they view themselves. Family therapy is often used when adolescents are involved, which includes teaching the parents how to take an active role in making sure that their child is eating properly. Family therapy can also help to resolve any conflicts between the adolescent and their family members that may be playing a role in the thriving of the eating disorder. Medications are also available in the treatment of eating disorders. While there are no medicinal cures for any eating disorder, medications can be used to control urges that an adolescent might have when it comes to purging, binging, or obsessing over food and dieting. Some of the symptoms associated with eating disorders, such as depression or anxiety, can be treated with antidepressants. After some of these symptoms have been treated with medications, the adolescent is usually then sent to therapy. In some situations, adolescents are hospitalized due to the intensity of their eating disorder. Situations in which hospitalization is recommended is when the adolescent refuses to eat or gain weight. When they deny treatment, they are denying the help that their body desperately needs. Since parents have complete control over their adolescent in regard to treatment for an eating disorder, if their child refuses treatment, the parents, through the doctor, can force the child into a hospital. The child will remain there until they are ready to cooperate or they are given the treatment they need as a patient, which they cannot refuse under their parents or their doctor. Despite the eating disorder or the severity of the disorder, there are numerous programs available that cater to adolescents suffering from an eating disorder. The Center for Discovery, located in various parts of Southern California, offer distance and residential care for adolescents who have been diagnosed with eating disorders. The program focuses on pinpointing the cause of the eating disorder, solving the problem (Smead 33), and teaching the adolescents healthier ways of dealing with stress in their lives so that they do not resort to harming their bodies (Smolak & Thompson 233). Similar programs are available throughout the United States and the Center for Discovery offers treatment programs that can be administered outside of their facilities. Eating disorders are complicated, and they are made even more so when the person suffering is an adolescent. Also, an eating disorder greatly differs between each individual who has been diagnosed. As such, predicting the outcome of the disorder becomes complicated. If an adolescent faces an intervention before any permanent damage is done to their bodies, and if they receive the needed therapy and treatment to overcome their disorder, they stand a great chance of fully overcoming their eating disorder. For adolescents who do not get the required treatment in a timely manner, their symptoms and the state of their bodies can become worse, and it becomes more difficult to conquer the eating disorder. These adolescents that do not get help quick enough often risk relapsing in the future. However, the younger that a person is, the poorer their prognosis, with one-third of adolescent sufferers failing to improve or deteriorating entirely (Cooper & Stein 247); the death rate is significant in younger people with eating disorders, which is why immediate treatment is required for any chance of improvement. When an adolescent suffers from an eating disorder, not only does it affect them, but it has a grave impact on their family. Parents tend to blame themselves when something goes wrong with their child, believing that they could have done more to prevent them from developing an eating disorder. Siblings may feel helpless or lost as they try to aid their siblings in becoming better. The entire family will be impacted by the change that their suffering child or sibling is going through. Despite these emotions, the family of an adolescent with an eating disorder can also be the greatest support group, helping the adolescent understand that they do not have to harm their bodies to feel in control or better about themselves. Eating disorders affect thousands of adolescents each year. These eating disorders may be caused by society or media, a distorted self-image, or a family history of food-related disorders. The symptoms vary by disorder, though most of them are related to how a person views themselves and how they respond to what they perceive. There are numerous treatment options for adolescents suffering from eating disorders, including therapy, medications, and support programs to help them overcome feeling physically insufficient. When adolescents get the proper treatment that they need in a timely manner, and they get the support of their family, they stand the chance of overcoming their disorder and accepting themselves as they were created. Works Cited Cooper, Peter J., and Alan Stein. Childhood Feeding Problems and Adolescent Eating Disorders. London: Routledge, 2006. Print. Lask, Bryan, and Rachel Waugh. Eating Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence. 3rd ed. London: Routledge, 2007. Print. Smead, Rosemarie. Skills and Techniques for Group Work With Children and Adolescents. Champaign, IL: Research Press, 1995. Print. Smolak, Linda, and J. Kevin Thompson. Body Image, Eating Disorders, and Obesity in Youth: Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2009. Print. Teachman, Bethany A. Helping Children Overcome an Eating Disorder. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications Inc., 2003. Print. Thompson, Charles L., and Donna A. Henderson. Counseling Children. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole, 2007. Print. Walsh, B. Timothy, and V. L. Cameron. If Your Adolescent Has an Eating Disorder. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Read More