In my many years of talking with teens and learning about their personal thoughts on their eating disorders, it has always been sad. I have also come across parents who almost lost their girls due to anorexia or bulimia. It may seem exaggerated for other people. They think that teens with these disorders are faking it and just crave for attention. Others say that they are just being brats for not eating.

Well, it is correct. These teens do need a lot of attention because if they will be left unattended with an eating disorder in tow, it will literally kill them. Eating disorders are real mental illnesses. It is not something made up just for the sake of being a brat. You have to understand that this is serious and it really happens even to the most promising teens.

Continue reading “Anorexia Nervosa – An Eating Disorder That Can Be Fatal”

 

Overview and Symptoms

Binge eating disorder is one of the lesser known eating disorders, however, it’s just as harmful and life threatening as any other. Binge eating disorder, also known as BED, involves an individual eating an unnecessarily large quantity of food very quickly, regularly, and to the point of pain or discomfort. Despite popular belief, overweight or obese individuals usually are not inflicted with BED. In fact, many patients who have been diagnosed with binge eating disorder are of normal weight. Binge eating is regarded as a mental illness, a combination of emotional, psychosocial, biological, and environmental factors. This is to be differentiated from food addiction which is the inability to stop eating certain foods and a loss of control over the ability to stop eating, which can be addressed by institutions or professionals providing help with addiction.

People commonly misperceive that individuals with eating disorders are “vain” or that eating disorders are all about wanting to look thin like models in the magazines. However, the reality is that eating disorders are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. — Jennifer Rollin MSW, LCSW-C

Continue reading “Binge Eating Disorder – The Basics”

We all have a trait that we don’t like about our appearance – uneven teeth, a big forehead, or legs that are too long or too short. But, unlike people who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, we are not overly tormented by these “flaws”. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological disorder in which an individual becomes obsessed with minor or perceived defects in their appearance. They are extremely anxious about how they look to the point that it interferes with their lives and their ability to function properly.

The causes of eating disorders are complex and each person who suffers is unique. Symptoms emerge out of interaction among biological, psychological, relational, and environmental forces that converge in an imperfect union. — Judy Scheel Ph.D., L.C.S.W., CEDS 

Continue reading “Body Dysmorphic Disorder In Teens”