GeneralWhat are the Causes of Teen Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are one of the most common mental health issues for adolescents and teens. In fact, in the United States, studies say that roughly 10 percent of all young women will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. As a parent, this can be a frightening experience as you know your teen is suffering but you may not know how to help.

Every eating disorder is unique, but understanding what causes eating disorders is an important first step to better understand this condition and to work toward treatment. Here, we’re taking a closer look at teen eating disorders and identifying the common causes of these disorders. Of course, every eating disorder is unique to the individual. However, by identifying the common causes, we can better understand this mental health issue and work to help more teens recover and heal.

What is an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder is much more than occasionally overeating or pushing yourself to remain thin. Eating disorders are serious mental health disorders that can affect a person’s health, relationships, and self-esteem. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), eating disorders are “characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions.”

What are the Different Types of Eating Disorders?

Doctors and specialists have identified several main types of eating disorders. Here, we’ll take a closer look at five of the most common types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.

1. Anorexia nervosa: this eating disorder is characterized by intense weight loss and being unable to maintain a healthy weight for your height and age. Those with anorexia nervosa tend to have a distorted body image and restrict the amount and types of food they will consume. Over time, this can lead to serious health complications.
2. Bulimia nervosa: this condition is characterized by eating large amounts of food and then purging almost immediately after.
3. Binge eating disorder: this condition is characterized by recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food and then quickly being overcome with feelings of guilt, shame, and sadness. It may also be followed by purging episodes. This is the most common eating disorder in the United States.
4. Avoidant restrictive food intake: this eating disorder is characterized by being highly selective about what types of food the teen will consume. This may stem from thoughts similar to anorexia nervosa where the teen is obsessed with becoming thin, and as a result, will avoid high-calorie foods.

What are the Causes of Teen Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are complex and can affect anyone. However, adolescents and teens are at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. Eating disorders can be challenging to identify and address because there is no single cause. It’s not like a physical injury that you can immediately identify and then treat. Rather, there are several risk factors that might increase someone’s chance of developing an eating disorder.

These risk factors include:

• Family history and genetics: genes can play a major factor for increasing a teen’s risk of developing an eating disorder. If someone else in your family has an eating disorder, this should raise your awareness.
• Trauma: Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and trauma may spark an eating disorder. Trauma can be particularly difficult for teens to navigate, which means that a traumatic event could lead to other mental health issues and challenges.
• Body image: it’s no secret that the media is obsessed with idealized, often impossible to attain, images of beauty. Adolescents and teens are confronted with these images of beauty on a daily basis from TV, music, and the internet. Over time, this could cause them to become dissatisfied with their own body and weight.
• Major life changes: major and sudden life changes may be difficult for teens to cope with. In some cases, this sudden change could lead to eating disorders. Some of these major changes may include the death of a loved one, a move, or transitioning from one school to another.
• Mental health disorders: if your teen is already suffering from a mental health disorder, they may be at risk of developing an eating disorder. Conditions such as depression or anxiety can be difficult to cope with alone, but in addition to an eating disorder, it can be extremely challenging.

How to Treat Teen Eating Disorders

If your teen is experiencing an eating disorder, don’t give up hope. There are several methods of treatment for teen eating disorders that can prove effective. Over time, treatment can help your teen develop a healthy relationship with their diet and they can then go on to lead happy, healthy, and productive lives.

Psychotherapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is one of the most common and effective methods for treating teen eating disorders. This form of therapy can help your teen identify the source of their eating disorder and then work to develop healthy habits to cope with this condition. If the eating disorder is caused by another mental health disorder, like depression or anxiety, medication may be helpful.

Residential teen treatment centers are another effective form of eating disorder treatment. These centers offer 24/7, comprehensive care for your teen as they heal. Generally, these treatment centers also incorporate therapy and offer an entire staff of professional doctors, therapists, and mental health professionals to help your teen recover.

Conclusion – What are the Causes of Teen Eating Disorders?

Sadly, eating disorders are all too common for adolescents and teens in the United States. Stemming from a variety of sources, whether it’s genetics, the media, peer pressure, or another mental health condition, eating disorders can lead to serious health risks. If not addressed, they tend to only get worse. However, there is hope if your teen is experiencing an eating disorder. There are several treatment methods, including therapy, medication, or residential teen treatment centers, that can help your teen regain control of their life and develop a healthy relationship with their diet.

This post has been sponsored by Meyer Finny, LLC