Eating disorder treatment centers say that an eating disorder is not just a big problem for a teen but for her entire family as well. After all, it is a psychological issue in which the person feels inadequate and sinful for eating more than needed. In certain cases, teens have been found to eat too much to mask a stressful episode in their lives. It has been proved that parental involvement can definitely make the teen improve her condition faster.
The National Eating Disorders Association has stated that about 10 million females and 1 million men suffer from eating disorders. It has been seen that more than 90 percent of people who suffer from eating disorders are girls between the ages of 12 and 25. Two types of disorders have been identified: bulimia and anorexia nervosa. In the case of bulimia, a person begins to eat too much and then purges while in case of anorexia nervosa, a person stays away from food for days to become thin and thinks that she is fat even when she is no way close to that perception.
Experts have found that poor parental control is a reason for such patterns in the child. For instance, mothers who are too authoritative and fathers who are not in touch with the child can make the latter prone to eating disorder. Nutritionists conclude that eating disorder is a real illness and not just a mere lifestyle choice. Parents definitely can play a big role in recovery of teens in developing a healthy train of thought toward food.
Eating disorder treatment centers cite numerous examples in which teens have been able to gain control over their eating problems when they have got family support. There was a study also conducted among 80 teens, out of which half were put in a family therapy program while the other half was asked to join a traditional psychotherapy. Six months down the line, it was found that the success rate of the teens who had the strong backing of family therapy was twice more successful than the ones who received traditional psychotherapy. This information can be found in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Why does family therapy prove to be such a strong catalyst? Well, the therapist who works with the family helps in empowering family members to guide the child in eating the right meals at the right time and recovering their health. The family actually becomes a huge driving force in setting things right with the noble power called 'love'.
Here are some ways parents can make a huge difference in making a teen recover faster:
1. Give emotional help: The very presence of loving family members can be a strong emotional support to the teen.
2. Education and bridging the gap: The involvement of the parents in the treatment procedure can actually bring them closer to the children and bridge the generation gap. Parents can read about bulimia, anorexia nervosa and identify with the plagues that seize the minds of youngsters today.
3. Accepting the problem: When parents come to know about eating disorders and the treatment plan being charted out, they begin to accept that their child has a psychological disorder and become the agents of positive change.
4. Individualistic treatment: The presence of parents in the treatment plan can give a sense of individuality to the treatment plan because they will be appeal to reach out to their kids and advice their kids in the best possible, loving and unique way.
Find more information on Eating Disorder Treatment Centers. Helpful and informative information on Teenage Eating Disorder Rehab is available.
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