Learning About Eating Disorders for Teens

An eating disorder is a condition that causes some people to have unhealthy thoughts and behaviors about food and body image. People with eating disorders often strongly base how they feel about themselves on how much they weigh and how they look.

Common eating disorders include:

• Anorexia. People with this condition strictly limit how much food they eat. They may have a very low body weight for their age, height, and sex.
• Bulimia. People with this condition eat a large amount of food in a short time. Then they do something to get rid of the food, like making themselves vomit, so they won't gain weight.
• Binge eating disorder, or compulsive overeating. People with this condition eat a large amount of food in a short time. They do this on a regular basis for several months.

People who have an eating disorder often strongly deny that they have one. They don't see or believe that they do. Here are some symptoms that are common in the following types of eating disorders.

People who have anorexia may:

• Have a very low body weight for their age, height, and sex.
• Be very afraid of gaining weight.
• Have a negative and false belief about how they look.
• Strictly limit how much they eat.

People who have bulimia may:

• Eat a large amount of food in a short time (called bingeing), often over a couple of hours or less, on a regular basis.
• Feel out of control and feel like they can't stop eating during a binge.
• Do something to avoid weight gain. They may make themselves vomit or misuse laxatives, enemas, water pills (diuretics), or other medicines to get rid of food (purge). Or they may exercise very hard or for a long time or go without food (fast).
• Strongly base how they feel about themselves on how much they weigh.

People with binge eating disorder may:

• Eat a large amount of food in a short time, often over a couple of hours or less, on a regular basis.
• Feel like they can't stop eating and eat so much that they feel painfully full.
• Eat a large amount of food and may gain weight.
• Feel unhappy, upset, guilty, or depressed after they binge.
• Eat alone because they are embarrassed about how much they eat.

Treatment for eating disorders includes counseling and sometimes medicines. Some people use both. Treatment may also include working with a doctor.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. This can help a person who has an eating disorder change the way they think about food and the way they view their body. And it can help them manage feelings or situations that may have brought on their eating disorder. Sometimes family members take part in therapy so that they can learn ways to support the person's recovery.
• Nutritional counseling. A dietitian can help a person get back to and stay at a healthy weight and learn healthy eating habits.
• Medicines. Most common are antidepressants. They can help reduce episodes of bingeing and purging. They can also help with other conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
• A doctor. They will treat the medical conditions that have been caused by an eating disorder, such as heart problems or depression.

An eating disorder can take a long time to overcome. Many people have ups and downs. Try to think of treatment as an ongoing process.

If you think you have an eating disorder, get help. Some eating disorders, such as anorexia, need to be treated at a hospital or an inpatient clinic. If left untreated, eating disorders can cause serious health problems. Treatment can help you feel better and be healthier. If you think a friend or a family member has an eating disorder, tell someone who can make a difference. This could be a parent, teacher, counselor, or doctor.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.