H E A L T H:
Eating Disorders
The hardest things about dealing with eating disorders is convincing the person* to get help.
The person is going to deny there's a problem. Why? Because often they are ashamed of what they've been doing to themselves. They also see asking for help as a loss of control, the last thing in the world they want to experience.Eating disorders are a response to a difficult situation - they have developed for serious reasons and will not be given up easily.
Although very self-destructive, eating disorders provide a person, at least temporarily, with a sense of control and power. Because of that, the person is not about to give up something they believe is working for them.
- Don't ignore the situation.
- Tell the person you care about them and that you are worried about their health.
- Tell them that you want them to get professional help for the problem.
- Tell people you trust about your concerns so they can also become part of the "help" effort.
- Realize that recovery is the person's own responsibility. No one can do this for anyone else.
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"If the family has problems, no kid is going to sit down at dinner and say, 'This family has problems, we've got to talk about it.' Anorexia is just an extreme way of dealing with a lot of things that happen when you're growing up." -Teen recovered from Anorexia |
Some more things to do: - Provide information about the dangers of eating disorders.
- Encourage the person in every way to uncover his or her own strengths.
- Agree that recovery is hard, but that many people have done it successfully.
- Be patient.
Some things not to do: - Never criticize. The person will withdraw.
- Don't say, "You are too thin." That's what the person wants to hear.
- Don't say, "It's good you have gained weight." The person will lose it immediately.
- Avoid power struggles.
The Good News: By admitting there is a problem and getting help,
people with eating disorders can be cured.
For more information contact ANAD
(National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)
The person will not change unless he or she wants to. It takes courage for anyone to admit they have problems.
But admitting it and working on those problems are the most important steps toward recovery.
Next: Treatment and Recovery
H E A L T
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