A troubled teenager with deep emotional issues can easily cling to an eating disorder as an outward manifestation of her inner turmoil. Literally, she destroys herself by destructive eating patterns as she struggles with emotional issues. But this can be avoided if a parent keeps himself aware of the characteristics of an eating disorder and decides upon appropriate action before these characteristics grow into a full-blown disorder.
· Get help from an outside source if you realize your child is experiencing difficulty dealing with issues. Counseling can prove beneficial for those teenagers faced with stress. Instead of fostering an eating disorder, the teen can go straight to the issue and face it.
· It’s important to help your child acknowledge imperfection. By giving your teenagers enough allowance for the mistakes that all adolescents make in this period of trials, you lessen the pressure that may lead them to destructive behavior.
· “Black or white” thinking is a distinct characteristic of those who develop an eating disorder. By emphasizing the importance that the “grays” in the world share, you can steer your teen away from the extremist thinking that usually becomes the fall of teenagers struggling with eating disorders.
· Provide your child with a pillar of strength. Set structure in your home with household guidelines and show your teenager that you are there for him/her.
· Make sure that you assess the manner in which your teen views her personal problems. If you notice that she tends to blow up little troubles, point out a more correct perspective.
· When you hear your teenager putting herself down, speak up and negate her “negative” comments. Turn them into positive ones. By creating and focusing on a positive self-concept, you are making it harder for the negativity of an eating disorder to creep in.
· Let your child discover his/her own interests. One’s failure to meet the expectations of a parent often becomes a starting point for the negativity from which an eating disorder may breed.
Most importantly, fighting a negative self-concept can be your key tool in theprevention of an eating disorder. Be sure to intervene when faced with your teenager’s negativity upon herself. It wouldn’t hurt to simply remind your teen of your love for her. Clear communication of love from a parent to a teenager draws pathways for positive responses. And a loving positive atmosphere is just what a teenager needs to combat against the negativity of an eating disorder.
