
What do you think are the primary causes?



Posted by SelfPic
Personally, I think it's related to body image. There might be other factors that contribute, but in my experience, it's nearly always body image.








Posted by Montgomery
And there's stupid sh*t like this
http://www.pinterest.com/bridget1615/operation-thigh-gap/<BR>
The comment underneath the pic reads: "thigh gap! amazing legs! I want!!!!"
I think it looks terrible-- but apparently, this is what girls are trying to attain.
Which is doubly sad because some people just aren't built that way.
"Thinspiration"
Yeehaw. 😐



Posted by StoicGoat
Control is obviously an issue - she is exerting control - but it is unlikely to be the only issue. What needs to be determined is why she is exerting control, which may be difficult because she may not be consciously aware of the reason.
APC, you mentioned that the girl is fed up with therapy. This suggests that she has been in therapy before. What she was in therapy for previously could prove quite illuminating to this situation.

Posted by YourSunshine
APC could you do me a favor and ask the girl you mentioned these questions and tell me her answers?
1. Do you feel tired all the time?
2. Do you feel worthless?
3. Do you feel hopeless?

Posted by krysrenee7
It can be 1 or a combination of these things
1. Bullying. The most secure teenage girl in the world may end up being the most insecure girl in the world after she's constantly bullied about her body/image
2. Too much media influence. Magazines, music, reality TV, modeling, etc. The media is more powerful than some people would like to admit. The media plays a huge part in what society considers acceptable or not so good. If you're body type fits in the category that the media portrays as "not so good" then this can weigh heavily on your sense of self-worth/image
3. Genetics. Some teens are predisposed to eating disorders b/c members of their family have dealt with the same issues. Teens who have an immediate family member who struggles with an eating disorder is 7 times more likely to develop that same eating disorder or another 1 altogether
4. Superficial family. Some women grow up with parents that have been encouraging their children to obsess about looks from early on. My friend's mom always used to say things like, "You need to lose some weight so you can look like all the other girls" all the time & after hearing this so many times, she became obsessed with comparing herself to other people. She also became obsessed with pleasing her parents b/c their constant disapproval of her just made her work even harder to get their approval
5. Career choices. Some teens who want to be models, actors, in the fashion industry, in the entertainment industry OR in an industry where image is everything, tend to fall prey to eating disorders the second they decide they want to pursue those specific kinds of industries as a career. A woman that knew she wanted to be a model at the age of 12 will most likely develop an eating disorder vs. the girl who wants to be a dentist or lawyer, for example
6. Mental disorder(s). Eating disorders are a common symptom of having certain mental disorders. Mental disorders that involve a warped sense of self, image or worth have been known to trigger eating disorders.
Low self-esteem does not cause eating disorders. All the people who have low self-esteem do not have an eating disorder. But all the people with eating disorders do have low self-esteem.

Posted by auriqa
I feel like on sites like Tumblr and Instagram, being super thin is the norm and if you don't have a "thigh gap" you're considered fat. Which is ridiculous. So I'd try and steer teens away from those sites. Probably easier said than done, but personally I found them triggering when I had a bit of a... struggle, shall we say.
I had a (shitty) friend in high school who told me I was too fat (I was nowhere near fat, I was a UK 8-10) so I started eating
That's what I am concerned with and its killing me to watch her go from someone so vibrant to this. Didn't know about the periods. I just wonder why the school she ges to doesn't put more pressure on mother to help her? Or is that asking too much?

Posted by YourSunshine
Showing concern will make her feel like she's burdening you because of your worry. I don't know how you would come out and ask either, I'm really bad at that kind of stuff.


Posted by lisabethur8
My husband and i were just talking bout this....apparently its called the good girls disease.


Posted by auriqa
[...]the only person who can make her get better at this stage is herself.[...]
Posted by StoicGoat
The questions YourSunshine posed are for depression, from which the girl may suffer. However, those alone are inadequate upon which to base any diagnosis.
Just befriend her, APC. Probing questions that obviously pertain to her weight, eating habits, etc. will only put her on the defensive and keep you on the outside. Ignore them to the extent that you are able/comfortable and just be the person who cares about her because she is who she is, rather than a relative or responsibility. When you find out what has prompted her recent change you will be in a much better position to help her help herself. Auriqa is right:
Posted by auriqa
[...]the only person who can make her get better at this stage is herself.[...]
Until she decides she wants to be other than she now is, there is nothing anyone can do. When she does decide, having an adult female confidant who is not paid to be with her will be invaluable.click to expand
Posted by aquapiscescuspPosted by lisabethur8
My husband and i were just talking bout this....apparently its called the good girls disease.
What do you mean?click to expand

Posted by YourSunshine
Of course they feel the affects but, it doesn't mean they're going to stop because their will to be skinny is more important to them. You obviously are missing the whole reason for Anorexia.
I'm not missing the reason. You think so because your reason is different than mine. Anorexic people starve themselves because they have lost their will to live.
If anorexia was caused by just having the will to be skinnier, you know how epidemic that would be? Consider the fact of the millions and billions of magazines that feature so many skinny people. It would be made way too easy to intentionally starve yourselves.click to expand

Posted by StoicGoat
The questions YourSunshine posed are for depression, from which the girl may suffer. However, those alone are inadequate upon which to base any diagnosis.
Just befriend her, APC. Probing questions that obviously pertain to her weight, eating habits, etc. will only put her on the defensive and keep you on the outside. Ignore them to the extent that you are able/comfortable and just be the person who cares about her because she is who she is, rather than a relative or responsibility. When you find out what has prompted her recent change you will be in a much better position to help her help herself. Auriqa is right:
Posted by auriqa
[...]the only person who can make her get better at this stage is herself.[...]
Until she decides she wants to be other than she now is, there is nothing anyone can do. When she does decide, having an adult female confidant who is not paid to be with her will be invaluable.click to expand

Posted by lisabethur8Posted by aquapiscescuspPosted by lisabethur8
My husband and i were just talking bout this....apparently its called the good girls disease.
What do you mean?
it mostly effects women who are middle class or upper middle class, sometimes referred to, from some articles, "the rich girl's disease"click to expand

Posted by feby16aqua
I had my bout with this type of thing. I was pretty sick at one point...as low as 90 lbs.
For me, I can remember being in my bathing suit and a few guys shouting free willy to me. It impacted me. A strange time in my life, being just 14 and all. Body changing etc.
Eating disorder behavior is about control. Like I said before. When other things in your life are all out of whack...you find something else to focus in on. There is heavy OCD influence involved as well.






Posted by feby16aqua
In the US, at least in my state, your parents or guardians can sign you into the hospital without your consent if you are under 18. Also, you cannot sign yourself out without their consent.
Has she lost weight?








Discover insights, swap stories, and find people. dxpnet is where experiences turn into understanding.
Create Your Free Account →