by BoomerYearbook.com
Your grandchild, the apple of your eye, is eating nothing but apples and carrots. She thinks she’s too fat. You can see her ribcage when she is wearing bikinis, yet she still insists that she needs to lose weight. She may be suffering from an eating disorder called anorexia. Young people who are just going into puberty are often the ones who tend to suffer most from anorexia.
The primary reason for this is that they are just beginning to become aware of their bodies and are comparing themselves to famous people who are said to be beautiful by ‘experts.’ If they don’t get the same ‘beautiful’ affirmation from those around them, they may strive to look more and more like the ‘beautiful people they see on TV or in magazines.
The Telltale Signs To Look For
Girls might have irregular menstrual cycles. Other signs such as weakness, skin that breaks easily, anxiety and/or shortness of breath should be cause for concern. People suffering from anorexia may not want to eat in public because they are afraid that others may notice that they are not eating much. They may, also, literally count their calories daily and are very strict about not going over a certain amount. You may, also, notice that they are exercise fanatics and may be drinking some kind of diet tea or taking diet pills.
They usually lose about 15% more weight than they should and this can sometimes cause health problems especially in girls. Their bones may not develop as fully as they should, their body temperatures will be abnormally low; they may develop an irregular heartbeat and they may be much smaller in height and body size than their peers.
If they use laxatives, it can weaken their bowel muscles and cause them to work less efficiently. Also, some of the laxatives on the market are not good for ingestion and can lead to other ailments when absorbed into the body for an extended period of time.
How You Can Help
If you suspect that your grandchild has anorexia, first extend a hand of support. Recognize and understand that they are not so much vain as they have been brainwashed by a superficial society that dictates to people who or what is supposed to be beautiful.
This is not an intervention that you will want to do alone. You’ll need her parents’ and some expert help. Check your local non-profit organizations and see if there’s a group that’s specifically for anorexics. If there is, tell her parents and ask them to go with her to a meeting. You may even volunteer to go with her as well. If there are no local groups that would be able to offer some help, you will have to go to a private eating disorder expert.
It is not unexpected for her to deny that she has a problem. This is the same with every kind of disorder. What you can do is give specific examples where she’s not like others or her behavior is not reasonable for someone her age. The most important thing to remember during this meeting is not to get angry but to be sure to let her know that you’re only trying to help.
It’s important to let your grandchild know that she’s beautiful just the way she is. If you notice an obsession with overly skinny models or celebrities, try to help her put that into perspective by using every opportunity to show her others who are just as beautiful but not as waif-like in appearance. Constant reinforcement of the idea that skinny is not necessarily the only way to ‘beautiful’ is a very good way to ward of any anorexic thoughts.
Do you have a child or grandchild who you think is anorexic? Tell us how you’ve dealt with it or what you’re planning to do. Let’s talk about it on BoomerYearbook.com.
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Anorexia is a far reaching problem. While initially found primarily in young women, it has become non gender specific, and non age specific; affecting boomers, and booming seniors as well.
Good information. We should all be on the lookout for signs of this problem as well as SED (http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2008/12/21/another-troubled-teen-a-boomers-guide-to-adolescent-disorders/)n our loved ones.