Purging behavior includes the use of self-induced vomiting, the use of laxatives, diuretics and weight-loss medication, and exercise. While the majority of purging begins with a simple goal of controlling weight, it is important to understand that purging can serve a variety of purposes in our lives. We are putting this information forward to help … Continue reading Four reasons we purge: what parents need to know about purge behavior
Dismantling fatphobia and weight stigma, as well as other systems of body oppression at a systemic and institutional level, will be necessary if we are to put an end to eating disorders. The discrimination facing larger bodies is serious: weight stigma has been shown to impact mental and physical health by increasing risk for elevated … Continue reading Social Justice, Fatphobia, and Eating Disorders, by Meghan Cichy, RDN
No parent wants to hear that their child has a problem, and eating disorders, like all mental disorders, carry a stigma that can be especially hard to handle. I wish we lived in a world in which we treated mental health disorders in the same way we do physical health. If your child had a … Continue reading What to do when you are told or suspect that your child has an eating disorder, by Beth Mayer, LICSW
Well-meaning educators can cause real harm by promoting dieting and weight loss at school. This includes making statements and putting up posters saying things like "eat less & move more," and "eat healthy foods." Such statements are problematic from a scientific, nutrition, health, eating disorder, and social justice standpoint. You may think you're being helpful, … Continue reading Educators: please stop promoting dieting and weight loss to children
No parent wants to see their children fight the battle of an eating disorder or substance addiction, but parents who spot one in their child may also see signs of the other because the two often co-occur. Recognizing ongoing struggles in your kids can hurt deeply, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you contemplate … Continue reading What parents should know about the intersection of substance addiction and eating disorders, by Becca Owens, Foundations Recovery Network
Eating disorders are terrifying for parents for many reasons. Not only are they physically and emotionally harmful for the child, but they also carry tremendous stigma and misunderstanding for parents. Parents who have children who have eating disorders may feel angry, stressed, tired, and obsessed with their child's recovery. These are signs of traumatic stress … Continue reading Afraid, angry, and tired. Parents are at risk of traumatic stress when a child has an eating disorder
Are you thinking that your child is getting chubby and needs to go on a diet? Or maybe your child has always been on the high end of the weight chart, and you've been desperately telling them to "eat less/move more" for years. Is your child begging you to support them in following a strict … Continue reading What diets do to children, and what to do instead of putting your child on a diet
A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that nearly 1 in 4 teenage girls ages 14-18 in the United States engages in non-suicidal self-harming behavior. Self-harm or self-injury is the act of hurting oneself on purpose. The most common methods are cutting and burning. Self-harm is a behavior pattern that indicates … Continue reading New Study: 1 in 4 teenage girls engage in self-harming behavior, which frequently co-occurs with eating disorders
When recovering from an eating disorder, it's quite common to gain weight. Whether your child begins recovery in a body that is underweight, of “average” weight, or “over” weight, recovery requires a loosening of the food restriction that underlies almost every eating disorder. While your child learns to eat intuitively and feed their body what it … Continue reading When your child gains weight while in recovery from an eating disorder
Teenagers are biologically driven to differentiate and individuate from their parents. This is the main reason why parenting a child from ages 10-20 can be especially tricky. Adolescent brains are working very hard to prune childhood neural connections while building powerful new adult connections that will stay with them for life. This work can fundamentally … Continue reading What to do when your teenager refuses to get treatment for their eating disorder