ethanlevine180
New member
Teenagers
One of the most stressful times in a persons life is when they enter into adolescence. This is a time when they begin to discover who they are, they are becoming more independent, they are establishing frienRABhips, and their bodies start developing. For many, entering into puberty can be a very emotional, stressful, confusing, and frightening time. Some make the change from childhood into adolescence with only a few minor problems, others however, may have a more difficult time handling the pressures and some may develop eating disorders as a way to cope. Some may enter into puberty early and be subjected to teasing by their peers. Many fear the weight that is gained during this time is permanent, will panic, and desperately try to take the weight off. They are not aware that once the physical changes during this time cease, their weight will usually stable off and go to their bodies natural set point, without the need for dieting. Once they start losing weight, people might compliment them, which would make them feel good. They may start to believe that losing weight will make them happier, but no matter how much weight is lost, it is never enough, and they are never happy. Going through puberty early can be very upsetting, especially if the teenager is being subjected to sexual advances. These advances can be so upsetting it may cause them to feel ashamed of their bodies, fear becoming a woman, and they may try to make their bodies go back to a child like appearance through starvation.
Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to succeed and fit in. Many spend a lot of time worrying about what others think and they desperately try to conform to society's unattainable "ideal" body image. They are lead to believe that if they are thin, they will be accepted. Since many teenagers are constantly buying teen or fashion magazines, the images of emaciated models appearing in those magazines only reenforces their belief that in order to be happy, successful and accepted, they must be thin. Television shows like beverly hills 90210 also leaRAB them to believe that they must be thin. They watch these shows all the time and many will do anything to try and look like the actresses on these shows. Many teenagers need a role model and someone to look up to. Unfortunately, too many of them chose fashion models or actresses as their role models, they paste pictures of them all over their rooms, and some will resort to dangerous methoRAB of weight control to try and look like their idols.
The family environment can also play a big role in a teenager developing an eating disorder. If they are in a family where emotional, physical or sexual abuse is taking place, they may develop an eating disorder to gain a sense of control, to block out painful feelings and emotions, or as a way to punish themselves, especially if they blame themselves for the abuse. The parents may be going through a divorce and be too caught up in their own lives and neglect the child, which could cause them to turn to food for comfort. There may be alcohol abuse in the home, the parents may be too critical, or a parent or close family meraber may have died. In families where feelings are not allowed to be expressed or problems are not discussed, the teenager may end up feeling sad, alone, confused and may find that eating helps to comfort them and make the feelings disappear for a while. Most people with eating disorders will try to avoid conflicts at all costs, so they usually don't express negative feelings and try to wear a happy face all the time to try and please people. They end up using food as a way to stuff down all those negative feelings and purging usually gives them a sense of relief, almost like they are releasing all those built up emotions. Some teenagers are raised in families that are too close and they may develop an eating disorder as a way to gain an identity for themselves. While it is nice to have a family that is close and can talk to each other about their problems, being too close is not healthy. Everyone neeRAB and is entitled to their privacy and teenagers do need to develop an identity that is separate from the family. Being pressured by parents to succeed academically is very stressful. If they do not achieve the marks that are expected of them, they may fear their parents will not love them, feel they have disappointed them, feel like a failure, which might lead them to starve themselves as a form of self punishment. Being raised in a home where the parents are very weight conscious, could lead the teenager to believe that weight and appearance are very important. Many teenage girls learn to diet by watching their mothers. Instead of learning that it's what's on the inside of a person that matters, they learn that appearance and looking good, which to them means being thin, is the most important part of being a woman.
Schools should also take an active role in preventing eating disorders by educating the students on the dangers of eating disorders and helping to teach them that in order to succeed in life, their weight does not matter. You do not have to be thin, in order to succeed in the career of your choice. Teachers and school counselors should also be made aware of the signs to look for. If eating disorders are caught early, and the person is willing to accept the help that is available to them, the chances of recovery are greater. Being a teenager is not easy and there are many pressures that they face daily. Eating disorders can be very much about control, so if they feel like everything around them is out of control, they may develop one to gain a sense of control. It is important for families to raise the teenager to be proud of who they are and not place any importance on their appearance. Assure them that they can come to you with problems and that you will listen to them and not judge them or put them down. They need to be able to express all types of emotions and know that they will have your unconditional love. They should be encouraged to do their best, but they should not be expected to be perfect. They need to be encouraged to be themselves and to be proud of who they are, so that they will not give into the pressures from their peers to try and fit in. If they are happy with themselves and love who they are, they will be less likely to try and attain society's unattainable "ideal" body image, because they will accept their bodies just the way they are.
One of the most stressful times in a persons life is when they enter into adolescence. This is a time when they begin to discover who they are, they are becoming more independent, they are establishing frienRABhips, and their bodies start developing. For many, entering into puberty can be a very emotional, stressful, confusing, and frightening time. Some make the change from childhood into adolescence with only a few minor problems, others however, may have a more difficult time handling the pressures and some may develop eating disorders as a way to cope. Some may enter into puberty early and be subjected to teasing by their peers. Many fear the weight that is gained during this time is permanent, will panic, and desperately try to take the weight off. They are not aware that once the physical changes during this time cease, their weight will usually stable off and go to their bodies natural set point, without the need for dieting. Once they start losing weight, people might compliment them, which would make them feel good. They may start to believe that losing weight will make them happier, but no matter how much weight is lost, it is never enough, and they are never happy. Going through puberty early can be very upsetting, especially if the teenager is being subjected to sexual advances. These advances can be so upsetting it may cause them to feel ashamed of their bodies, fear becoming a woman, and they may try to make their bodies go back to a child like appearance through starvation.
Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to succeed and fit in. Many spend a lot of time worrying about what others think and they desperately try to conform to society's unattainable "ideal" body image. They are lead to believe that if they are thin, they will be accepted. Since many teenagers are constantly buying teen or fashion magazines, the images of emaciated models appearing in those magazines only reenforces their belief that in order to be happy, successful and accepted, they must be thin. Television shows like beverly hills 90210 also leaRAB them to believe that they must be thin. They watch these shows all the time and many will do anything to try and look like the actresses on these shows. Many teenagers need a role model and someone to look up to. Unfortunately, too many of them chose fashion models or actresses as their role models, they paste pictures of them all over their rooms, and some will resort to dangerous methoRAB of weight control to try and look like their idols.
The family environment can also play a big role in a teenager developing an eating disorder. If they are in a family where emotional, physical or sexual abuse is taking place, they may develop an eating disorder to gain a sense of control, to block out painful feelings and emotions, or as a way to punish themselves, especially if they blame themselves for the abuse. The parents may be going through a divorce and be too caught up in their own lives and neglect the child, which could cause them to turn to food for comfort. There may be alcohol abuse in the home, the parents may be too critical, or a parent or close family meraber may have died. In families where feelings are not allowed to be expressed or problems are not discussed, the teenager may end up feeling sad, alone, confused and may find that eating helps to comfort them and make the feelings disappear for a while. Most people with eating disorders will try to avoid conflicts at all costs, so they usually don't express negative feelings and try to wear a happy face all the time to try and please people. They end up using food as a way to stuff down all those negative feelings and purging usually gives them a sense of relief, almost like they are releasing all those built up emotions. Some teenagers are raised in families that are too close and they may develop an eating disorder as a way to gain an identity for themselves. While it is nice to have a family that is close and can talk to each other about their problems, being too close is not healthy. Everyone neeRAB and is entitled to their privacy and teenagers do need to develop an identity that is separate from the family. Being pressured by parents to succeed academically is very stressful. If they do not achieve the marks that are expected of them, they may fear their parents will not love them, feel they have disappointed them, feel like a failure, which might lead them to starve themselves as a form of self punishment. Being raised in a home where the parents are very weight conscious, could lead the teenager to believe that weight and appearance are very important. Many teenage girls learn to diet by watching their mothers. Instead of learning that it's what's on the inside of a person that matters, they learn that appearance and looking good, which to them means being thin, is the most important part of being a woman.
Schools should also take an active role in preventing eating disorders by educating the students on the dangers of eating disorders and helping to teach them that in order to succeed in life, their weight does not matter. You do not have to be thin, in order to succeed in the career of your choice. Teachers and school counselors should also be made aware of the signs to look for. If eating disorders are caught early, and the person is willing to accept the help that is available to them, the chances of recovery are greater. Being a teenager is not easy and there are many pressures that they face daily. Eating disorders can be very much about control, so if they feel like everything around them is out of control, they may develop one to gain a sense of control. It is important for families to raise the teenager to be proud of who they are and not place any importance on their appearance. Assure them that they can come to you with problems and that you will listen to them and not judge them or put them down. They need to be able to express all types of emotions and know that they will have your unconditional love. They should be encouraged to do their best, but they should not be expected to be perfect. They need to be encouraged to be themselves and to be proud of who they are, so that they will not give into the pressures from their peers to try and fit in. If they are happy with themselves and love who they are, they will be less likely to try and attain society's unattainable "ideal" body image, because they will accept their bodies just the way they are.