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With the popularity of social media sites such as TikTok, many teenage girls are facing pressure to look a certain way. As a result, this pressure has led to many of them developing eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Bulimia nervosa happens when a person eats large quantities of food in a short time followed by vomiting, excessive exercise, and/or using laxatives. 1 out of every 7 women has or is struggling with an eating disorder. Let’s dive into how it is especially impacting teen girls and how they could seek help for this problem.
Warning Signs of Bulimia
There are several warning signs of bulimia nervosa, which normally start in one’s late teens or early adulthood. In addition to the signs mentioned above, the following signs of bulimia include:
- Disappearing after a meal
- Extreme preoccupation about being overweight
- Depressed moods
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Excessive exercising
These symptoms are vital to watch out for if you’re worried someone has this condition. Looking out for your loved one is important because bulimia nervosa doesn’t only affect your eating habits — it also affects your cognitive behavior.
What are the Causes of the Disorder?
While there is no single cause of bulimia, experts do link it to several possible factors such as psychological difficulties, genetics, or family relationships. For example, certain sports such as dance and gymnastics often have coaches who expect athletes to stay as thin as possible. Maybe you as a parent could pay attention to the comments you make about their appearance, too, because these things could impact your child psychologically and cause her to be obsessed with looking thin. Because then in her mind, looking as thin as possible is associated with perfectionism.
The Consequences of Developing Bulimia
Several consequences come with developing bulimia that will impact a teen girl for years to come. Bulimia is linked to serious illnesses such as diabetes, kidney and heart disease. If left untreated, a potentially life-threatening condition could occur. It could also cause dehydration, acid reflux, and inflammation or eruption of the esophagus. However, if you work on treating this condition, you can start saving yourself from this serious harm.
Ways You Can Treat Bulimia
There are no easy ways to treat bulimia nervosa. In most cases, there isn’t a single way for treating this condition. Most young girls diagnosed with bulimia have had to go through a combination of treatments. Medical professionals have recommended a multidisciplinary approach involving medical, psychiatric, and nutritional counseling. Sometimes, family therapy could also come into play. Be sure to find a mental health professional who is experienced in treating eating disorders.
By combining more than one treatment, young girls can treat their mental, physical, and nutritional health. Doctors normally treat bulimia patients with cognitive behavioral therapy. This helps them analyze their behavioral patterns and figure out ways to change them. Medications that are used to treat depression are prescribed in most cases. Nutritional counseling helps the patient develop a healthier relationship with food. They are given hands-on experience in constructing a meal plan that will help them recover.
You Can Recover from Bulimia
If you or someone you know is dealing with bulimia, it is possible to recover from it. Don’t put your life in danger by failing to treat this condition. Seek help for this eating disorder from a trusted medical professional today.Â
