Teen Depression Causes Eating Disorders

If you stop and think about it, what is one of the most important things in a teen's life? Besides friends, teens worry and think about how they look more than anything else. With the media getting more and more vain each day, it's hard for our teens to compete or even feel good about who they are.

High School is getting even more brutal and especially among girls. Gossip can be a devastating thing for some young women. Some girls and even some boys are developing eating disorders due to the way they perceive themselves in the mirror. All in all teens who struggle with an eating disorder may have depression.

A recent study has been conducted and shows that many teens who suffer with an eating disorder also may struggle with suicide feelings and thoughts. CNN has noted that out of ten thousand youth about 10 percent have the eating disorder bulimia. About 5 percent have anorexia and others struggle with binge eating. Other institutions have come to find that a lot of teens who have a disorder also may have a minor mental problem that could cause the eating disorder.

A scary statistic that has come out by CNN states that the average age for young teens to have a eating disorder is 12. Where do our teens get these type of thoughts and why is the average age so young? The media can be blamed for most of it, but we as parents may be to blame for letting them watch it.

Listed below are some things one can do to help someone with an eating disorder:

• If you suspect your child has bulimia, pay attention to what your child does after eating each meal. If you notice frequent bathroom trips there may be a problem.
• If you son or daughter is getting increasingly skinny, it is more than likely they have a problem with anorexia. This may need to be dealt with by a professional.
• Binge eating is usually accompanied by throwing up the meal immediately following the binge.

As parents, things weren't as bad when we were teens. Don't take lightly if you notice a radically change in your child's eating patterns. There are many institutions and facilities that are willing to help teens who struggle with eating disorders. Give us a call and we may be able to give you tips and suggestions that can help.