If you have a daughter with symptoms of anorexia, you are not alone; anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents, according to the National Association of Anorexia
Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
Anorexia nervosa is a fear of gaining weight that mostly effects teenage girls and young women. It is marked by a distorted body image, which causes suffers to literally view themselves as overweight, when in fact they are often severely underweight.
Lifelong Struggle
Sufferers of anorexia nervosa get feelings of euphoria from starving themselves, not unlike the high drug users get. It’s important to try to stop this pattern early, before it becomes ingrained. The longer it takes to get under control, the more difficult it is to achieve, and the more the patient’s health suffers. There is no real cure for anorexia, and many of its sufferers battle this disease for a lifetime.
Various conditions can put some girls at a higher risk than others. It has not been definitively proven, but it is believed genetic makeup, hormones and brain chemicals may play a part in bringing on the condition. Also, having a family member who has or has had anorexia increases the odds. This familial link might be linked to genetic factors, but the habits can also be behavioral — witnessing relatives suffering from the condition can help bring it on in others.
Culture of Thinness
It is believed that western culture is influential as well, with its media barrage of thin and beautiful people. People with low self-esteem or who have parents who comment on their bodies and encourage them to be thin are all targets too. Traumatic life events such as a death, divorce or breakup with a boyfriend or group of friends can also bring on anorexia.
Anorexia can often go hand-in-hand with other debilitating conditions as well, such as depression, anxiety, OCD and substance abuse. These added underlying conditions need to be addressed as well in order for the sufferer to be successful in her fight.
Here at Havenwood, an important part of our treatment program is to remove the patient from her regular surroundings, immersing her in a new environment where she can be more receptive to treatment. Getting your child away from the hustle and bustle of your city or town, away from her school and away from the constant barrage of media is critical to making an inroad into her skewed perceptions. Eventually she will have to return to her old surroundings, but then she will be armed with tools to battle the pressures of the teenager’s world. She will still need your support, but this time, you’ll be working together. Call us for more information about our program and find out what we can do to help your daughter with anorexia.
Think Havenwood Might Be For You?
We encourage any visitors considering placing their daughter in treatment to fill out our online assessment as soon as possible. This two minute form will give our admissions team all the information needed to determine if your daughter is a good fit for our program.
Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.