Introduction
In recent decades, adolescents have increasingly been diagnosed with anorexia. They often have a nervous type of pathology, which is a psychological illness and is accompanied by an eating disorder. The disease is characterized by intense and stable weight loss due to an unreasonable and uncontrollable fear of obesity. Teenagers have a misconception about their bodies, which leads to severe metabolic and psychological disorders. Thus, it is essential to identify the symptoms of anorexia at early stages and start immediate treatment.
External Stressors Associated with Anorexia
Most patients suffering from teen anorexia are girls who are dissatisfied with their bodies and want to lose weight dramatically. Exhausting diets and intense physical activity lead to a pathological condition. Adolescents are frequently under the influence of specific factors; therefore, they are the leading risk group (Nardo, 2017). Social networks’ development only exacerbates the problem, as they impose specific beauty standards that adolescents try to reach. Unfortunately, these ideals are not always attainable and adequate, but they are so widespread that they are deeply rooted in the mass consciousness.
Assessment
The main symptom of anorexia is a refusal to eat or a sharp decrease in serving size. There is a general weakening of the body, and the skin color changes due to a lack of nutrients. More often in adolescents, the disease manifests itself not in weight loss but in stopping the body’s growth and development. In addition, statements about the fear of gaining excess weight and the inability to objectively assess one’s body can be attributed to the symptoms of anorexia. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to understand exactly that a teenager is suffering from anorexia without specialists’ help. To diagnose and determine the stage of anorexia, patients need clinical studies of blood and urine, ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract, ECG, X-ray, and gastroscopy (Nardo, 2017). It is also imperative to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist to differentiate the disease and prescribe an effective therapy.
Support Options
For the treatment of anorexia, an integrated approach is needed, including psychotherapy, drug therapy, and the normalization of physical health. The psychotherapist’s task is to correct patients’ behavior, their relationship with relatives, and the perception of their body. Another critical step is the normalization of weight by adjusting the diet, taking into account the potential damage to internal organs. Additional medications help normalize the mental state, gain weight, restore the intestinal microflora and water-salt balance. Thanks to combining all these stages of working with adolescents, they will quickly restore both mental and physical conditions.
Unique External Stressors
There are some stressors that are unique for adolescents and can cause health problems, including anorexia. These are, for example, jokes about appearance from peers and classmates and personality identification problems. These stressors can lead to different risk-taking behaviors besides anorexia. These include bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, or even drugs), refusal to socialize, and self-harm. To prevent these effects, parents need to continually support adolescents and help them get through the transitional period of life. School teachers can sometimes give lessons on topics related to communication, growing up, and other vital themes. In addition, educational institutions may hire psychologists so that adolescents can discuss their problems with someone instead of dealing with them alone.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, it is hard to cover all the factors that can cause anorexia in a teenager. However, parents should create a warm, trusting environment within the family as a primary preventive measure. Teenagers should not be left unattended, but they should also not be overprotected, which can provoke the opposite result. It is essential to have a conversation with teens about the need for good nutrition to achieve their goals. It is also crucial to encourage hobbies in dancing and sports and not criticize the child’s appearance so as not to cause complexes. Thanks to this, teenagers will be able to lead an active lifestyle and soberly assess their appearance.
Reference
Nardo, D. (2017). Teens and eating disorders. ReferencePoint Press.