When Food is the Enemy - Part 2
Our society is obsessed with size, weight and image. Impressionable youngsters buy into the belief that being thin guarantees living happily ever after, an idea heavily promoted by media and peers--and sometimes family. Individuals who feel they've been denied control of many areas of their lives can gain a sense of power in their ability to rigidly control the amount they eat. Loneliness, feelings of inadequacy or failure, devaluing oneself and fear of rejection are highly correlated with eating disorders, although those feelings are usually well masked by a functional facade.
When a loved one begins the downward spiral into the grips of an eating disorder, the fear, desperation and self-blame felt by the family often incite conflict, criticism and battle for control, all of which can actually exacerbate the very behaviors the family is trying to discourage. Effective treatment requires intensive therapy and more progressed cases usually require inpatient treatment or even hospitalization. Treatment normally involves the entire family and the earlier it's initiated, the greater the chances of success and the possibility of being treated on an outpatient level. Although the relapse rate among those with eating disorders is reported to be 25-30%, with persistence and loving support, recovery IS possible.
(Belinda Crosier, Masters of Education and a Licensed Professional Counselor at Edmond Family Counseling. She can be reached at 351-3554.)
