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Anorexia Nervosa: adolescents with anorexia starve themselves to the point of becoming extremely thin. Both females and males diet obsessively, are preoccupied with food, calories, body weight, exercise and academic success. Many of them may suffer secondary conditions such as major depression.
Bulimia Nervosa: adolescents with bulimia may consume large amounts of food and then purge by vomiting, laxatives, diuretics or exercise. Both females and males may follow strict diets, frequent the restroom during and or immediately after meals, become very secretive, take long showers to hide purging behavior, exhibit mood swings, and oppositional behaviors.
Binge Eating Disorder: adolescents with binge eating disorder may consume large amounts of food in a short amount of time. Typically they eat rapidly and may skip breakfast and eat larger than normal meals for lunch and dinner. They may also eat a late night meal consisting primarily of carbohydrates and sweet foods. Both females and males may talk about following strict diets yet are often unable to stop binge episodes.
Adolescents with eating disorders use food to manage psychological fears and emotional feelings which seem overwhelming. The manipulation of food by restriction, bingeing or purging can be a self-soothing mechanism or a distraction from disturbances in their life. Although for each adolescent their symptoms are usually similar to other adolescents, the underlying issues are unique and can be greatly different. This understanding is important because adolescents on a regular basis may have more problems than just an eating disorder. Problems beyond the eating disorder are known as Co-Morbid Disorders. During the initiation of treatment a thorough assessment by an Eating Disorders Specialist can be very helpful in determining if there are co-existing disorders in-conjunction to the eating disorder.
Below is a list of several Co-Morbid Disorders that may be addressed in treatment: