Teens and body image issues can go beyond skewed ideas of what’s attractive or not. In some cases, teenagers may succumb to the intense pressure they feel to look “perfect.” As a result, they might develop problems such as disordered eating habits, which may lead to depression and anxiety. Learn how the desire to look a certain way can distort how adolescents see themselves.
Teens and Body Image Issues
Images of what’s considered the ideal body are nothing new in our society. For decades, television and magazines portrayed pictures of beautiful men and women that the average person wanted to emulate.
Now, with so many young people using social media, the problems with teens and body image have only become more widespread. Because adolescents spend so much time on various apps where users seem to be rich, gorgeous, and famous, many teens want to live that same lifestyle.
Photoshop and filters can turn anyone into a model, but teenagers may still believe that it’s possible to look that way in real life. They want to be that skinny and “perfect.” Some of them will go to great lengths to achieve that level of perfection, even though it doesn’t really exist.
How Body Image Issues Can Lead to Disordered Eating
Once someone gets attached to the unrealistic images they see all the time, they may aspire to look the same way no matter what it takes. Teens and body image issues can then turn into potential eating disorders.
Some adolescents will drastically cut calories, and their weight will fall to dangerously low levels. Others may binge eat and then purge afterward. They often feel so ashamed and embarrassed that they’ll do much of their eating in secret. Even if they maintain a normal weight, they’re still damaging their physical and mental health.
Disordered eating is often accompanied by other mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. As their eating problems grow, their mental health will decline.
What can concerned parents do if they recognize disordered eating in their kids? It’s important to seek out help. Treatment is available, and with the right therapeutic approach, your teenager can have a healthier relationship with food and a better relationship with you.
Becoming Healthy One Day at a Time
If you or a loved one needs treatment for an eating disorder, Selah House can help. We’re a women’s only teen eating disorder treatment center in Anderson, Indiana. We take a Christ-centered approach to care with evidence-based and experiential-based therapies designed to integrate all areas of your health.
The services we offer include:
- Teen eating disorder treatment
- Women’s eating disorder treatment
- Nutritional therapy program
- Spiritual therapy
- Anorexia treatment
- Bulimia treatment
Instead of feeling lost and alone, you can recover from disordered eating and be healthy again. The caring team members at Selah House are ready to help you overcome your disorder. Call us today at 765.819.2524 to find out more about our quality treatment.