Written by Vanshi Kumar
Edited by Raghvi Sethi
I remember being in the doctor’s office. My doctor, in his white scrubs, sitting comfortably on a stool. A bunch of clicks on the computer screen. A glance at my mom. Then he looks at me deadpan and asks, “Why are you losing weight?” Are you anorexic?” He showed me some growth charts where the graph suddenly started decreasing. While I haven’t been diagnosed with an eating disorder, I struggle with being underweight and empathize with the lack of support teens with eating disorders face daily. With the rise in concerns regarding mental health and eating disorders and the lack of necessary assistance, I have a message for the entire world: It’s time we discuss how to support teens with eating disorders.
Empathy: The Greatest Stepping Stone
Empathy seems like a trivial solution or a practice that prevents us from “actually” solving the problem. But this sentiment wouldn’t be the case if we discussed how to foster empathy in our daily lives. One relevant strategy is developing self-control mechanisms. For example, understanding their feelings is critical if a loved one feels distressed, angry, or sad. Discussing their feelings with teens without giving advice uplifts them rather than demeans them.
Additionally, demonstrating coping strategies such as journaling, music, and other safe activities instead of focusing on providing solutions to people with eating disorders helps them gain control of their situation. Offer guidance, but don’t be an authority. People correlating their age with expertise, especially with something so individualized as eating disorders, causes more harm than good. Assisting teens to build their strategies shows a strong level of trust. Trust, after all, is the key to empathy.
Speaking with medical professionals also brings out the best empathy, showing young individuals that not every adult knows everything and asking for more professional assistance is empowerment. Modeling healthy habits can encourage the people we love without being a preacher. Together, these methods of fostering empathy support teens throughout their journeys.
Building Infrastructure
Physical and mental support for teens in plans of early action is critical. Empathy and creating healthy coping skills in place of unhealthy food behaviors are essential, as is infrastructure. One brilliant system is the structured leveling system, which aims for “emotional, spiritual, physical and mental recovery.” The Clementine program uses this system but can be expanded to everyday life. While the program has a four-step solution, we can use some of their values as general ideas. The first step ensures the physical well-being of the individual. Is the teen in danger of malnutrition or other forms of self-harm? Depending on the severity of the eating disorder, support must be given to meet the basic health needs to transition towards a stable condition.
In some cases, trusted adults may need to step in to provide medication and other treatment depending on the teen’s needs. The second step entails encouraging beneficial habits. For example, using empathy and modeling healthy eating habits can encourage people struggling to develop control over their health. Control, after all, is vital. Not only does demonstrating these habits create an empathetic environment, but it can also encourage teens to mirror safe strategies in place of formerly dangerous ones. Third, after models have been given to support those in need, encouragement to create their habits is essential. Teens must gain control over their bodies. While providing a model is highly effective in developing safe habits, maintaining independence by building our relationships with food is crucial. Therefore, while teens should rely on adult support when needed, their autonomy should be respected and prioritized.
Overall, we should emphasize more programs that support teens through adults and other teens. The Clementine program aids teen eating disorder recovery with adult support. Furthermore, organizations like the All Bodies Coalition (ABC) provide a voice for teens to steer the narrative away from stigma and toward the empowered teen. Support from parents, teachers, medical programs, national leaders, support groups, and teen coalitions is all worthy. When a teen hears about their eating disorder from a doctor, the last things they should feel are fear and guilt.
References
“Home.” Clementine, Clementine, 6 Feb. 2024, clementineprograms.com/.
Comentarios