You can not force a person to eat if they don’t want to, and neither can you stop a person from purging themselves. What you need to do is get to the root of their problem and discuss with them how they feel about themselves. Find out why they feel that they need to lose the weight in such a manner.
Then you can look at ways in which you can help them to combat this problem. However, those people who are suffering either from anorexia or bulimia will most likely need professional help (you don’t need to send them a way to rehab). There are plenty of self help groups which have now been set up to aid with these eating disorders.
How do I recognize if my teen is suffering from an eating problem? Unfortunately, most people, especially children, are good at hiding the symptoms related to eating problems. But below are some signs that should help.
1. The color of their skin. Does it have a healthy glow or is it dull and pale?
2. Eyes - are they bright or dull?
3. Hair – It is full and shiny or has it become dull, flat and thinning?
4. Legs and Arms – Have they got good tone, or do they look just like skin and bone?
5. Have their energy levels decreased?
6. Teenage Girls – Has their menstrual cycle altered in any way?
