Your Daughter Has Bulimia: How Family Therapy May Help Her

Teenage girls are under a lot of social pressure, and yours is no different. Unfortunately, you've caught her in the bathroom throwing up more than once, and you're convinced she has bulimia. Sadly, there is a good chance that you may have contributed to this problem. Thankfully, help is available with family therapy in an eating disorder treatment center.

The Pressure To Be Thin Often Drives Teens To Bulimia

Every day, your daughter is bombarded with images from media telling her that thin is beautiful. No matter how widespread plus-size acceptance is becoming in the general population, too many teenage girls see themselves as "fat" and fall into depression and anxiety about it.

And sadly, this turns thousands, if not millions, on to eating disorders like bulimia. These disorders seem to offer an easy solution, but quickly become ingrained patterns of behavior that are hard to break. Unfortunately, there is a real chance that your daughter experienced, or believed she felt, pressure to be thin from parents at home.

Why That Pressure Often Starts At Home

Parents only want the best for their child, and there's a good chance that, more than once, you told you daughter to stop eating so many potato chips or she would "get fat." Maybe you encouraged her to exercise, join a gym, or to eat healthier. You are only trying to do the right thing and to help her stay healthy.

Unfortunately, that kind of pressure is often a huge strain on the psyche of many teens. Teenage girls are at that delicate stage where they still need parental support for their self-esteem, but also need to branch out and do their own thing. So that extra pressure from you, or anyone in the family, could force her towards bulimic actions.

How Family Therapy Can Help With Eating Disorders

If you believe that your daughter's bulimia was caused by family pressure, and you want her to recover, you need to consider serious family therapy options. Inpatient and outpatient psychological treatment is often necessary, as is the daily monitoring of your daughter's diet. Family therapy, in particular, is useful if you, a spouse, or your daughter's siblings triggered any bulimia actions.

Talking about these problems in family therapy helps bring them out to the open, and provides an outlet for you and your child. For example, your child can tell you about the pressure that they felt from you, even if you didn't realize it, on staying thin and avoiding eating too much food. You can then let them know that you love them and accept them no matter what.

So, if your daughter is struggling with bulimia, and you want to make sure she recovers her health, don't hesitate to contact an eating disorder treatment facility. These groups can provide a healing and healthy environment for your daughter which makes it easier for her to overcome her bulimia. Click here to continue reading more about treatment options for eating disorders.


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