Anorexia Anorexia & Bulemia treat quickly

More and more children and adolescents have symptoms of an eating disorder

09/26/2013

The number of adolescents with eating disorders has increased dramatically in recent years. It is hungry or even deliberately vomited. Without timely treatment, the affected person is threatened with anorexia or bulimia.

According to estimates of the Mainz child and adolescent psychotherapist Arne citizen, intentional vomiting after eating or intentional starvation may be the first signs of a disorder. "The earlier the disorder is detected and treated, the better," says the expert. So possibly a worse full disease can be prevented.

Recognize eating disorders
According to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD10), eating disorders are described as binge eating in other mental disorders. They are referred to as a behavioral disorder with serious and long-term health effects. There is a constant mental and emotional engagement with the topic „eat“ in front. It is associated with psychosocial disorders and attitudes toward one's own body. Eating disorders can be a major burden for the whole family, said the chairman of the National Association of the mentally ill in Rhineland-Palatinate, Monika Zindorf. It is not uncommon for parents of eating disordered children to have constant control over their children, which usually leads to major conflicts.

Causes of eating disorders are complex
Therapy offers are few and you have to wait a long time for a place. "Relatives are often overwhelmed and helpless“. The emergence of an eating disorder is complex. Not only did the affected girls follow a morbid ideal of beauty, they also face growing pressure to perform at school and in the family. "Many kids today have an appointment calendar like managers," Bürger said. They lack the time to be able to switch off. Emotions are allowed to be shown less and less, ultimately becoming one „only work“ lead.

"They do not learn to deal with conflicts or admit weaknesses." All this leads to a negative emotional tension - which can then lead to eating disorders, so the psychotherapist.

He again emphasizes the importance of visiting a specialist for some symptoms of eating disorders. "You should never think, you get it alone." The death rate for anorexia at two to 16 percent.

Girls and women more often affected than men
Among the 14 to 18-year-olds, one percent regularly suffer from severe anorexia (anorexia), up to three percent from bulimia (eating and vomiting). On 20 ill girls come a boy, said citizens. According to the statistics, women suffer from eating disorders five times more frequently than men. This is the result of a study by the University of Leipzig. After that, 5.9 percent of all women in Germany are disturbed by eating habits, but only 1.5 percent of men. A European study shows that young women are eight times more likely to have an eating disorder compared to older women.

Physicians warn against underestimating the phenomenon of anorexia in young children. Many clinics often refuse to provide information about this condition. In the UK, even five-year-old children suffer from anorexia: According to 35 British hospitals, 2000 children between the ages of five and 15 were treated for serious eating disorders within three years, 98 of whom were seven years and younger. A sign of concern and a trend that needs to be closely monitored. (Fr)

Picture: BirgitH