Anorexia requires immediate therapy
by Jennifer Baxt
Anorexia is a serious eating disorder that affects way too many people, especially young teenage girls who are trying to look like their idols, such as movie stars or well-known singers. Teens are very sensitive about their changing appearances and many have low self-esteem that can cause unhappiness with how they look.
People with anorexia want to be attractive, but they don't seem to see what they actually look like in the mirror. Even when the condition becomes so bad that everyone is seeing a walking skeleton, the person who has the eating disorder continues to see a fat person.
Anorexia can almost be considered a fat phobia and it is this fear that causes one to alter eating habits. The patient will probably:
- avoid eating in public
- avoid eating food they have prepared for others
- have excessive loss of weight
- constantly watch calorie intake
If the person does not get the therapy or counseling she needs, she can suffer serious permanent physical and mental damage. She might also starve to death or commit suicide.
The longer the problem persists, the more difficult it will be to get help for the person.
Counseling and therapy can help a patient finally see what she is doing to herself. The therapist will work through guilt or unhappiness with the patient and eventually help her get rid of her eating disorder. The patient who is too concerned about her appearance can actually contact legitimate professionals online. This way, the stress of meeting yet another person the patient believes will be judgmental of their appearance will be eliminated. (Note: this stressor will eventually need to be faced and dealt with as part of therapy, regardless of what kind of therapy the person seeks.)
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About the Author:
Jennifer B. Baxt, LMHC, LMFT offers online audio/video counseling as well as works with children, individuals, couples, geriatric patients, depression, bipolor, anxiety and substance abuse. Please contact Complete Counseling Solutions via email jennifer@completecounselingsolutions.com or visit our website http://www.completecounselingsolutions.com for any further information.