While eating disorders are typically associated with girls, 33 percent of boys are afflicted by them as well. If you find out that your son has an eating disorder, it is important that you address the issue and find ways to help him overcome it. Let’s look at how you can do to help your child get past this condition.
Find out What Caused the Behavior to Begin
To combat an eating disorder, you must first find the root cause of the problem. For instance, your son may have been bullied at school or is trying to impress a girl. In some cases, a coach may be trying to get your child to bulk up or shed weight in an unhealthy manner. Try talking to your child, a teacher or anyone else who may have some insight into the issue to find out what is making your kid insecure.
Stress the Importance of Being Healthy
Depending on your child’s current physical condition, there may be no harm in trying to lose 20 pounds or trying to pack on 10 pounds of muscle. However, it is important that your son understands that the way to do it is through proper diet and exercise. It may be a good idea to talk about the side effects of fasting or using steroids and how they can make a person feel worse in the long-term.
Try to Build up His Self-Esteem
To build up your child’s self-esteem, you could enroll him in a karate or other type of self-defense class. Learning how to speak in public could be a way to help your son overcome his insecurities and be more assertive. By gaining confidence in himself, it may be easier for your son to stop with the self-destructive behavior.
Look for Treatment Options
In some cases, your son will need more than just moral support to improve his physical and mental health. Enrolling in programs offered by institutions such as the Anorexia treatment centers by Center for Change can offer the degree of care needed. These programs offer private settings where a person can focus on themselves away from the world’s judging eyes.
While it can hurt to know that your child is suffering, you can still work to be a positive influence in his or her life. By showing how valuable and cared for your son is, he may begin to realize his own worth and begin taking the first steps toward recovery.
