7 Signs Your Teen May Have an Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are severe psychological conditions that cause disturbances in eating behavior. Anyone can develop an eating disorder, and they most often start manifesting in adolescence. 

In the beginning, it can be really difficult to notice signs that your teen has an eating disorder. It’s not abnormal to miss a meal here and there or to strongly dislike certain foods. However, as your teen’s eating disorder continues, you may start to notice strange fluctuations in their weight or changes in how they view food and meals. 

Because eating disorders can severely impact your teen’s physical and mental health, our team of adolescent psychiatric providers at Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry in Greenwich, Connecticut, wants to review each type of eating disorder and provide some warning signs your teen might have one of them.

Understanding each eating disorder

There are four main types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. Let’s take a closer look at each one. 

Anorexia nervosa

This disorder is characterized by an extreme fear of gaining weight. Those living with anorexia often believe they’re overweight, even when they’re at a healthy weight or even grossly underweight. 

Anorexia can look like not eating much at all (restrictive anorexia) or going through periods of restrictive eating followed by a day or two of excessive food consumption and then purging it (binge-purge anorexia).

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia doesn’t involve watching what you eat, but it’s still characterized by binge-eating food and finding a way to purge it afterward. Purging could be vomiting, taking laxatives, or exercising excessively. 

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States. Those who have this particular disorder don’t restrict their diet, and they eat large amounts of food in one sitting, far beyond what satisfies their hunger. 

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder

This eating disorder is most common in childhood, and while it involves a restricted diet, it’s not related to poor body image or weight concerns. Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder is typically the result of fears surrounding textures, smells, or tastes of certain foods. 

Warning signs your teen might have an eating disorder

Most often, teens are going to be in denial that they have an eating disorder or that anything is wrong. But because so many of these eating disorders can cause malnutrition and coexisting mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, it’s important to be on the lookout as a parent, so you can get your teen the help they need. 

Here are seven telltale signs that your teen may have an eating disorder:

1. Changes in how, when, and what they eat
2. Being very strict with their eating routine
3. Suspicious fluctuations in weight
4. Spending lots of time in the bathroom
5. Exercising more than usual
6. Talking a lot about their weight
7. Increase in oral health issues like cavities and worn tooth enamel

You may also notice that your teen is much moodier than usual and is overly sensitive to any type of criticism. 

It’s important to remember that eating disorders aren’t a choice, just like any other mental health disorder. If you suspect that your teen has an eating disorder, talk to your child and schedule an appointment with our team. The sooner your child receives help, the better the outcome will be. 

For any type of adolescent psychiatric care, schedule an appointment by calling our office or using our online booking tool today.