Is there someone in your life that needs a disordered eating treatment program? Many teens struggle with body image issues and some even may be experiencing body dysmorphia and not being vocal about it. Is your teen showing any symptoms of unhealthy body image? Examples of behaviors that could be red flags are obsessive self-scrutiny in mirrors and the frequent comparison of their shape and size to others.

If you’re looking for a reputable health care center in North Carolina offering disordered eating treatment programs, contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. Call 866.300.5275 or reach out to our team online.

How Do You Know If You Have Body Image Issues?

Some teens may not be communicating that they have body dysmorphia because they may not be aware of what’s happening in their minds. Body image is a complex issue that can include any combination of the following for most people, including:

• Being aware of how your limbs move through space
• Displaying behaviors believed to be necessary to evaluate your body
• Estimating body size
• Evaluating individual parts of your body
• Feelings about your body and body parts
• Perceiving how your body looks to you and others
• Referencing culturally driven beliefs about what bodies should look like
• Understanding what your body can do

Negative body image can begin at a surprisingly early age. According to research done in 2020, many first and second graders don’t like some aspect of their bodies. Dissatisfaction can deepen during puberty, and relationship problems between parents and children can worsen negative body issues even further. Culture also exerts an enormous influence on a teen’s body image. In most cases, the ideas and values of a teenager’s family, peers, education, and faith tradition will also shape how they see themselves.

In general, negative body issues exist if someone does not like something about their physical form. Whether this is a one-time feeling or body dysmorphia depends on how much their lives are affected by their negative body issues.

How Do You Know If You Have Body Dysmorphia?

Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health issue in which someone can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in their appearance. These flaws may appear minor or unnoticeable to everyone else. However, people struggling with body dysmorphia can feel so embarrassed, ashamed, and anxious about them. Teenagers with body dysmorphic disorder may avoid many social situations because of this.

When adolescents struggle with body dysmorphic disorder, they tend to focus almost entirely on their appearance, including the size and shape of their bodies. This can manifest in repetitive behaviors like checking their reflections in mirrors, grooming themselves, and seeking verbal or other types of assurance. Their perceived flaws and repetitive behaviors can cause them great distress and impact how they function daily.

Teenagers with body dysmorphic syndrome not only dislike some elements of the way they look but may also seek out numerous cosmetic procedures or products to try to fix or hide their perceived flaws. These procedures and products are not always healthy. Furthermore, because they may cost more than what a teenager can afford, they could also lead to financial problems.

Which Clients Need Admittance to Disordered Eating Treatment Programs?

If you know an adolescent with body image issues, you should encourage them to get professionally assessed at a mental health treatment facility. Treatment is especially crucial if they have three or more of the following symptoms:

• Binging but without any noticeable weight gain
• Disappearance to the bathroom for long periods
• Dissatisfaction with appearance, or believing their body is fat even when underweight
• Eating in secret
• Eating patterns affected by anxiety, boredom, frustration, and depression
• Excessive preoccupation with weight and thinness
• Extreme weight changes in a short period
• Frequent use of laxatives or diuretics
• Obsession with exercise
• Symptoms of depression, including isolation
• Vomiting

Treatment of body dysmorphia may include both medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Some teens may even need residential treatment.

Seek Disordered Eating Treatment at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery

If you or a teen you love is struggling with disordered eating or body dysmorphia, finding treatment is crucial. If you’re searching for a reputable health care center in North Carolina that offers disordered eating treatment programs, our team is here to help. Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery by calling 866.300.5275 or reaching out to our team online.