My dd is the path towards anorexia and has really disordered eating. We are working with a therapist but it is so exhausting. Every meal is a battle. She and I no longer have any fun and all in trying to do is keep her healthy...
I'm sorry. That sounds really, really hard. Are you religious at all? There are some who see really strong similarities between disordered eating and disordered sense of spirituality (punishing oneself, atoning, etc.), such that spirituality-oriented therapy might help. GL whatever you do. It's really, really hard. Hugs.
I’m sorry that’s really tough. I have a teen niece dealing with this too. Have you considered getting a therapist for yourself so you have some support.
I'm so glad you are addressing this early. It is so important (I know from personal experience). Is DC also seeing a nutritionist? Also - family therapy can be a good tool as well. I will always deal with these issues in some form, but early intervention gave me tools to keep it in check. Good luck!
She is not seeing a nutritionist yet but this is a great idea. We are in family therapy but I feel like much if the treatment right now is taking independence away from my child. This causes so many fights.
@anonymous definitely start having DD meet with a nutritionist. My therapist and nutritionist worked as a team (so it was a cohesive treatment plan). I was a little older (17/18), but seeing both really helped. I learned a lot about proper nutrition and what I needed to do to keep a healthy body weight. It was hard, but it worked.
Also - my parents set pretty strict rules and stuck to them. If I wasn't a certain weight, I couldn't do certain things (like go back to college). My cousin has been dealing with extreme anorexia for years now (she now has brittle bone disease) and a huge difference in how her parents dealt with it and how mine dealt with it was that they have always let her get away with it and never held her to consequences. She was probably 11/12 when it started and a ballerina. They let her keep on dancing even when their therapist recommended they make her stop until she could maintain a healthy body weight. They even let her go to a dance boarding school instead of high school because she "really wanted to go." It was really hard for my parents to be strict, but it did help in the end. Your DD is dealing with some pretty extreme thoughts that she currently doesn't have the mental tools to fight yet. It's up to you as her parent to help her fight them with rules and consequences until she can herself. Hang in there!
I'm sorry. That sounds really, really hard. Are you religious at all? There are some who see really strong similarities between disordered eating and disordered sense of spirituality (punishing oneself, atoning, etc.), such that spirituality-oriented therapy might help. GL whatever you do. It's really, really hard. Hugs.
Not religious in the slightest.
I’m sorry that’s really tough. I have a teen niece dealing with this too. Have you considered getting a therapist for yourself so you have some support.
How old is your niece? My Dd is 13 and this is breaking me.
@anonymous she’s 15
I'm so glad you are addressing this early. It is so important (I know from personal experience). Is DC also seeing a nutritionist? Also - family therapy can be a good tool as well. I will always deal with these issues in some form, but early intervention gave me tools to keep it in check. Good luck!
She is not seeing a nutritionist yet but this is a great idea. We are in family therapy but I feel like much if the treatment right now is taking independence away from my child. This causes so many fights.
@anonymous definitely start having DD meet with a nutritionist. My therapist and nutritionist worked as a team (so it was a cohesive treatment plan). I was a little older (17/18), but seeing both really helped. I learned a lot about proper nutrition and what I needed to do to keep a healthy body weight. It was hard, but it worked.
Also - my parents set pretty strict rules and stuck to them. If I wasn't a certain weight, I couldn't do certain things (like go back to college). My cousin has been dealing with extreme anorexia for years now (she now has brittle bone disease) and a huge difference in how her parents dealt with it and how mine dealt with it was that they have always let her get away with it and never held her to consequences. She was probably 11/12 when it started and a ballerina. They let her keep on dancing even when their therapist recommended they make her stop until she could maintain a healthy body weight. They even let her go to a dance boarding school instead of high school because she "really wanted to go." It was really hard for my parents to be strict, but it did help in the end. Your DD is dealing with some pretty extreme thoughts that she currently doesn't have the mental tools to fight yet. It's up to you as her parent to help her fight them with rules and consequences until she can herself. Hang in there!