I would say, from what I have learned in my abnormal psychology class, your daughter might have something called bulimia, which is a type of eating disorder. A person with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time which is binging and then tries to prevent weight gain by purging or getting rid of the food. Purging might be done by: * Making yourself throw up * Taking laxatives, which you have found in her room. Laxatives can pills or liquids and speed up the movement of food through your body to produce a bowel movement more quickly, making it an easy and appealing way to lose weight. * Exercise excessively, as you have described
People with bulimia often fall within the normal range for their age and weight. But their weak points are that they: * Fear gaining weight * Want desperately to lose weight * Are very unhappy with their body size and shape
A person with bulimia may be thin, overweight, or have a normal weight. A person with bulimia is often very private so they can do things such as throwing up because the person with bulimia feels shame or disgust. This makes it hard to know if someone has bulimia. The warning signs to look out for are extreme weight loss through: * Using diet pills, or taking pills to urinate or have a bowel movement * Going to the bathroom all the time after eating (to throw up) * Exercising a lot, even in bad weather or when hurt or tired
You may be able to recognize the signs of frequent throwing up by looking for: * Swollen cheeks or jaw area * Calluses or scrapes on the knuckles (if using fingers to induce vomiting) * Teeth that look clear * Constant dieting * Broken blood vessels in the eyes * Bloating * Dehydration * Dry skin * Menstrual irregularities * Preoccupation with body
Other things your daughter may be struggling with that you should look for are: * Depression * Anxiety * Substance abuse problems * Moodiness * Lack of interest in things that were an interest before
Bulimia isn’t only a problem with food. It can be triggered by dieting, stress, or uncomfortable emotions, such as anger or sadness. Purging and other actions to prevent weight gain are ways for people with bulimia to feel more in control of their lives and ease stress and anxiety. This is also a way to “please” the people in their lives they feel will judge them for their supposed lack of body control. There is no known cause of bulimia but they have been able to link it to several different parts of us, that may be helpful in understanding * Culture. Women in the U.S. are under constant pressure to fit a certain ideal of beauty. They are reinforced when they do what society’s supposed expectations of women are. Seeing images of flawless, thin females everywhere makes it hard for women to feel good about their bodies. Since success and worth are compared to and shown with thinness that is what women strive for. Peer pressure and bullying are particularly prevalent among young girls, and the desire to fit in often drives younger girls to develop eating disorders and a preoccupation with food.
Traumatic events, like rape or witnessing a tragedy, as well as stressful things, like starting a new job or new school year, or expectations of high academic achievement, etc. can lead to bulimia. * Psychological. A person with bulimia may not like herself, hate the way she looks, or feel hopeless. She may be very moody, have low self-worth, distorted body-image, have problems expressing anger, or have a hard time controlling impulsive behaviors. Families may have a tendency to have more conflict, along with more criticism and unpredictability. Sexual abuse is also a possibility. * Biology. Genes, hormones, and chemicals in the brain may be factors in developing bulimia. Poor impulse control, emotional instability, and perfectionist traits can be contributing factors. Younger girls with a biological mother or sister with an eating disorder are at risk, which may indicate a genetic link. It may also be possible that serotonin, a chemical in our brains, may influence eating disorders because of its connection to food intake regulation.
To help your daughter with this possible problem, there are a few things I would suggest that you do.
Set a time to talk. Set aside a time to talk privately with your daughter. Make sure you pick a place and time to talk where you won’t be distracted or interrupted. Tell her about your concerns. Be honest. Tell her about your worries about her eating or exercising habits. Tell her you are concerned and that you think these things may be a sign of a problem that needs professional help. Ask her to talk to a professional. Offer to help her find a counselor or doctor who knows about eating issues, and offer to go with her to the appointment. If she won’t admit that he or she has a problem, don’t push. Be sure to tell you’re her you are always there to listen if she wants to talk. Don’t place shame, blame, or guilt on your daughter. Don’t say, “You just need to eat.” Instead, say things like, “I’m concerned about you because you won’t eat breakfast or lunch.” Or, “It makes me afraid to hear you throwing up.”
Once you have talked with your daughter and reached a mutual understanding of what is going on, some things that you could do to help your daughter with whatever influences she may be struggling with are being willing and available to talk to her at all times. Showing her a lot of love and give her your time. Compliment her on her abilities and talents, things that don’t have anything to do with her body. Help her to understand what the definition of beautiful is, and that its not just what is on the outside. Love her unconditionally and help her to value herself for who she is and not what she looks like. Help her understand balance and don’t encourage perfectionism. Help your daughter to understand whatever messages she’s listening to, are really saying. That the media isn’t only promoting skinny and beautiful. Help her decipher the messages in a way that will be positive for her.
When she is ready to seek professional help, these are a few of the places you can talk about to go to for the help you’ve both decided would be best.
Medical care
If her bulimia has caused health complications, those must be treated. She may need frequent monitoring of her vital signs, hydration level and electrolytes to ensure her condition isn't getting worse. If complications are serious, hospitalization may be necessary until your health is stabilized.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term for a way of treating bulimia by talking about the problem and related issues with a mental health provider. Psychotherapy is also known as therapy, talk therapy, counseling or psychosocial therapy.
Some studies show that a type of talk therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy offers the most benefit in treating bulimia. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones.
Interpersonal therapy also may be effective for treating bulimia. Interpersonal therapy focuses on your current relationships with other people. The goal is to improve your interpersonal skills — how you relate to others, including family, friends and colleagues. You learn how to evaluate the way you interact with others and develop strategies for dealing with relationship and communication problems.
Medications
Antidepressant medications may help some people with bulimia. The only antidepressant specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat bulimia is fluoxetine (Prozac), a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). However, doctors can also prescribe other antidepressants or medications to treat bulimia.
Nutritional therapy
In some cases, you may have a dietitian on your health care team. A dietitian — or another medical provider — can teach you both about eating a healthy diet and meeting all your nutritional needs. A dietitian can also design a customized eating plan to help her achieve her weight and nutrition goals.
Hospitalization
Bulimia can usually be treated outside of the hospital. When needed, hospitalization may be on a medical or psychiatric ward. Specialized eating disorder clinics offer intensive treatment, usually for several weeks or months. Other clinics or eating disorder programs may offer day treatment, rather than full inpatient hospitalization. Check with your health insurance provider to see what kind of coverage you have for eating disorder treatment. If you lack insurance coverage for the intensive treatment needed, work with your doctors and mental health providers to find solutions.
Treatment challenges in bulimia
Like other eating disorders, bulimia can be difficult to overcome or manage. Although the majority of people with bulimia do recover, some find that bulimia symptoms don't go away entirely. Bulimia may be more like a chronic condition that requires long-term care. Periods of bingeing and purging may come and go through the years, depending on life circumstances. In times of high stress, for instance, it may be easy to return to familiar, if unhealthy, eating behavior. If this should occur, "booster" sessions with your health care providers can help weather the crisis before the eating disorder spirals out of control again. Learning positive ways to cope, creating healthy relationships and managing stress can help prevent a relapse.
Website used to describe treatment possibilities: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bulimia/DS00607/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
Website used for the main body of the paper, as well as the Abnormal Psychology book: http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/bulimia-nervosa.cfm