Discussion around disordered eating in popular media tends to focus on teenage girls and women. However, a recent study showed a rise in males diagnosed with problems related to food. Teenage boys dealing with these issues may feel alone when it comes to finding help. They may not feel there is anywhere they can turn to regain control and learn how to stop disordered eating.
What Is Disordered Eating?
The term “disordered eating” covers a wide range of irregular behaviors people develop toward food. It includes food disorders existing outside of the narrower spectrum referred to as “eating disorders,” a term used to cover a medical diagnosis of conditions like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
Disordered eating is a term used to describe the disrupted eating patterns of those who do not fit the criteria required for an eating disorder diagnosis. Experts refer to this as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Individuals suffering from disordered eating still need care and treatment to keep them from developing more severe health problems.
Below are some of the signs exhibited by young boys experiencing disordered eating patterns:
- Constant weight fluctuations
- Being overly preoccupied with physique and body image in a negative way
- An adherence to rituals when it comes to food and exercise
- The development of compulsive eating habits to gain control over food
It can be hard for young people to comprehend the damage disordered eating poses to their long-term health. They tend to see themselves as merely getting “healthy” or framing it as a way of improving their self-image.
What Drives Disordered Eating in Boys
Disordered eating manifests differently in young boys. Girls may preoccupy themselves with being thin. Adolescent males tend to compare themselves to idealized physiques of their peers or figures they see on social media, TV, and film. What may start as admiration can evolve into being consumed with crafting the ideal body they feel meets those lofty expectations.
It may start with a teenaged male deciding to cut out foods they feel is keeping them from achieving the perfect body. However, this doesn’t satisfy them and they end up resorting to more extreme behavior. It gets to the point where health becomes secondary to achieving a goal in their mind that can never be satisfied.
How Our Facility Helps
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery redefines the clinical experience for teenagers and adolescents. Our focus is on helping boys between the ages of 14 and 17 break the compulsive patterns driving their current behavior as it relates to food. They understand how to answer the question, “What is disordered eating?” and the effects it has on a young man’s well-being.
Our treatment programs make the following therapies available to help young adolescents learn how to stop disordered eating:
- Help with past and current trauma
- Treatment for mental health issues
- Assistance working through problems with substance abuse
- Help diagnose underlying psychological issues
We offer individual, group, and family sessions to fit the need of each of our clients. Our team works hard to help male adolescents get their lives back on track and gain more control over their eating habits. As a result, they learn to build a healthier relationship with food, view themselves positively, and develop a better self-image when it comes to their bodies.
Understanding how to stop disordered eating in our clients is the top priority. Everyone at Foothills at Red Oaks Recovery does everything possible to create a positive, affirming environment.
Get Help With Disordered Eating at Foothills at Red Oaks Recovery
Our adolescent program in Ellenboro, NC provides quality care for teenage males looking to gain control over their eating habits. Reach out to us today at 866.300.5275 for more information on helping male adolescents learn how to stop disordered eating.
