Provo Canyon School Teen Issues

EATING DISORDERS:

Eating disorders are characterized by an abnormal obsession with food and weight. Eating disorders are much more noticed in women than in men. This can be attributed to the fact that society is seen to put an emphasis on women to be thin, and men to be 'bulked up'. At Provo Canyon many students are enrolled who have active eating disorders that are linked to other issues they may be working on. There is so much pressure in the United States for young women to be 'picture perfect', and an eating disorder prevails as a result of stress of not being able to reach unattainable goals related to this 'picture perfect' ideal. Researchers who study eating-disordered thoughts and behaviors suggest that the media, women's magazines in particular, may play a role in triggering these practices. These are some of the common eating disorders, all of which are addressed at Provo Canyon School.

Anorexia Nervosa

The American Psychiatric Association defines anorexia nervosa as the presence of an abnormally low body weight (15% below normal body weight for age and height), the intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, disturbance and preoccupation with body weight and shape, and amenorrhoea (the absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles). Anorexia can be life-threatening as victims commonly refuse to eat and drastically lose weight. Anorexics are commonly perfectionists, driven to succeed; yet they set unattainable standards of performance for themselves. When they fail to meet these standards, they look for a part of their lives they can control; food and weight become that “control” for them. Low self-esteem and constant self-criticism cause anorexics to constantly fear losing control, and even consuming a small amount of food could be considered a loss of control. One thousand women die of anorexia nervosa each year, and millions more suffer from the destructive physical compications. Student at Provo Canyon School must be willing to eat a nutritious and balanced meal while they are enrolled in the school. If a student is struggling with an eating disorder as his or her main issue other treatment centers may be more appropriate that Provo Canyon School. Provo Canyon can help to determine this through the admissions process.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by the recurrent episodes of bingeing (eating large quantities of food over short periods of time) followed by attempts to compensate for the excessive caloric intake by such purging behaviors as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, severe restrictive dieting or fasting , or excessive exercise. Bulimics often have "binge food," which is the food they typically consume during binges (high-carb, high fat, foods). Some have described their binge episodes as a physical high they feel, numbing out, going into auto-pilot, losing all control, immediate comfort, etc. Again, Provo Canyon School has worked with students who have had Bulimia Nevosa, however students cannot be actively purging upon enrollment at Provo Canyon School. If the student's level of binging and purging is life threatening, there are other treatment centers, which specialize in this disorder.

The reasoning or triggers behind a binge may serve different purposes for different people. This binge episode leads the individual to feel guilt, shame, embarrassment, and complete failure. Bulimics try to regain control of themselves and the situation by purging the food – making up for their mistake. This leads to feeling famished and empty again, and therefore, another uncontrollable binge, followed by feeling powerless, and the vicious binge/purge cycle continues. Bulimics have extreme eating and exercising habits, instead of demonstrating moderation. This compulsive behavior is often echoed in similar destructive behavior such as sexual promiscuity, pathological lying, and shoplifting. Some bulimics not only struggle with the eating disorder, but these other harmful behaviors as well.

Binge-Eating Disorder

This is often referred to as Compulsive Overeating. Binge-eating disorder is similar to bulimia in the recurrent episodes of bingeing; however, binge-eaters do not engage in any purging behavior or attempt to rid themselves of the food in any way. Binges often take place in secret, when the person is alone, since feelings of shame and disgust often accompany the binge. Binge eaters typically eat very rapidly, hide food, and stuff themselves to the point of feeling sick. Some binge eaters may eat to fill an emotional void or spiritual emptiness they feel, in a desperate effort to be satisfied. This is called emotional eating , which is a coping mechanism for stress, depression, anxiety, anger, and many other negative emotions. Provo Canyon School will work with students who have Binge eating disorder, in large part because food at Provo Canyon School is portion-controlled by the culinary staff and planned to be nutritious.

Patients with eating disorders may also have a co-occurring diagnosis of, mood disorder , severe mental depression , Obsessive compulsive disorder , Body dysmorphic disorder , Bipolar disorder , self-harm , personality disorders and substance abuse disorders. Sexual abuse is also frequently reported among those with eating disorders. Women with eating disorders show poorer eating self-efficacy , psychological distress , disinhibition , low self-esteem , less helpful coping strategies , more frequent sensations of hunger , and less cognitive restraint when compared to control groups .

Environmental factors

The media may be a significant influence on eating disorders through its impact on values, norms, and image standards accepted by modern society. Both society's exposure to media and eating disorders have grown immensely over the past decade. Researchers and clinicians are concerned about the relationship between these two phenomena and finding ways to reduce the negative influence thin-ideal media has on women's body perception and susceptibility to eating disorders. The dieting industry makes billions of dollars each year by consumers continually buying products in an effort to be the ideal weight. Hollywood displays an unrealistic standard of beauty that makes the public feel incredibly inadequate and dissatisfied and forces people to strive for an unattainable appearance. This takes an enormous toll on one's self-esteem and can easily lead to dieting behaviors, disordered eating, body shame, and ultimately an eating disorder. Provo Canyon School creates an environment where negative messages about body size and weight are not constantly present. TV, movies, music and other media images are kept to a minimum and when there are examples of women who are below the standard norm for a woman, this is discussed among the girls as well as staff. Students at Provo Canyon School often are able to love their bodies just as they are for the first time because of the emphasis on building self esteem from the inside out.

Family Relationships

Many studies have found that women create rules for themselves pertaining to food restriction as a coping response to reassert personal control over their bodies. Especially in conditions of criticism and coercive parental control during childhood, women use food refusal to gain autonomy and control over their environment. Many studies have showed that many women who experienced physical or sexual abuse as a child end up with eating disorders as a method of punishing oneself due to the feeling of being worthless, or to strive to be “good enough” so they can finally receive the love and acceptance they lacked during childhood. Women may have developed low self-esteem and poor body image, but they can find achievement in abiding by food rules; they gain a sense of control and independence in being disciplined and avoiding "bad" food. These distorted thoughts are correlated with perfectionism and obsessiveness, giving women a false sense of control when, in reality, the eating disorder has totally consumed them.

Addiction

The same personality factors that place individuals at risk for substance abuse are often found in individuals with eating disorders. With addiction and eating disorders there is a need to discharge affective experience through action rather than feeling or being able to talk about them, an inability to regulate tension, the need for immediate gratification, poor impulsive control, and a fragile sense of self. Provo Canyon School also works with Chemical Dependency issues in their program which can help students who stuffer from both an eating disorder and substance abuse. Often in those with eating disorders and substance abuse problems drugs or alcohol is used in attempts to avoid binge eating. Similarly, those with eating disorders may deny their problem or attempt to keep it a secret, much like addicts try to conceal their drug and alcohol usage. Similar to genetic components of addiction, there is a large genetic component to body type.

Developmental etiology

Research from a family systems perspective indicates that eating disorders stem from both the adolescent's difficulty in separating from over-controlling parents, and disturbed patterns of communication. When parents are critical and unaffectionate, their children are more prone to becoming self-destructive and self-critical, and have difficulty developing the skills to engage in self-care giving behaviors. Such developmental failures in early relationships with others, particularly maternal empathy, impairs the development of an internal sense of self and leads to an over-dependence on the environment. When coping strategies have not been developed in the family system, food and drugs serve as a substitute.