Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is most commonly characterized by an obsession with not gaining weight, mostly by teenage girls.

Home » Troubled Teen Help » About Anorexia Nervosa

About Anorexia Nervosa

We Can Help!

INQUIRE NOW

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is most commonly characterized by an inability or unwillingness to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsession with not gaining weight.  In most cases anorexia strikes teenage girls, though older women and occasionally men can suffer from it as well.  It is approximately 10 times more common in women than men.  Though the disease of Anorexia Nervosa was scientifically identified in the 1870s (and symptoms had been described centuries earlier), it first came to widespread public attention with the death of singing star Karen Carpenter in 1983.

Parents of teenagers, particularly teenage girls, should be alert to the onset of symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa, as early treatment can be a significant factor in protection of future health and promotion of recovery.  Treatment typically consists of three phases: first, restoration—working to restore the anorexic individual to a healthy weight; second, therapy—focused on treatment of the underlying psychological issues that led to the problem; and third, modification—changing the behaviors and thinking that trigger anorexia.  In some cases medications are prescribed, which tends to focus more on increasing weight rather than treatment of the causes of the disease.  Patients who respond favorably to treatment tend to have the disease for less than two years.

Anorexia Nervosa is a life-threatening condition that has become much more commonly reported in recent years.  In addition to serious weight loss, physical symptoms of anorexia can include intolerance of cold, growth of facial hair, swollen cheeks and swollen joints.  Behavior symptoms include excessive exercise, obsession with calories, unwillingness to eat with a family or group, baggy clothing and purging.  One of the difficulties parents often have in dealing with anorexics is the difference between their perceptions of their body and the reality.

We’ll help you find a therapeutic boarding school for your child with Anorexia Nervosa

We talk to dozens of parents daily, matching them up with therapeutic boarding schools that can best help their teenager. We visit these schools and we know the people there. And we get regular reports from parents who have placed their teenager there. So we are in a unique position to help you in this important decision. There is NO CHARGE for this service. Just fill in the inquiry form and I’ll provide the best possible options for your child.

[HTML1]

 
 
 
 

The Envoy Group






Therapeutic programs and schools providing treatment for troubled teens. Includes a list of therapeutic boarding schools, the best residential treatment programs for teens, wilderness programs, outdoor therapeutic and adventure therapy programs, young adult programs and programs working with troubled teens and troubled adolescents. Boarding Schools (Emotional Growth Schools and Therapeutic Boarding Schools) provide supervision and counseling for at-risk teenage boys and girls. Each therapeutic school will vary in their approach to the emotional and behavioral needs of the adolescent. Individual, group and family therapy are a part of the milieu. Outdoor Behavioral Health (Wilderness Programs and Outdoor Therapeutic Programs) incorporate a blend of therapeutic modalities in the context of wilderness environments and back country travel. Outdoor behavioral health programs apply wilderness therapy in the field.Residential Treatment Centers offer clinical treatment with both academic and behavioral support, plus medication management and medical monitoring. They treat adolescents with serious psychological and behavior issues, are highly structured, and they offer recreational and adventure activities. Specialty residential treatment centers are often a part of psychiatric and behavioral hospitals.

About Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is most commonly characterized by an obsession with not gaining weight, mostly by teenage girls.