Going Back to School Met with Mixed Emotions

Millions of students at all grade levels, from elementary to high school to college, will head back to school – and many times this is met with mixed emotions. Not because the “summer fun” has ended, but because school adds new pressures into the mix, with many kids focusing on trying to be popular, and some just to even fit in.

Many times these pressures can manifest physically, with young men and women trying to be an ideal body size and weight, just like they see in the people they idolize in magazines and movies. I want to educate students and parents about potential problems and let them know assistance is available.

As many as 10 million females and one million males are fighting a life and death battle with anorexia nervosa or bulimia and another 25 million are fighting a binge eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And because of this, body image and eating disorders are growing concerns in schools around the country.

This is an especially critical time to be aware of potential problems and watch for warning signs. During this time when schedules change drastically with the start of school, and new pressures are added into the mix, children and young adults can be more susceptible to body image issues and concerns.

Warning signs that there could be a potential problem in a loved one include:
•refusal to eat
•difficulty concentrating
•denial of hunger
•obsession with body size and shape coupled with low self esteem
•skipping meals and making excuses for not eating
•eating only a few certain foods considered safe, usually those low in fat and calories

Recognizing these signs and symptoms in a loved one can be a critical first step in working to improve body image distortions. Through early intervention, treatment and therapy, a positive body image can be restored and a life free from the obsession of reaching an “ideal” body size and shape can be achieved.