"The mother was exhausted and scared. Her daughter had survived leukemia years earlier. Now, facing this different kind of medical crisis, she said something I'll never forget: "Cancer was easier than this." She explained that with cancer, there had been meals delivered by neighbors, clear treatment protocols, and community support. People had rallied around them. But with the eating disorder, she felt paralyzed by shame."
"Here's what the research tells us: eating disorders are multifactorial conditions with complex origins that we're still working to fully understand. They emerge from an intricate interplay of genetic predisposition, neurobiological factors, temperament, environmental influences, and societal pressures. And a society saturated with diet culture, one that has surrounded parents their entire lives with messages about "good" and "bad" foods, body ideals, and the moral value of thinness, definitely doesn't help"
A mother described her daughter's anorexia causing dangerous bradycardia and compared the experience unfavorably to cancer because of lack of clear support. Many parents experience profound shame and unspoken guilt, fearing their own behaviors or anxiety caused the disorder. Research shows eating disorders arise from complex, multifactorial interactions among genetics, neurobiology, temperament, environment, and societal pressures. Pervasive diet culture reinforces harmful body ideals and messages about food. Blaming parents delays help-seeking, perpetuates stigma, and impedes timely treatment. Parents play a critical role in recovery by providing support, facilitating treatment, and advocating for their child.
Read at Psychology Today
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