ANN/CHINA DAILY – Family-centric treatment is fundamental to overcoming eating disorders, as parents must learn to guide their children towards healthy eating habits, while also addressing the role of family dynamics in the development of these conditions.
Experts suggest that some adolescents with eating disorders have experienced intense parental control for years, and in certain cases, childhood abuse.
“When children grow up in environments that stifle their individuality and independence, they may rebel during puberty,” explains Chen Jue, director of the Eating Disorders Treatment Centre at Shanghai Mental Health Centre.
“If other forms of rebellion are not possible, they might resort to controlling their eating habits as a form of resistance, turning the disorder into a conflict with their parents.”
In situations where parent-child relationships are strained, children might use starvation as a way to exact revenge, hoping that their parents will feel remorse upon seeing their deteriorated condition, adds Chen.
This understanding highlights why treatment for eating disorders often involves a multidisciplinary approach, including specialists in nutrition, paediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, internal medicine, and social work, with the family remaining central to the process.
Treatment typically involves individual and family sessions aimed at uncovering the root causes of the disorder and implementing necessary changes.
For instance, a university student from Shanghai, who requested anonymity under the name “Little A,” shared that her anorexia and amenorrhea began two years ago, partly due to her mother’s constant remarks about her weight.
“Whenever I returned home, my mother would immediately ask, ‘How much do you weigh now?’ which made me anxious. I eventually stopped attending family gatherings,” she reveals.
Family support plays a vital role in the recovery process. As patients start to restore normal eating patterns under medical supervision, their parents must continue to reinforce these habits at home.
During hospitalisation, patients follow a structured eating schedule with three meals and two snacks daily.
“Patients eat together at the same table. Medical staff refrain from discussing food during mealtimes to avoid adding pressure. However, if patients fail to finish their meals, nurses will provide supplemental nutrients equivalent to the remaining food,” Chen notes. – Zhou Wenting
