TRIGGERS.
There is no main trigger to anorexia and bulimia, but the conditions usually begin with the thought that someone is fat and they begin harmless dieting but then it gradually come to extreme and unhealthy weight loss.
- Social attitudes toward body appearance, often unrealistic — are believed to play a large role.
- Adolescents who develop anorexia and bulimia are more likely to come from
families with a history of weight problems, physical illness and mental
health problems, such as depression or substance abuse. Genetics may also play a
role. - Often teens with anorexia and bulimia come from families
with high levels of stress, poor patterns of communication, unrealistically high
expectations and underdeveloped problem-solving skills. - Sports or activities in which leanness is emphasized (e.g., ballet, running
or wrestling) and sports in which scoring is partly subjective (e.g., skating
or gymnastics) are associated with a higher incidence of eating
disorders. - Teens with anorexia and bulimia often have other mental health
problems, such as anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), affective
(or mood) disorders and problems with substance abuse. They may also be dependent,
immature in their emotional development and likely to isolate themselves from
others