How to Get Your Teen to Talk About Their Eating Disorder?

You suspect your teen has an eating disorder and you want to talk to them about it. How do you go about that when you can’t get them to talk to you?

Often, people suffering from eating disorders don’t know how to express themselves or how to talk about what they feel inside. This is even harder for a teen because of all the physical and mental changes they go through at that age.

Even if you ask all the right questions, you may be unable to help your teen put their thoughts and feelings into words in a way you’d understand. And if you don’t understand what has been bothering them, how will it ever come to you that you should consult an eating disorder specialist in London?

Think about it. As a teen, you have a hard time getting them to open up and talk to you. Now factor in that they have an eating disorder, and it’s really going to be hard to crack them open and talk.

So how do you get your teen to open up with you and really discuss their feelings?

Answer: Keep your conversations short, simple, and to the point.

As parents, we tend to barrage our kids with questions one after another. That’s not ideal. Slow down the run of words, take a deep breath, just ask one simple question and wait for an answer before you throw another one at them. Don’t fill in the silence for them and try to look encouraging and open-minded.

Remember, just as you’re watching for face and body clues from them to figure out what to say, they are doing the same to you! If you have your arms crossed in front of your chest or you’re tapping your toes, or your jaw is set, they are probably going to want to talk to you right then and there. Your body language is telling them that you’re not going to be sympathetic or understanding.

The Final Words

In order to recover, your teen may need to go through a long inpatient eating disorder treatment programme. But before you can do that, you need to get them to open up with you and tell you what’s wrong.

So, when it is time for the talk, be aware of your body language and keep the questions to a minimum. Ask your question and wait for an answer. Being receptive and encouraging instead of judgmental or close-minded will undoubtedly go a long way towards them wanting to share their inner feelings with you.

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Created on Nov 2nd 2020 02:26. Viewed 229 times.

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