For 19 years, the Marin County, California Clinic Beyond Hunger has been helping both adults and teens cope with eating disorders. Tonight, a benefit concert will take place to help raise money for the clinic.

"Beyond Hunger helps educate adults and teens with all levels of eating disorders and body image issues through workshops, support groups, community referrals and prevention programs, treating about 2,000 people annually."

The benefit concert will take place at San Rafael Community Center Auditorium, and begins at 7pm. The concert will feature Susan Zelinsky, Shana Morrison, Jennifer Naegele and others.

Read more at Origin.Marinij.com.

Labels: support, treatment

Carrie Fett, former cross-country runner for Purdue University, spent her first two college years watching her strength decrease and her running-times increase. Though her family doctor had warned her in her senior year of high school that she was malnourished, Carrie ignored the warning and told her worried mom that she was just fine.

"'I was like "I don't know what she's talking about. I'm fine..."' Carrie said. 'I straight up denied it. I don't think it mattered what it was because at that point, I thought I was fine and doing the right thing for running."

Her junior year of college, Purdue hired an assistant cross country coach who taught Carrie to emphasize strength and health instead of sacrificing health for sake of faster running times. Read more at FortWayne.com.

Teens often think they're fine when they're obviously not. Especially when it comes to drug use and abuse. Learn more about teen drug abuse and addiction, including teenage drug and alcohol use statistics at Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com.

Labels: athletes, exercise, healthy_eating

Today, the New York State legislature passed two bills that have eating disorder prevention advocates applauding. The bills addressed such issues as eating disorders among child actors, the licensing of residential facilities and the establishment of an advisory council.

"[Lynn] Grefe said that the State decision to create the Child Performers Advisory Board to address concerns surrounding child models and actors for the prevention and identification of eating disorders is much needed."

The Council of Fashion Designers proposed similar guidelines in February but many experts in the field of eating disorders felt the guidelines didn't do enough. Read more at Earthtimes.org.

Looking for a residential treatment center? Island View helps troubled teens with a variety of problems and issues.

Labels: child_welfare, legislation, prevention

JoDee Rigel, a school counselor from Monroe County, Michigan, was the subject of an award-winning article written by a teen who says the counselor saved her life. Ms. Rigel was the first person to take action when she noticed that the young girl, Chelsea, had lost a lot of weight.

"In the essay, Chelsea wrote how Ms. Rigel noticed her significant weight loss and intervened. 'She's done everything for me and has been there since day one,' she said."

Chelsea admitted she had a problem as soon as she was confronted, which Ms. Rigel says helped her recover more quickly. Chelsea's article won an award from Teen Ink Magazine, the content of which is written entirely by teenagers.

Read more at MonroeNews.com.

Labels: awareness, recovery, support

A study conducted recently in the UK determined that watching just 10 minutes of music videos with "scantily clad women" was enough to cause young women to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies. In the media, there's certainly no shortage of "ideal" bodies - both male and female, and since teens spend large portions of their time listening to music and watching videos, they're constantly inundated with these images. We could continue to fight against the media, but maybe there's a better approach.

"To date, despite significant efforts, we have not had demonstrable success in raising self-esteem, part of which is physical self-awareness. A more promising approach with demonstrable positive results is the teaching of coping skills - how to deal with the environment we find ourselves in, how to reduce self-blame when we do not match up with images thrust upon us, and how to be judicious in determining what is good and how that can be achieved."

Teens whose families are close and have open lines of communication, often handle on the media's portrayal of "the perfect body" better. Often, they also have a healthier self-image, and a better understanding and appreciation for who they are as individuals. Read more at TheAge.com.au.

Labels: body_image, media_influences, self-image_issues

Aimee Liu was in 8th grade when she developed signs of anorexia. As an adolescent in the 1960s, her culture was influenced by women like fashion icon Twiggy and movie star Audrey Hepburn, who were considered "ideal". Though she never exhibited life-threatening symptoms, the psychological effects of the disorder ran deep.

"We tend to focus on the physical when people talk about eating disorders. This is problematic because it's really a psychological problem. The misunderstanding occurs when a person appears to come back to normal weight; the anorexia is a distress signal or an expression of an under-lying emotional problem. If not addressed, the symptoms or eating disorder, will recur later in life."

To keep this from happening in her own life, Aimee focuses on developing a diverse identity; focusing on hobbies and other interests that can help shape her identity. Aimee Liu"s book, Gaining – the Truth about Life after Eating Disorders, is published through Warner Books. Read more at Cleveland.com.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, signs_of_eating_disorders, support

Emma Farnsworth knows first-hand the pain and confusion of trying to overcome an eating disorder. She spent several weeks at an eating disorder treatment facility in St. Louis. What she discovered is that, while an eating disorder certainly damages the body, it has an equally devastating affect on the mind and soul.

"Eating disorders are abusive, selfish, vacuous and deadly - but the media glamorizes them by giving them attention, even when showing a skeletal model on the verge of death. I have seldom come across a truly honest article about the emotional and mental burden of anorexia and bulimia."

Farnsworth recounts her time in the treatment center, getting to know the other girls. Aside from their eating disorders, she says, many seemed quite normal. All wanted to be good friends and siblings and hopefully good wives and moms someday. But eating disorders slowly wore away at their joy and hope, even more than their bodies. Read more at MSNBC.MSN.com.

Teens with eating disorders can find help at an adolescent residential treatment center such as Island View. Not sure what exactly your teen is suffering from? The Aspen Institute of Behavioral Assessment can diagnosis your child and form a treatment plan.

Labels: effects_of_eating_disorders, support, treatment

Young people who are struggling with eating disorders can have difficulty finding things to be grateful for. One clever young woman decided to create a book where guests in her home could write about the joys and blessings in their own life.

"She started it as a reminder of life's small joys. Anyone can write in it. Anyone can read it. You can sign you name if you want. The only rule is to write what you are grateful for."

A Grateful Book can be a great pick-me-up when your teen (or you) is having a bad day. It can also provide some hope and reminders of the things worth living and fighting for. Read more online.

Labels: hope, support, treatment

When a teenager is diagnosed with an eating disorder, some form of therapy is usually included in the overall treatment plan. Doctors will often make referrals, but it's best to do some independent research as well.

"To find a good therapist, seek referrals from people you trust, such as friends and family, clergy, professional organizations, other health care providers and your insurance company. Then, check credentials..."

Different types of counselor and therapist are required to have difference credentials or certifications. It's important to make sure credentials and certifications are up-to-date and appropriate for the type of treatment being offered. Read more at DaytonDailyNews.com.

Labels: support, therapy, treatment

Studies conducted over the last several years indicate that just because someone is thin, doesn't mean they're healthy. The studies compared the fitness levels of men and women who were of "normal" weight and who were overweight. To compare fitness levels, all study participants were given a standard treadmill test and exercised to exhaustion. In both studies, people of "normal" weight who were unfit were at a higher risk of heart disease and other illnesses than the overweight participants who were fit.

"Society places a lot of value on being thin, and the pressure to be thin can cause development of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Perhaps our emphasis should shift to encouraging fitness and healthful eating in all age groups. Health is not defined by a single factor but a combination of many. We all can take some small steps closer to a healthy lifestyle."

Read more at ClarionLedger.com.

Adolescent drug abuse and treatment for teen alcohol and drug addiction can be explained at 4TroubledTeens.com. 4TroubledTeens.com offers parents help for teen drug use and teen drug addiction.

Labels: fitness, healthy, lifestyle

Evelin Alvarez and Kayla Claxton are juniors at Yspilanti High School near Ann Arbor, Michigan. They recently presented a paper titled "Eating Disorders and the Social Pressures that Cause Them" at a research institution called Altarum.

"'...We only surveyed junior and senior girls at Ypsi (high school)... We asked the girls questions on whether they considered themselves to be healthy, and through that, we found that they no longer know what healthy is.'"

Alvarez and Claxton will each receive a $750 scholarship award for their paper. They intend to take the information they've gathered and use it to raise awareness in their school about the dangers and treatments options of eating disorders. Read more at MLive.com.

Outdoor education programs, outdoor therapy, and brat camps can help kids with substance abuse problems and other behavioral issues. Learn more about outdoor therapy programs at Wilderness-Programs-Info.com.

Sage Walk, featured on ABC's Brat Camp, helps teens with behavior and emotional issues. Visit sagewalk.com to learn more about their brat camp program.

Labels: awareness, education, high-school_girls

Prader-Willi Syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes a person to feel hungry all the time. The syndrome affects the hypothalamus region of the brain, which controls - among other things - feelings of fullness or hunger. Because someone with Prader-Willi always feels hungry, a serious eating disorder is developed that can cause life-threatening obesity.

"This problem is made worse because people with Prader-Willi syndrome use fewer calories than those without the syndrome because they have less muscle mass. The combination of eating massive amounts of food and not burning enough calories can lead to life-threatening obesity if the diet is not kept under strict control."

Other symptoms of Prader-Willi include decreased muscle mass, slower development of motor and language skills, and cognitive problems. Read more at NICHD.NIH.gov.

Labels: calorie_restriction, genes, hunger