Eating disorders and the family

How do eating disorders affect the family?
Eating disorders don't only affect the individual who is diagnosed, but the entire family of that individual. Because an eating disorder is such a difficult thing to overcome, it can be a very stressful thing for the family of the sufferer.
Research supports the idea that eating disorders are addictive behaviors (Davis & Claridge, 1998), which suggests that perhaps an eating disorder can have similar impacts on the family as other addictions do.
Many individuals with eating disorders also have other mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which all impact the family in their own way.

How can families help in recovery from an eating disorder?
Eating disorders can be very stressful and hard for the entire family, but the family is so important in the journey to recovery. The love and support of the family is needed  during this time more than ever. Recovery is a very long and difficult process often consisting of relapse, and the sufferer will need all the love and support they can get. Be patient and realize that your family member is suffering from an addiction. It will take time to heal and overcome, but it is well worth it!
The family can play a very important role in recovery when an eating disorder is already in place, but it would be better if families would work to prevent the eating disorder from occurring.

What family factors contribute to the development of an eating disorder? 

• Overprotective and over-involved parents. If a child/teen feels like they are so controlled that they don't even have their own identity, they will be motivated to seek it in unhealthy ways, including through eating disorders.
• Perfectionist families. If the child feels constant pressure to meet unrealistically high expectations, they may turn to controlling their eating in unhealthy ways to control something.
• Dysfunctional and negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse
• Marital discord and divorce
• Abuse-sexual, physical, and emotional can all play a part in the development of an eating disorder.

As the above factors indicate, there is much that can be done within our families to prevent eating disorders (Engel, Reiss, & Dombeck, 2007). The role of families in the development of an eating disorder is huge. As parents, we can do our part to prevent eating disorders by taking care of our own families and by providing a safe and loving environment for our children. They need to know that our love for them is unconditional  and that they are loved and accepted. Those messages will have the greatest strength in overcoming the media's influence on our children.