Preventing treatment dropout and relapse in eating disorder recovery requires a combination of motivation, structured support, and emotional resilience. Many individuals struggle with ambivalence, fear of weight gain, or resistance to change, which can lead them to disengage from treatment or return to disordered behaviors. By identifying early warning signs and implementing relapse prevention strategies, patients can stay on the path toward long-term recovery.

Many individuals with anorexia nervosa experience ambivalence toward treatment—feeling both a desire to recover and a deep fear of letting go of their disorder. This internal conflict makes treatment challenging, as patients may resist interventions even when they are medically at risk.

Perfectionism is often seen as a negative trait—especially when it fuels eating disorders, anxiety, and self-criticism. However, not all perfectionism is harmful. When understood and managed well, perfectionism can be a gift that fosters resilience, motivation, and success in recovery and life.

Stress is a major trigger for eating disorder behaviors, whether it leads to restriction, bingeing, purging, or compulsive exercise. Learning healthy stress management techniques is crucial in recovery to prevent relapse, improve emotional regulation, and rebuild a positive relationship with food and body image.

Journaling is a powerful tool in eating disorder (ED) recovery. It helps teens and individuals process emotions, track progress, identify triggers, and develop healthier thought patterns about food, body image, and self-worth.

Many teens with eating disorders (EDs) struggle with poor sleep quality, including insomnia, frequent waking, or restless sleep. Disruptions in sleep can make mood, appetite regulation, and recovery harder, so establishing good sleep hygiene is essential.

If your child is not gaining enough weight despite treatment efforts, it’s important to identify barriers, adjust the recovery plan, and seek additional medical and nutritional support. Below is a step-by-step guide to help parents navigate this challenge.

As your child progresses in eating disorder recovery, the goal is to gradually shift responsibility for eating back to them in a safe and structured way. This process requires patience, monitoring, and emotional support to ensure they maintain progress without feeling overwhelmed.

Traveling with a child in eating disorder recovery can feel overwhelming, but with planning, structure, and flexibility, it is possible to maintain progress while creating positive memories. Whether it’s a family vacation, school trip, or visiting relatives, keeping your child emotionally supported and nutritionally stable is key.

Pediatricians use growth charts and BMI percentiles to monitor a child’s growth pattern over time. These tools help determine if a child is growing at a healthy rate compared to peers of the same age and sex.

There is no single "normal" weight for a child, as healthy weight varies based on age, height, body composition, genetics, and growth stage. Instead of focusing on a number, pediatricians use growth charts and Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles to assess whether a child is growing in a healthy way.

Purging—whether through vomiting, laxative use, excessive exercise, or fasting—is a serious and dangerous behavior associated with bulimia nervosa, binge-purge subtype anorexia, and other eating disorders. Helping a teen overcome purging requires compassion, medical and psychological intervention, and a structured recovery plan.

When a child has an eating disorder (ED), the entire family is impacted—including siblings. While parents focus on meal support and medical care, siblings may experience confusion, worry, resentment, or guilt. Providing support for siblings is just as important to maintaining a healthy family dynamic during recovery.

Eating disorder recovery is a long and challenging journey, but full recovery is possible. Many families have walked this path and seen their children regain health, happiness, and a positive relationship with food. Below are realistic and hopeful success stories of kids who have recovered, along with the key lessons their families learned.

Teachers and coaches play a crucial role in identifying and supporting children struggling with eating disorders. Since kids spend a significant amount of time at school and in sports, these trusted adults can provide early intervention, emotional support, and a safe environment for recovery.

Parents who have walked the difficult path of supporting a child through an eating disorder often come away with valuable insights, lessons, and advice for others facing similar struggles. Below are some of the most important lessons from experienced parents, offering hope, guidance, and practical strategies.

Recovering from an eating disorder (ED) as a family is challenging, emotional, and requires structure, patience, and teamwork. Below is an example of what a typical day might look like for a family supporting a child through eating disorder recovery, incorporating meal structure, therapy, emotional support, and self-care.

Sports and extracurricular activities play a major role in shaping a child’s relationship with food, body image, and eating habits. While participation in physical activities promotes overall health, it can also increase the risk of disordered eating behaviors, especially in sports where weight, body composition, or endurance are emphasized.

Children with eating disorders (EDs) often develop nutrient deficiencies due to food restriction, purging, or extreme selective eating. These deficiencies can affect growth, brain function, energy levels, and overall health. Proper nutrition restoration is key to healing and preventing long-term complications.

Eating disorders significantly impact gut health, leading to digestive issues, altered gut bacteria, and long-term gastrointestinal (GI) complications. The relationship between the gut and the brain (gut-brain axis) means that disordered eating not only affects digestion but also mood, anxiety, and mental health. Understanding this connection can help improve treatment, symptom management, and recovery.