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The Link Between High-Achieving Families and Eating Disorders
Contributor: Kristeen Cherney freelance health and lifestyle writer for Healthline
As a parent, it’s normal to want your child to succeed. However, there is a fine line between success and perfection. High-achieving families can cultivate unnecessary stress in the household, which may lead to a range of health problems.
Eating disorders are classified as mental disorders because of the related emotional and behavioral issues. The problem here is that other factors might not be considered. In some cases, families can inadvertently contribute to the development of eating disorders in the household, where constant stress can play a role.
These pressures most commonly stem from families. There is nothing wrong with achieving your goals, but if your family is extremely high-stressed, this can take a toll on your body and eating habits.
Defining High-Achieving Families
High-achieving families aren’t always those families you see yelling at their kids at sports-games. Some high-achievers might quietly obsess over perfection within the comfort of their own homes. Signs of a high-achieving family include:
- Exhibiting a strong need to please others
- Extremely high levels of energy and/or stress
- Perception that they can do everything
- Feeling like no one can do anything right
- Inability to rest, or even feeling that rest is for lazy people
- Obsession with looking perfect (this can include excessive exercise)
- Constant need to prove themselves
It’s important to remember that an encouraging, hands-on family is not necessarily high-achieving. The difference lies in whether the desire for perfection is the top family goal.
Role of Gender and Age
While eating disorders affect Americans of all ages, it’s a fact that young women are at the highest risk. Research is ongoing into the possible biological effects, but social factors should be the top consideration.
Women seem to be under the most pressure to be perfect, and the incessant media’s depiction of perfect bodies don’t help. Added stress from families can lead to eating too little or too much.
According to Princeton University, about 30 percent of college students are affected by eating disorders. Most students are in their late teens or early 20s.
This suggests that the habits and behavior inherent in eating disorders have already developed before entering college.
These same students might also strive for perfection in classes, as well as in social situations, fearing backlash from their parents.
What Can be Done?
Preventing the effects of high achievement and eating disorders is a challenge for all parties involved. Parents might pressure their children to strive for perfection without realizing it. In this case, it’s important that parents take a step back to assess the effects on their children.
Do the children have low self-esteem? Do they have emotional breakdowns when they make mistakes, or something just doesn’t go their way? Does their overall health seem off?
Sometimes it’s hard to control all of the external factors that might contribute to eating disorders. This includes high-achieving families. Counseling can help your family set realistic goals and expectations for loved ones without being overbearing. Individual counseling is also critical in fighting eating disorders.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What is your experience with setting realistic expectations for yourself and your family?
Resources:
- Eating Disorders (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml
- Eating Disorders. (2014, January 16). Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/uhs/healthy-living/hot-topics/eating-disorders/
- Davis-Laack, Paula. (2012, January 3). High-Achieving Women Think Differently: 7 Mindsets That Can Cause You Stress. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pressure-proof/201201/high-achieving-women-think-differently-7-mindsets-can-cause-you-stress
About the Author:
Kristeen Cherney is a freelance health and lifestyle writer who also has a certificate in nutrition. Her work has been published on numerous health-related websites with a focus on women’s health issues. Previously, she worked as a communications and marketing professional.
Kristeen holds a BA in Communication from Florida Gulf Coast University, and is currently pursuing an MA in English with a concentration in rhetoric and cultural studies. When she’s not writing or studying, she enjoys walking, kick-boxing, yoga, and traveling.
The opinions and views of our guest bloggers are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
