School, Eating Disorders, and Academic Achievement: A Formula for Failure

School, Eating Disorders, and Academic Achievement: A Formula for Failure

Most parents don't like watching their children. When parents encounter a suffering son or daughter, they become solution-oriented and look for the quickest means to solve the problem. Parents who have a child with an eating disorder are the same. Unfortunately, the problem with using this tactic with a child suffering from an eating disorder is that the sufferer develops complicated and often distorted thought processes. As a result, a seemingly logical and quick solution to a problem can have the opposite effect on a person with an eating disorder. In fact, a person with an eating disorder can turn completely normal and loving statements into negative self-affirmations that trigger greater entrenchment in the eating disorder. Thought distortions in eating disorder sufferers affect every aspect of their lives, especially behavior and performance in socially intensive school environments. One of the ways parents unknowingly encourage greater entrenchment in their child's eating disorder is by encouraging their continued and even increased involvement in school in the hopes that it will eliminate the problem if the child is simultaneously actively distorting the messages they receive about the eating disorder.

THE PROFILE OF A TYPICAL SUFFERING

An eating disorder sufferer is a behavioral contradiction. A person who is deeply entrenched in a disorder displays a set of characteristics that are diametrically opposed to their behavior when they do not have the disorder. They become listless, withdrawn, emotionally numb, non-expressive, disinterested in activities, antisocial and unable to concentrate. Once they work through their distorted thinking, they return to their real selves - sensitive, intelligent, outgoing, involved in many activities that reveal their many talents, able to focus on multiple projects, and very giving and loving.

Amy is a beautiful and talented senior in high school. She is a cheerleader, her school's English Sterling scholar, writes beautiful poems and stories, and is very active in school affairs. Amy has recovered from an eating disorder that has completely disrupted her life. She writes,

"Eating disorders are born, raised, and sustained by negativity. It is the bitterness that I experienced with my eating disorder that allowed me to appreciate and enjoy sweetness much more than before...Like any addict or drug addict...I refused to believe I had a problem. It was only when I was in the hospital for almost three months...that I realized the terrible consequences of my eating disorder. It had made me the person I NEVER was." wanted to be: I fought with my parents, I said things I will forever regret, I lied, I stole, I flunked my studies, I isolated myself, twice I attempted suicide... ultimately everything I had worked for and wanted was either gone or I lived in a gray haze that never cleared and systematically let the little light in my life fade away. “

The contrast between ED behavior and healthy behavior is dramatic and frightening. Parents who observe this change in their child's behavior, from a bright, energetic and outgoing person to the opposite, react with a quick desire to change the trend. Unfortunately, very often the tried and tested methods of eliminating suffering and changing undesirable behaviors are the very things that make the disorder worse. Telling a daughter, “You’re beautiful and don’t worry!” is usually interpreted as "She feels like she has to say that because I'm so ugly" and the command "Eat all the food on your plate!" can be interpreted as: “My parents want me to be fat and unpopular at school.”

THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

One of the most obvious signs that something is going wrong in the person's life is the impact of the disorder on academic performance. The patient's normally very good grades begin to slip. They begin to withdraw from activities and become more antisocial. They lose interest in school subjects and extracurricular activities. They lose their ability to concentrate on important projects, papers and tests. They become much more sensitive to what is going on around them and what others think about them.

"I couldn't concentrate on my school studies. My concentration was terrible and I could never read book assignments without my mind wandering. I was always too tired to stay awake and most of the time my head was on the desk sleeping. All my energy went into my eating disorder. It was a top priority." - 19 year old female

"My concentration decreased, I skipped classes, isolated myself from friends and didn't care about grades. I went from A and B to D and F." – High school junior

School is a fast-paced, relentless, socially competitive and demanding environment. When you combine this with the changes taking place in the lives and bodies of young men and women, it becomes a potentially threatening and frightening place. When a person wonders and worries about their social and intellectual status, the school environment can become a very intimidating place. For a person suffering from ED, the school environment is filled with messages that can become twisted and confusing. The whole experience can become too overwhelming to bear.

"My anorexia nervosa destroyed my concentration, my drive, my love for school, and my performance in class. Education no longer played a crucial role in my life. My anorexia nervosa occupied and consumed all my time, leaving little time for school and studies. Anxiety-producing stress only made my anorexia nervosa worse, which in turn affected my performance." - Freshman college student

Parents looking for the quickest and most logical means to alleviate the disorder that causes anorexia or bulimia in the family encourage their child with eating disorders to become more involved and work harder to demonstrate their natural talents and abilities in their school environments - talents that they know children have because they have observed them for years. The child, unable to deal with the negativity he feels all around him at school, reacts in the opposite way and begins to withdraw and shut down even more. They know what they feel and are confused by their inability to deal with their parents' seemingly simple solutions. They naturally begin to believe that there is something wrong with them, that is, that they are a social outcast, unable to fit in and undeserving of good things.

"My eating disorder has destroyed school for me. I hate school and sleep through everything. My focus is not on anything other than my eating disorder and therefore school is a waste of time." – 21 year old woman

UTAH STATISTICS

Last year, approximately 4,000 middle and high school students in Utah County and Las Vegas, Nevada, completed a food survey to assess ED behavior. The survey results suggest that approximately 6% to 13% have already developed a diagnosable eating disorder; 30% to 35% have attitudes and beliefs about food and weight that fall into abnormal ranges and put them at risk for developing an eating disorder. These results document that there is a great need for effective education and prevention programs.

A TEACHER'S DILEMMA

It is important for teachers to understand the effects of anorexia and bulimia so they can recognize the signs and consequences in their students. Because most students with anorexia and bulimia are very intelligent and talented, it can be difficult for teachers to capture the subtle changes in students' feelings and attitudes before their academic performance suffers. Consequently, knowing that 2 in 10 girls in their classes are at risk for developing ED presents a dilemma as to when to raise concerns about anorexia and bulimia. Therefore, it is helpful to address the topic generally at various times throughout the year. In this way, students who are silently struggling with the pressures and stresses of life and school are encouraged to speak privately with you or a school counselor before they develop eating disorders that interfere with academic performance. The fact that a teacher is willing to address this topic openly and generally can be seen as a safe invitation for students who are afraid of the negative consequences of an eating disorder to do something for themselves.

Another dilemma teachers often face is how to approach a student about a suspected eating disorder that is affecting personal and academic performance. Most girls with a disorder will deny, minimize, or lie about the problem when confronted directly. They are often ashamed of who they are and how they behave. It's important not to make direct accusations about concerns, but to speak gently about what you see as a teacher and encourage them to talk to you or someone else if they feel ready. Raising concern in their presence and then giving them space to come back to you, whether they're struggling with an eating disorder, depression, or another personal issue, will let them know that you noticed, cared about it, and offered a friendly invitation to do something about it.

For the student who is more entrenched in the ED, another dilemma for a teacher is telling other school staff or parents about their concerns. Sometimes parents are the last to see the eating disorder because they want to believe their daughter's answers to their questions. It is important to speak to the student privately first. Explain that you need to do something to help them rather than ignoring or avoiding the problem. Then give them some time to talk to you about who they would like you to talk to about the problem. For many girls with eating disorders, it was the persistence and honesty of a significant other that led to their decision to seek treatment. For girls who are too afraid or angry to admit or address the eating disorder, it is very important to make more people aware of their problem, including parents, so that teachers do not become silent collaborators in the disorder. The student may not be ready to change, but they will know the secret is out.

POSITIVE STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS

There are a number of ways teachers can help their students:

Encourage counselors in schools to create support groups for those struggling with eating disorders and body image concerns. Develop working relationships with advisors who can provide one-on-one work with students and who can consult with outside professionals. Encourage the school to hold assemblies or combined classes where outside professionals and recovering eating disorder patients can make presentations to students. Provide materials and information for students to review on their own. Conduct a school-wide awareness program during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week in February. Be aware of the reality that eating disorders are about psychological and emotional pain and conflict, not food and weight. Actively provide students with invitations and encouragement to get help to overcome their eating fears or disorders. Speak informally with other teachers to build a network that can identify at-risk students and support those identified students.

POSITIVE STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS

Parents can help their daughters by: Treating this problem not just as an academic problem, but recognizing the emotional roots of anorexia and bulimia. Be open to feedback from teachers, counselors, and others who can help. Find out about the causes, effects and treatments of eating disorders in literature, books, seminars and on the Internet. Talk to your daughter about what lies beneath the disordered eating behavior. Don't just focus on eating habits. Recognize the need for appropriate assessment, nutritional counseling, medical counseling, and outpatient and inpatient therapy. Participate in a parent support group. Talk to the whole family about the problems and possible solutions to eating disorders. Don't be fooled by a daughter's attempts to minimize and ignore the real problem. Be sure of the need for recovery and be careful not to force the issues. Be a good role model around food, take care of yourself, don't blame yourself and be patient. Recognize that recovery takes time, and don't make unrealistic demands for a quick fix to your daughter's eating disorder.

Inspired by Randy K. Hardman, Ph.D.