How can you Explain Anorexia to a 12 year old?

Answer 1

you just tell her that anorexia is an disorder where you allways think your to fat and need to lose more weight. when they look in the mirror they think they are so fat when really they are so skinny it looks unnormal. it also makes you lose hair and your bones stick out a lot. hey im 10 and i understand everything about it so it cant be harder to tell it to someone two years older than me!!! :)

Answer 2

Depending on how old they are will determine how you tell them and how much you tell them. If you were tyring to explain about someone you knew, for example, tell a very young child that they are sick. It's not a lie, either, because eating disorders are serious diseases and mental problems. Older children, or a child who asks for more details, you can gently explain that the person in question's body wasn't healthy. Maybe, depending on the exact problem, you could tell them if there was a problem - like a heart condition, or liver problem, or skin problem - to be more specific, for example. Middle School age and up kids you could tell them more about. Explain what happened (that the person in question hurt themselves through anorerxia) and how they are going to try and get better, hopefully. Explain how this is negative, so the children know that it is not good. Try finding a way that they could help the person who is anorexic, like visits if they are getting help at a hospial, or making cards for a birthday or holiday coming up to show the person that they have others who care about them. In general, tell the younger person how much you feel they should know.