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Parents often have worries or doubts when considering taking their child in for an assessment for an eating disorder. It is understandable to feel uncertain about taking such a big step, so Nadia Brooker, Counselling Psychologist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders in Dubai, highlights some of the common concerns below with the hope to offer reassurance.
- “I worry that it will make the problem worse”: I often hear families worry that if they draw attention to the issue, it will get worse. In fact, the opposite is true. Early intervention is crucial in preventing long term physical and psychological harm, thus having an assessment helps bring these issues to light and allows us to make a treatment plan and support the young person.
- Fear of stigmatisation or shame: There are often myths surrounding eating disorders, however an important part of the assessment process is to attend to some of these concerns, whilst providing psychoeducation and reassurance. The assessment is a safe, confidential process focused on understanding the young person’s needs in a comprehensive manner. Eating disorders can be scary and confusing, and it is my goal to support families through this in a safe way.
- Young person rejecting help: This is a very common and real fear given the nature of eating disorders. If someone is indeed struggling with an eating disorder, coming to treatment can feel very scary, particularly if they aren’t ready to address the issue or are in denial that there is a problem in the first place. As a clinician, it is our role to make families feel comfortable and understood, yet being clear about the risks of leaving eating disorders untreated.
It’s really important that a child with an eating disorder is seen by a psychologist specialising in eating disorders – the treatment for eating disorders is different from general psychotherapy approaches and you need to make sure your child is receiving the right, evidenced-based care.
If you’re worried about your child, please do book them in for an initial assessment. I’d be happy to work with you to support your child.
Nadia Brooker, Counseling Psychologist, Vivamus.
Call us (04 4403844) or drop us an email (hello@vivamus.me) if you’d like to make an appointment to see Nadia Brooker. Or you can click below.