Supporting Your Teen or Young Adult Through an Eating Disorder: A Guide for Parents

As a parent, hearing that your teen or young adult is struggling with an eating disorder can feel overwhelming, scary, and confusing. It’s natural to want to fix things right away, but the journey to healing is often complex and requires patience, understanding, and lots of love.

If you’re reading this, you’re already showing up—and that’s one of the most important steps.

Understanding Eating Disorders

Eating disorders aren’t just about food or weight. They’re serious mental health conditions that often involve emotional pain, control struggles, and deep feelings of insecurity or distress. Your child isn’t choosing this—this is a real illness, and it’s not about “just eating more” or “just getting over it.”

Understanding this can help you approach the situation with empathy rather than frustration or blame.

How You Can Support Your Teen or Young Adult

1. Listen with an Open Heart
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is simply be there to listen without judgment or quick solutions. Let your child share their feelings when they’re ready, and validate their experience by acknowledging how hard things must be for them.

2. Educate Yourself
Learn about eating disorders from trusted sources. Knowing more will help you understand what your child is going through and how best to support them. It also prepares you for conversations with healthcare providers.

3. Encourage Professional Help
Eating disorders often require a team of professionals—therapists, dietitians, and medical doctors—to provide the best care. Encourage your child to engage with these supports and offer to help them find the right resources.

4. Avoid Focusing on Food or Weight
Try not to make every conversation about eating or appearance. Instead, focus on your child’s feelings, achievements, and the things they enjoy. Help them see that they’re so much more than their eating disorder.

5. Be Patient and Compassionate
Recovery isn’t linear. There will be good days and hard days. Your patience, kindness, and consistent support can be one of the most powerful tools in your child’s healing process.

6. Take Care of Yourself Too
Supporting someone with an eating disorder can be emotionally exhausting. Make sure you have your own support system—whether friends, family, or a counselor—to help you stay strong and balanced.

What to Say (and What to Avoid)

Sometimes, well-meaning comments can unintentionally hurt. Here are a few tips:

• Instead of saying, “You need to eat more,” try, “I’m here for you no matter what, and we’ll get through this together.”

• Avoid focusing on weight or appearance, like, “You look fine,” or “Just lose a few pounds.” These can reinforce harmful feelings.

• Encourage open communication: “I’m here to listen whenever you want to talk.”

Remember, You’re Not Alone

Many families face this challenge, and help is available. Support groups for parents, counseling, and educational resources can all provide comfort and guidance.

Above all, remind your teen or young adult—and yourself—that recovery is possible. With time, support, and compassion, healing can happen.

Supporting a loved one with an eating disorder isn’t easy, but your love and presence mean the world. Keep showing up, keep learning, and keep believing in their strength—even when it’s hard to see.

If you need help finding resources or just want someone to talk to about your experience, please reach out. You’re not alone on this journey.