DR. WALLACE: Our health and safety teacher said that almost all of those who suffer from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) are girls don't want to be overweight. Don't boys want to have nice bodies too? —Janelle, Dallas, Tx.
JANELLE: Girls bow to social pressures to be slim and some of them become quite addicted to the pursuit of "slimness". There are cases where those afflicted literally starve themselves to death. These young victims suffer from anorexia nervosa.
Boys have less of a tendency to become anorexic, as most of them are not trying to be slim. The few males who do suffer are generally those who are pressured by their families to succeed in one field or another. Guys usually want to gain muscle and strength, not lose weight.
I had the good fortune to be able to work with teens and a psychiatric Hospital in Santa Ana, California years ago and counseled a number of young adults who suffered from anorexia nervosa. In the four years I counseled anorexic teens, only one was a young man whose parents were pressuring him to become a medical doctor. It took several years for him to eat a normal meal. He didn't become a doctor after all, but I kept in touch with him and he is now happy as a head football coach at a midwestern high school, and he loves it!
DAD IS SUPER CAUTIOUS
DR. WALLACE: I need help with my problem and I have no one to turn to but you. I am 16 and live alone with my father. My mother died three years ago. I love my father very much and realize that he has a difficult time trying to be both a mother and father to me.
I've been dating my boyfriend for about six months and it's a wonderful relationship that is built on mutual love, friendship and trust. My problem is that my father doesn't trust us. He thinks that because we hold hands and kiss that it could lead to "other things." He is thinking of making me drop my boyfriend.
I understand why my dad 's being cautious, but he is being "super, super" cautious with me during my upbringing. Help! —Anonymous, Memphis, TN.
ANONYMOUS: Bring your boyfriend home as often as possible so your father will have opportunity to better judge this young man. Once your father can feel comfortable that your boyfriend's intentions are honorable, he will shift from super cautious to just cautious. This would be good for all three of you.
BULIMIA VS. ANOREXIA
DR. WALLACE: My aunt recently told my mom that her daughter, who is 17, has an eating disorder. She's bulimic. I don't see how this is possible because she looks normal, not skinny. In fact, I've seen her eat junk food. I think my aunt is just making this up because her daughter has been in a lot of trouble and saying that she's bulimic as a way of excusing her behavior. Please tell me my cousin couldn't be bulimic. —Anonymous, Ames, IA.
ANONYMOUS: It's possible your cousin is bulimic. You're confusing bulimia with anorexia, which are both serious eating disorders. Anorexia is defined as voluntary starvation resulting in a minimum weight loss of 15 percent. Bulimics, on the other hand, will habitually gorge themselves, and then proceed to induce vomiting to eliminate the food just consumed. While anorexics become emaciated, bulimics usually maintain a normal weight or are even a tad heavier.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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