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That's why drugs are necessary, if her psychiatrist puts her on them. If that's the case, it will not destroy her creativity or her brilliance in most cases once she passes through the adjustment phase, and if she's not adjusting, then either dosage or chemical is not functional for her. The goal of medication is to correct the chemical imbalance without damaging that which is functional. As a psychologist who works closely with my client's psychiatrists on meds issues, I'm a huge supporter of adjusting the meds until you get the right one. And please... murder the myth that creativity and art come from misery and the only geniuses are shattered social wrecks. It's not true and it's not healthy. Mental illnesses of all sorts impede creativity, limit genius, and dim brilliance. And it is a chemical imbalance. That's why it hits at puberty. Recognize that every drug works differently in the brain, and for some, we are not entirely certain HOW they work.
I won't address this further in terms of your daughter, but in terms of coping strategies that I've recommended because I don't know either of you and specifics would be unethical. First, early intervention is absolutely critical, and the intervention team that seems to work best is a nutritionist, a psychiatrist who works with eating disorders, a psychologist who works with adolescent girls, and a general practitioner. An HMO specialist (for dealing with the insurance company) is handy, but not always possible. A family psychologist is a good idea.
A/B/C (Anorexia/Bulemia/Cutting) are control issues. They're also neurochemical issues, social issues, and obsessional disorders. They really do lump together very well because the behaviors are very similar. Families of A/B/C clients must work together to learn to communicate effectively and behave appropriately with each other because they are part of the absence of control that the client feels. This is why family therapy is needed. However, just working to be non-combative and cooperative with each other usually helps immensely.
Nutritionists are useful in that one of the biochemical markers of AN is rapid sensory exhaustion. Basically, for those with A, they tire quickly of the flavor of a single food, far more rapidly than their non-A counterparts. Thus, one of the suggestions that we've worked with here and I will be writing a paper on eventually is the use of nouvelle cuisine methods in A treatment. Very small courses, served elegantly, and with varied flavors. It makes for more work, but it also makes the meal an event for everyone, and has had the effect of repairing familial bonds. (Concept built on Rolls, Barbara J. The Role of Sensory-Specific Satiety in Food Intake and Food Selection APA, 1990) The real world example of this is the large quantities of food people consume at holidays, when there is a greater variety of dishes, compared to a normal day. Thus, the idea with an A client is not to replicate that idea of a holiday menu nightly (which would be detrimental to the rest of the family) but to incorporate small courses and dishes to maximize flavor. A sample menu I've used includes a single piece of sushi, a small (3 oz) bowl of soup, a devilled egg, a ribbon sandwich of turkey, roast beef, ham and cheese, a dressed salad of greens, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, peas (served on a saucer), a baby red potato with cheddar, bacon and chives, a petit four and tea. Sounds daunting? not terribly. It can be done with forethought... and lots of small plates. With some clients, everything is eaten with forks and knives and spoons.
A/B/C are usually related to puberty. It is always worth looking into the social atmosphere in the school, especially if the lads have a common culture of harassing the girls. (this happens far more often than most people realizes, and very, very few young women come forward and call them on it.) All girl schools, if available, have been beneficial for young women for whom their initial triggers were based in male-peer harassment and bullying. (This also goes for overeating.) Breast and hip development is usually a trigger so encouraging self exploration and appreciation is indicated. Some therapists outside of the United States have encouraged sexuality training as an adjunct to standard and family therapy. I can't do it here, of course. It makes sense to me, since A/B/C are often rooted in a deep fear of sexuality and sensuality.
Good luck. Get help soon. And give her a hug and a cuddle ASAP. One thing that has been mostly abandoned because we thought we'd drilled it into fathers was "Don't abandon your daughters when they hit puberty, don't treat them differently, and don't distance yourself or become overprotective." If a father's behavior changes, it will exacerbate any existing problems by reinforcing them. Give yourself a good, hard look and make sure you're not changing your behaviors. In 95% of cases, there's nothing that any parent did or didn't do that triggered this, it's just biochemical. In 4% of cases, whatever the trigger was was innocently intended. And in the remaining 1, you have really effing cruel people. But you have to be honest and brutal with yourself because there is no time for self delusion anymore.
Pcat
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