Help! Has anyone lived through an experience with a teenage son with an eating disorder? My son is nearly 18 now. Until the age of 15 he led a 'normal' life of friends, school, active social life and a love of sailing. Almost overnight he seemed to change with reports from school worsening and then a marked weight loss until I realised he was over-eating and then making himself ill. When I finally got him to talk about it we went to our local Doctor who referred him for counselling and diet advice. All seemed to go well until after he was 16 and decided he didn't want to go to counselling any longer as it 'made him feel worse'. He's now in his first student flat and about to start higher education and I know he's still in suffering with the eating disorder as when he comes home the pattern is still the same. I've tried so many times talking to him but he just changes the subject or clams up. I feel so helpless, especially since he's now away from home a lot of the time. My husband says I should step back and wait for him to sort things out for himself - is he right?