Eating Disorder Treatments - An Overview

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Learn what treatment approaches work for people with eating disorders.

Eating Disorder Therapy

The therapeutic options for the treatment of an eating disorder present similarities with the treatments commonly offered for drug or alcohol addiction, and this is because although the abused substance is in this case food, the mental processes causing an eating disorder are very similar to those that occur with addiction. While a heroin addict can detox, and rid their body of the metabolites of the drug in an effort to get clean, an eating disorder patient cannot simply stop eating, and this of course complicates the treatment of the disorder.

Depending on the severity and the type of disorder as it presents, the therapeutic approaches may differ, but generally psychiatric medications, nutritional counseling, behavioral counseling and peer group sessions will all be used in the re-education of the patient. Depending on the assessed physical health as is presented at the beginning of recovery, the first period of a therapeutic treatment program may require enforced feeding through IV, or another type of nutritional maintenance, to get the bodyweight up to a safer and healthier level, ready for the healing of the therapeutic programming.

Encouraging Treatment

Eating disorders are to be taken seriously, and are very dangerous and saddening; and about half of all people diagnosed with anorexia will remain anorexic indefinitely.

The mortality associated with eating disorders is significant, and treatment should be encouraged for anyone suffering through an eating disorder. The likelihood of successfully overcoming a serious eating disorder without professional help is slim and as such family and friends that suspect an eating disorder need to get educated, and offer the encouragement and support needed to convince the acceptance of treatment.