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Getting Help for the Patient
The Sooner the Better!!
- Eating disorders are physically and emotionally
destructive. People with eating disorders need to seek professional
help immediately. Early diagnosis and intervention significantly enhance
recovery. If not identified or treated in their early stages, eating
disorders can become chronic, debilitating, and life-threatening.
- Asking for help is the first step! Admitting
you have an eating, exercise, or body image problem is a difficult
step to take, but getting the right help is essential.
Eating disorders can be treated and a healthy
weight restored!
- 80-90% of eating disordered patients responds to
treatment and at least half of those with eating disorders recover
completely.
- Remember: early intervention increases the likelihood
of positive results.
What Does Treatment Involve?
- For most people, eating disorders can be treated
successfully with a combination of ongoing medical care and monitoring,
psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and often, medication.
- The consensus is that good treatment often requires
a spectrum of treatment options and must often involve clinicians
from different health disciplines, such as nursing, nutrition and
mental health.
- Medical care and nutritional counseling focus on
the physical aspects of an eating disorder; while psychotherapy can
help an individual address the reasons that eating behaviors and/or
body or weight preoccupation have become out of control.
- Care should be coordinated and provided by a health
professional with expertise and experience in dealing with eating
disorders.
- Treatment should be individually tailored. Treatment
will vary depending on the severity of the disorder and the client’s
particular problems, need, and strengths.
- Treatment is usually conducted in the least restrictive
setting that can provide adequate safety for the individual.
- Keep in Mind: it is important for you to feel comfortable
confiding in your doctor.
- Ultimately: the individual needs to learn how to
live peacefully and healthfully with themselves and food.
General Treatment Strategies:
Anorexia Nervosa
Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves three
main phases:
- restoring weight lost to severe dieting and purging;
- treating psychological disturbances such as distortion
of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts; and
- achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation,
or full recovery.
Bulimia
The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or eliminate
binge eating and purging behavior.
Nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and medication
management strategies are often employed.
Specific aims include: establishment of a pattern of regular, non-binge
meals, improvement of attitudes related to the eating disorder, and
resolution of co-occurring disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Binge-Eating
The treatment goals and strategies for binge-eating disorder are similar
to those for bulimia.
RESOURCES
These organizations offer nationwide treatment or refer individuals
to specific treatment centers in their area.
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