Treatment for eating disorders

When someone with an eating disorder gets to a level of acceptance of their situation where they want to change, treatment can help by restoring regular and healthy eating patterns, alongside dealing with the psychological and emotional issues that many individuals with these conditions have. Teaching individual’s new ways of coping is often part of therapy plans. Eating disorders are treatable and lots of people recover from them. Your first step is usually through your GP, who can begin the referral process onto specialists and treatments as needed.

There are a number of different types of treatments for eating disorders, and people may be offered a combination of these.

• For those that seek treatment at a very low weight, the first stage will focus on getting weight put on, before therapy begins. This may be done as an in-patient at a hospital or specialist facility
  
• Talking therapies are often an important part of eating disorder treatments and may include; counseling, psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), group therapy, family therapy
  
• Drama and art therapies are sometimes available, as well as some other relaxation treatments such as massage, aromatherapy or reflexology
  
• In some cases medication may be prescribed, such as Ondansetron for bulimia, or antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs

For some people who are at a severely low body weight and in a dangerous physical condition, compulsory admission may be used through sectioning under the mental health act, where treatment such as force-feeding will begin immediately.

Compulsory admission is sometimes needed as the affects of drastic weight loss and starvation can make it difficult for people to think rationally about their situation or make decisions about treatment, so hospitalisation is needed to prevent death, suicide and observe for further medical complications.

• The Maudsley Model
  Suitable for teen and young adult adolescents who are still living at home with an eating disorder where parental control over eating is re-established in the first phase. The second phase follows where the parents pass feeding control back to the adolescent and family therapy is used to address any family issues. The programme finishes with an emphasis on development and creating new family relationships without the eating disorder. Important to this treatment is breaking blame patterns between family members by getting the family as a whole to accept responsibility, address issues and move on together.
  
• The 12 Step Programme
  This approach to treatment uses 12 statements that have to be acknowledged and accepted in the move towards recovery. This is based on the 12 Steps used in treating addictions, most notably by Alcoholics Anonymous. Support from others (usually the group) key to this method, which has a spiritual nature to its running. The 12 steps are based on principles relating to turning yourself over to a greater power to be healed and taking resposibility for harm caused to others through addiction.