Treatment for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious health conditions that are characterized by an individual's unhealthy relationship to food and an obsession related to body image. Almost anyone can suffer from some kind of eating disorders, although women are much more likely to be diagnosed than men. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorders are the three primary types of eating disorders. All can result in serious health risks and complications, including death. Treatment for eating disorders can be difficult, and requires the cooperation and commitment on behalf of both doctor and patient. Here are the most common treatment options for individuals suffering from some form of eating disorder.

For individuals diagnosed with anorexia, the gravity of this condition requires immediate treatment. Anorexia is considered to be the most serious of all the eating disorders because it can result in death if not treated promptly or effectively. In many advanced cases, the doctor may request immediate hospitalization of the anorexic patient. Hospitalization may be required in order to restore important nutrients and minerals into the patient's body, to re-hydrate the body, and to begin to balance the body's electrolytes. Nutritional rehabilitation is required in order to restore nutrients and to commence gradual weight gain. A dietitian generally works with the doctor in order to put the patient on a course of steady, and hopefully permanent, weight gain. The dietician will work with the patient to establish a regular and healthy eating schedule.

Anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating patients all benefit from some form of nutritional education. In fact, almost all patients with some kind of eating disorder will eventually work with a dietician in order to receive nutritional therapy. Another important treatment for all types of eating disorder patients is psychotherapy. Patients with eating disorders are generally rooted in unhealthy eating patterns and attitudes. They may have a long-standing obsessive or otherwise unhealthy relationship with food, exercise, and their body image. Most psychotherapy consists of cognitive behavior therapy, which focuses on changing the distorted and unhealthy attitudes and patterns that characterize an eating disorder patient's mode of thinking. The therapist works to revise these unhealthy and negative attitudes and replace them with more healthy and realistic goals. Therapy may also focus on treating depression, anxiety or other conditions that are related to the patient's life with an eating disorder. Family counseling is another important aspect of therapy that can help revise unhealthy attitudes that may be rooted in the family's attitude towards food and body image.

Drug therapy is another treatment option for eating disorder patients. Antidepressant medications are the most common drug therapy. Most doctors prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that can help patients deal with feelings of anxiety and depression. Common types of medications prescribed for eating disorder patients include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro. Drug therapies should not be thought of, or offered as, a cure-all solution to the complex issues associated by eating disorders. Drug therapies must be rooted in psychotherapy and other treatment options in order to garner long-term results for the patients.

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