EATING
DISORDERS AND THEIR TREATMENT
Q: I've had
an eating disorder for a few years now. I've tried to stop it, but
I can't. Is there any hope for me?
A:
Yes. Just by coming to this web page, you have taken an important
first step. The next thing is to seek help. To recover from an eating
disorder takes strong motivation and usually requires outside assistance,
support, and guidance. A caring, capable professional can make a
tremendous difference in your ability to recover. And the sooner
you decide to pursue help, the sooner you will begin to see results.
Q: What kind
of treatment do you, Jane Cobb, LCSW, offer for eating disorders?
A:
I offer individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy.
ABOUT EATING DISORDERS
Q: What is
an eating disorder?
A: An
eating disorder is a diagnosable illness that involves disturbed
eating patterns, and often, a distorted body image. The most common
types of eating disorders are anorexia (anorexia nervosa), bulimia,
and binge eating disorder.
Q: What is
anorexia?
A: Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by extreme restriction
of food intake. It is a form of self-starvation that results in
excessive weight loss and cessation of menstrual periods in females.
The person with anorexia is terrified of gaining weight. This illness
can cause major medical complications and, if untreated, can be
fatal.
Q: What is
bulimia?
A:
Bulimia is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed
by self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives. During a binge, a
large amount of food is consumed in a relatively short period of
time. The amount of food eaten in one of these episodes is much
greater than what most people would consume. The binge is followed
by a purge (vomiting or laxative use) in attempts to prevent weight
gain. Bulimia can be life-threatening.
Q: What is
binge eating disorder?
A: Binge
eating disorder, or BED, is an eating disorder that involves eating
large quantities of food without purging or using compensatory measures
such as self-induced vomiting or laxatives.
TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS
Q: What kind
of treatment is recommended for eating disorders?
A:
The best approach is treatment which addresses emotional issues
as well as nutritional and medical concerns. Eating disorders are
not just about food. Self-esteem, body-image issues, family expectations
and roles, and societal pressures all play a part in the disorder.
Thus, effective treatment must take all these factors into consideration.
Research has shown that cognitive
behavioral therapy (CBT) is helpful in treating bulimia and
binge eating disorder. This form of treatment focuses on replacing
self-critical or damaging thinking patterns with healthier thoughts
and behaviors. Learning new coping skills, such as assertiveness,
use of a journal or calling a friend for support instead of bingeing
may be some of the behavioral changes a person would make in this
form of treatment.
Interpersonal
therapy has also shown positive results in the treatment of
eating disorders. This form of therapy is aimed at examining and
improving a person's relationship skills. Issues such as loss, dealing
with conflict, loneliness, and life transitions may be addressed.
Additional forms of treatment
that have been shown to be effective include group therapy
(especially for bulimia), family therapy, and medication.
Sometimes what works best is a combination of a few types of treatment,
such as individual treatment, plus group, plus medication.
HELPFUL WEBSITES:
National Eating
Disorders Association
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
Something Fishy:
Website on Eating Disorders
http://www.something-fishy.org
Mirror-Mirror
http://www.mirror-mirror.org/eatdis.htm
National Association
of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
http://www.anad.org
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