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Anorexia Nervosa - Treatment Overview
All people with anorexia nervosa need treatment. In most cases, this involves seeing a health professional, as well as having regular counseling sessions. A hospital stay is needed for those who are seriously underweight or who have severe medical problems. The goals of treatment are to restore a healthy weight and healthy eating habits.
Achieving a more healthy weight helps the body as well as the brain to recover from anorexia. When the body and brain are no longer in starvation mode, you'll find that you can think more clearly. And, you may have more control over your eating disorder behaviors, rather than being controlled by obsessive thoughts.8
Initial treatment
Ideally, you can take charge of anorexia with the help of a team that includes a mental health professional (such as a psychologist or licensed counselor), a medical health professional (such as a doctor or nurse), and a registered dietitian.
If your medical condition is not life-threatening, initial treatment likely will include:
- Psychological counseling. A counselor will help you learn healthy ways to think about food and your body. Family therapy can also help your family members support your recovery.
- Medical treatment. If malnutrition or starvation has started to break down your body, medical treatment will be a top priority. Your health professional will treat any medical conditions that have been caused by anorexia, such as osteoporosis, heart problems, or depression.
- Nutritional counseling. A registered dietitian will help you take charge of your weight in a healthy way. You will learn healthy eating patterns and gain a good understanding of nutrition.
- Family therapy. Parents learn about anorexia and how to help their child change her diet and exercise patterns. This includes preparing meals for their child and monitoring eating and exercising.
An important part of your recovery will include learning new eating behaviors, learning emotional self-care, and developing trust in people who are trying to help you.
For the teen with anorexia , family involvement is a key part of treatment. Family therapy helps parents support their child, both emotionally and physically. Any brothers or sisters also need support during treatment. Family, group, and individual counseling are all effective and are often combined.2
For the adult with anorexia, family members may be involved in treatment, though less so than with a teen.
Ongoing treatment
Chronic forms of anorexia may require ongoing treatment for many years, including hospitalizations when needed. Ongoing treatment usually includes:
- Psychological counseling. A counselor will help you develop your own plan to use new coping and stress management skills and prevent relapse. Your counselor can help you at those times when it is hard to stick to healthy ways of thinking about food and your body. Family therapy can also help your family members support your recovery.
- Medical treatment. Your health professional will follow your health and weight, because anorexia affects all organ systems in your body. If needed, you will be treated for conditions such as osteoporosis, heart problems, or depression.
- Nutritional counseling. A registered dietitian will help you take charge of your eating and weight in a healthy way. Your dietitian can help you to adjust what you eat along with your changing health needs.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Eating Disorders in Older Women
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