Anorexia nervosa

A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Food guide pyramid

Eating disorder - anorexia

The biggest challenge in treating anorexia nervosa is having the person recognize that they have an illness. Most persons with anorexia nervosa deny that they have an eating disorder. Individuals often enter treatment only once their condition is fairly advanced.

The goals of treatment are to first restore normal body weight and eating habits. A weight gain of 1 - 3 pounds per week is considered a safe goal.

A number of different programs have been designed to treat anorexia. Sometimes weight gain is achieved using schedules for eating, decreased physical activity, and increased social activity, either on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Many patients start with a short hospital stay and continue to follow-up with a day treatment program.

---

---

Care providers who are usually involved in these programs include nurse practitioners, physicians, a nutritionist or dietitian, and mental health care providers.

Treatment is often very challenging, and it requires hard work by patients and their families. Many therapies are likely to be tried until the patient succeeds in overcoming this disorder.

Patients may drop out of programs if they have unrealistic expectations of being "cured" with therapy alone.

Although a short hospital stay is a common way to start treatment, a longer hospital stay may be needed if:

• The person has lost a lot of weight, such as being below 70% of their ideal body weight for their age and height. Severe and life-threatening malnutrition may require feedings through a vein or stomach tube.
• Weight loss continues despite treatment
• Medical complications, such as heart problems, confusion, or low potassium levels develop
• The person has severe depression or thinks about committing suicide

Different kinds of talk therapy are used to treat people with anorexia:

• Individual cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and family therapy have all been successful.
• The goal of therapy is to change a patient's thoughts or behavior to encourage them to eat in a more healthy way. This kind of therapy is more useful for treating yougner patients who have not had anorexia for a long time.
• If the patient is young, therapy may involve the whole family. Newer approaches look at the family as a part of the solution, rather than as the cause of the eating disorder.
• Support groups may also be a part of treatment. In support groups, patients and families meet and share what they've been through.