Goals of Treatment
Anorexia
Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves
three main phases: (1) restoring weight lost to severe dieting
and purging; (2) treating psychological disturbances such
as distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal
conflicts; and (3) achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation,
or full recovery. Early diagnosis and treatment increases
the treatment success rate. Use of psychotropic medication
in people with anorexia should be considered only after weight
gain has been established. Certain selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to be helpful for weight
maintenance and for resolving mood and anxiety symptoms associated
with anorexia.
Bulimia
The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or
eliminate binge eating and purging behavior. To this end,
nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and
medication management strategies are often employed. Establishment
of a pattern of regular, non-binge meals, improvement of attitudes
related to the eating disorder, encouragement of healthy but
not excessive exercise, and resolution of co-occurring conditions
such as mood or anxiety disorders are among the specific aims
of these strategies. Individual psychotherapy (especially
cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy), group
psychotherapy that uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, and
family or marital therapy have been reported to be effective.
Psychotropic medications, primarily antidepressants such as
the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have
been found helpful for people with bulimia, particularly those
with significant symptoms of depression or anxiety, or those
who have not responded adequately to psychosocial treatment
alone. These medications also may help prevent relapse. The
treatment goals and strategies for binge-eating disorder are
similar to those for bulimia, and studies are currently evaluating
the effectiveness of various interventions.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is part of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To find out more information about Live As You Are contact
liveasyouare@gmail.com.
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