David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Eating disorder treatment: Know your options
Mayo Clinic
Aug. 18, 2009
Treatments for eating disorders include medications, counseling and education. Find out what works.
Eating disorder treatment depends on the disorder and the severity of your symptoms. Getting the right eating disorder treatment for a condition such as anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder is essential to prevent it from worsening or causing serious health problems. Eating disorder treatment generally involves a team of health professionals, and includes psychotherapy, nutrition education, and sometimes medication. In many cases, eating disorder treatment also involves treating other health problems linked to an eating disorder. If an eating disorder doesn't improve with standard treatment or causes medical problems, hospitalization may be necessary.
Although overcoming an eating disorder can be challenging, having an organized approach to eating disorder treatment can help you manage symptoms, regain a healthy weight, and maintain your physical and mental health.
Forming a treatment team
A treatment team may include:
Managing an eating disorder can be a long-term challenge. You may need to continue to see your doctor, dietitian, mental health provider or other members of your treatment team on a regular basis even if your eating disorder and related health problems are under control.
Setting up a treatment plan
At the beginning of your treatment, you and your treatment team will come up with goals and guidelines. This will make it clear what to do if you're not able to stick with your plan or you're having health problems related to your eating disorder. A treatment plan may be particularly important if your eating disorder could impact your mental or physical health enough that you need to go to the hospital. Your treatment team will consider what your needs are and what resources are available in your area. Cost of certain treatment programs also may be a factor. Hospitalization and outpatient programs for treating eating disorders can be expensive, and insurance may not cover all of the costs of your care.
Psychotherapy for an eating disorder
Psychological counseling (psychotherapy) is generally the most important eating disorder treatment. It involves seeing a psychologist, psychiatrist or other mental health counselor on a regular basis. Psychotherapy can help you:
Nutrition education
Dietitians and other providers on your treatment team can help you better understand your eating disorder and nutrition, and help you develop a plan to maintain healthy eating habits. Goals of nutrition education generally include:
Medications for eating disorders
Medications may help you follow your treatment plan. They're most effective when combined with psychological counseling. Medications used to treat eating disorders include:
Hospitalization may be necessary if you have serious physical or mental health problems or if you have anorexia and are unable to eat or gain weight. Severe or life-threatening physical health problems that occur with anorexia can be a medical emergency. In many cases, the most important goal of hospitalization is to get back to a healthy weight. Achieving your ideal weight can take months, so you'll probably need to continue outpatient treatment to accomplish your goals once you get out of the hospital.
Hospital day treatment programs
Day treatment programs are structured programs that generally require attendance for three to eight hours a day. Day treatment can include medical care, group, individual and family counseling, structured eating sessions, and nutrition counseling. You may still be able to work or attend school if you're in a day treatment program.
Residential treatment for eating disorders
With residential treatment, you live at an eating disorder treatment facility. A residential treatment program may be necessary if you need long term care for your eating disorder or you've been in the hospital a number of times but your mental or physical health hasn't improved.
Ongoing treatment for health problems
Eating disorders can cause serious health problems related to inadequate nutrition, overeating, bingeing and other factors. The type of health problems caused by eating disorders depends on the particular type of eating disorder and its severity. In many cases, problems caused by an eating disorder require ongoing treatment and monitoring. Health problems linked to eating disorders can include:
You are the most important member of your treatment team. In order for your treatment to be a success, you need to be actively involved with your treatment and informed about your eating disorder, and so do your family members. Your psychiatrist or other members of your treatment team can provide education and tell you where to find information and support. It's a good idea to search for resources on your own as well.
Resources that can help you understand and cope with your eating disorder include:
Mayo Clinic
Aug. 18, 2009
Treatments for eating disorders include medications, counseling and education. Find out what works.
Eating disorder treatment depends on the disorder and the severity of your symptoms. Getting the right eating disorder treatment for a condition such as anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder is essential to prevent it from worsening or causing serious health problems. Eating disorder treatment generally involves a team of health professionals, and includes psychotherapy, nutrition education, and sometimes medication. In many cases, eating disorder treatment also involves treating other health problems linked to an eating disorder. If an eating disorder doesn't improve with standard treatment or causes medical problems, hospitalization may be necessary.
Although overcoming an eating disorder can be challenging, having an organized approach to eating disorder treatment can help you manage symptoms, regain a healthy weight, and maintain your physical and mental health.
Forming a treatment team
A treatment team may include:
- You and family members involved in your treatment
- A medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental illness (psychiatrist)
- A dietitian to provide nutritional counseling
- A psychologist or other psychotherapist
- Your primary care doctor and other doctors involved with your care
- A social worker or social workers
Managing an eating disorder can be a long-term challenge. You may need to continue to see your doctor, dietitian, mental health provider or other members of your treatment team on a regular basis even if your eating disorder and related health problems are under control.
Setting up a treatment plan
At the beginning of your treatment, you and your treatment team will come up with goals and guidelines. This will make it clear what to do if you're not able to stick with your plan or you're having health problems related to your eating disorder. A treatment plan may be particularly important if your eating disorder could impact your mental or physical health enough that you need to go to the hospital. Your treatment team will consider what your needs are and what resources are available in your area. Cost of certain treatment programs also may be a factor. Hospitalization and outpatient programs for treating eating disorders can be expensive, and insurance may not cover all of the costs of your care.
Psychotherapy for an eating disorder
Psychological counseling (psychotherapy) is generally the most important eating disorder treatment. It involves seeing a psychologist, psychiatrist or other mental health counselor on a regular basis. Psychotherapy can help you:
- Exchange unhealthy habits for healthy ones
- Monitor your treatment goals
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Learn how to cope with stressful situations
- Improve your relationships with others
- Improve your mood
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of counseling is a short-term, structured treatment that helps you address the thoughts, feelings and behaviors related to your eating disorder. Its goals may include helping you unlearn distorted thinking, regaining normal eating habits and stopping purging.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy. Another short-term treatment, interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on resolving relationship issues that contribute to your eating disorder. This type of treatment may be especially helpful if you have depression along with an eating disorder.
- Psychodynamic treatment. The aim of this counseling approach is to help you reduce unhealthy behavior by resolving underlying problems linked to your eating disorder. This type of treatment can take longer than other types of psychotherapy because it involves exploring your feelings and beliefs in depth.
- Family therapy. Involving family members in counseling may be especially helpful in younger people who have anorexia.
- Group psychotherapy. This type of counseling involves meeting with a mental health counselor along with who struggle with eating disorders.
Nutrition education
Dietitians and other providers on your treatment team can help you better understand your eating disorder and nutrition, and help you develop a plan to maintain healthy eating habits. Goals of nutrition education generally include:
- Education about how nutrition affects your body
- Meal planning
- Establishing regular eating patterns ? generally, three meals a day with regular snacks
- Taking steps to avoid dieting
Medications for eating disorders
Medications may help you follow your treatment plan. They're most effective when combined with psychological counseling. Medications used to treat eating disorders include:
- Antidepressants. Taking an antidepressant may be especially helpful if you have anorexia along with depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder. An antidepressant may also help if you're having a hard time sticking with your treatment plan.
- Anti-anxiety medications. Taking an anti-anxiety medication may help you stick to treatment and maintain a plan to eat a certain number of calories each day.
- Antipsychotic medications. Your doctor may prescribe an antipsychotic for anorexia if you are very underweight, you have severe anxiety, you have a severe inability to eat or if other medications don't help.
Hospitalization may be necessary if you have serious physical or mental health problems or if you have anorexia and are unable to eat or gain weight. Severe or life-threatening physical health problems that occur with anorexia can be a medical emergency. In many cases, the most important goal of hospitalization is to get back to a healthy weight. Achieving your ideal weight can take months, so you'll probably need to continue outpatient treatment to accomplish your goals once you get out of the hospital.
Hospital day treatment programs
Day treatment programs are structured programs that generally require attendance for three to eight hours a day. Day treatment can include medical care, group, individual and family counseling, structured eating sessions, and nutrition counseling. You may still be able to work or attend school if you're in a day treatment program.
Residential treatment for eating disorders
With residential treatment, you live at an eating disorder treatment facility. A residential treatment program may be necessary if you need long term care for your eating disorder or you've been in the hospital a number of times but your mental or physical health hasn't improved.
Ongoing treatment for health problems
Eating disorders can cause serious health problems related to inadequate nutrition, overeating, bingeing and other factors. The type of health problems caused by eating disorders depends on the particular type of eating disorder and its severity. In many cases, problems caused by an eating disorder require ongoing treatment and monitoring. Health problems linked to eating disorders can include:
- Electrolyte imbalances, which can interfere with the functioning of your muscles, heart and nerves
- Heart problems
- Digestive problems
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Dental cavities and erosion of the surface of your teeth from frequent vomiting (bulimia)
- Low bone density (osteoporosis) as a result of long-term malnutrition (anorexia)
- Stunted growth caused by poor nutrition (anorexia)
- Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder
You are the most important member of your treatment team. In order for your treatment to be a success, you need to be actively involved with your treatment and informed about your eating disorder, and so do your family members. Your psychiatrist or other members of your treatment team can provide education and tell you where to find information and support. It's a good idea to search for resources on your own as well.
Resources that can help you understand and cope with your eating disorder include:
- Books
- Self-help workbooks
- Community resources such as support groups
- Internet resources such as nonprofit organizations and online support groups
- Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders. Wash. D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guidelines
- Becker AE, et al. Management of eating disorders in the adult. In: Feldman M, et al. Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. MD Consult -- Start Session Cookie Error
- Treatment. Academy for Eating Disorders. Academy For Eating Disorders :: About Eating Disorders : Treatment
- Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition intervention in the treatment of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2006;106:2073.
- Brotman AW. Eating disorders. In: Jacobson AM, et al. Psychiatric Secrets. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Hanley and Belfus; 2001. MD Consult -- Start Session Cookie Error
