Anorexia Nervosa (cont.)
How is anorexia treated?
Anorexia may be treated in an outpatient setting, or hospitalization may be
necessary. For an individual with severe weight loss that has impaired organ
function, hospital treatment must initially focus on correction of malnutrition,
and intravenous feeding may be required. A gain of between
1-3 pounds per
week is a safe and attainable goal when malnutrition must be corrected.
The overall treatment of anorexia, however, must focus
on more than weight gain. There are a variety of treatment approaches dependent
upon the resources available to the individual. Because of increasing insurance
restrictions, many patients find that a short hospitalization followed by a day
treatment program is an effective alternative to longer inpatient programs. Most
individuals, however, initially seek outpatient treatment involving
psychological as well as medical intervention. A multidisciplinary treatment team is common engaged, consisting of a medical-care provider, a dietician or nutritionist, and a mental-health-care provider.
Different kinds of psychological therapy have been
employed to treat people with anorexia. Individual therapy, cognitive behavior
therapy, group therapy, and family therapy have
all been successful in treatment of anorexia. An
appropriate treatment approach addresses underlying issues of control and
self-perception. Family dynamics are explored, and often the family is included
in the treatment plan. Nutritional education provides a healthy alternative to weight management
for the patient. Group counseling or support
groups often assist the individual in the recovery process. The ultimate goal of
treatment should be for the individual to accept herself/himself and lead a physically
and emotionally healthy life.
While no medications have been identified that can
definitively reduce the compulsion to starve themselves, some of the selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant
drugs have been shown to be helpful in weight maintenance after weight has been
gained and in controlling mood and anxiety symptoms that may be associated with the condition.
Next: What is the prognosis (outcome) of anorexia? »
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