A treatment for depression may also be effective for the eating disorder anorexia, according to new research. A small new study from Kings College London shows that a type of non-invasive brain stimulation, called repetitive transcranial stimulation, seems effective in reducing symptoms of anorexia (like the urge to restrict the intake of food).
While research is still ongoing with regard to the lasting effects of the treatment, the finding is welcome considering the devastating toll anorexia can take. The eating disorder, which is characterized by not eating and excessive weight loss, has the highest death rate of any mental health condition.
Anorexia is a diagnosed medical condition and should be treated as such, but it can still be emotionally complicated to ask for help, and even harder to decide how best to start recovery. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with anorexia and wants to seek help, realize that there are a number of treatment options available, such as therapy, counseling, and working with a nutritionist. We talked to Joanne Gerr, MSW, CSW, a psychotherapist with 20 years of experience in eating disorder treatment, to unpack the options.
Get a Proper Initial Assessment
Gerr recommends seeking help from a guidance counselor or trusted adult, like a teacher, if you’re unable to work directly with a therapist or feel uncomfortable speaking to a family member to start. The most important thing to focus on at the start is your physical health — see a doctor to figure out whether or not you require inpatient treatment or hospitalization, which isn't as scary as it sounds. They will monitor your food intake and get you to a safe physical state.
Once you’re medically stabilized, outpatient treatment can begin, which often includes therapy and work with a nutritionist and doctor.
Family therapy is usually conducted with family members, and can be helpful especially if you're underage. And for family members trying to help someone with anorexia, Gerr says it's important not to say things like, "Just eat." Why? Comments like this aren't helpful, and it's possible that "the more you say they have to eat, the less they’ll eat.” She recommends that your family members do some research on how to help and work together, as opposed to trying to fight each other during recovery. “The worst thing to do is get into a power and control struggle,” she says, noting that anorexia is about power, control, and anger. “Starving yourself is a very angry thing to do. Very often it’s a way of expressing anger that people don’t feel safe to express.”
Often considered the best treatment for anorexia, cognitive-behavior therapy is a time-limited and focused approach with decades of supportive research that helps a person understand how their thinking and negative self-talk and self-image can directly impact their eating behaviors.
According to an article published in 2008 from the U.S. National Guideline Clearinghouse, “For adults, preliminary evidence suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy may reduce the relapse risk after weight restoration. For adolescents, evidence supported specific forms of family therapy that initially focused on parental control of re-nutrition.” Gerr recommends a blend of both, with treatment that focuses on the patient, while including the whole family.