Studies conducted in the recent past indicate that there is a worrying trend amongst teenagers today. Due to popular media influences, most of the teens are unhappy with their bodies and want to fit a particular image set by celebrities. Being slim is in vogue and teenagers are going to unhealthy lengths to accomplish this. There are various types of eating disorders and each has its own approach. Anorexia and bulimia are the main ones, and they both come with adverse repercussions.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of an eating disorder may take a few days or years depending with the individual. Same as in other mental disorders, early diagnosis goes a long way in helping the patient find the correct remedy. The first major step towards treating eating disorders is acceptance. Once you accept that you have the condition, it is easier to find a treatment or help especially from family members. You can begin by consulting your primary care doctor and seek the basic help you can get about the condition. Upon the recommendation of the doctor or if you feel that you require specialized attention, you can consult a psychiatrist. Eating disorders are as a result of mental conditions and more often than not it is essential to receive counseling sessions. After diagnosis, you require close psychological attention and also medical prescriptions.
Treatment plan
Treating eating disorders requires a multi-pronged approach that includes the involvement of various professionals and close family members. Once you have been diagnosed with eating disorders it is essential that you seek assistance from family members. Unlike professionals whose interaction with you is simply limited to professional level, your family members can interact with you positively and render to you the necessary emotional and financial support needed to overcome the problem.
The treatment professionals will give you the goals and guidelines of your treatment. They will also check into your progress and advise further if they find that you have slackened in your recovery path. The best recovery plan should take into consideration the intensity of the problem, what triggers it and also the cost of the treatment. For chronic cases of eating disorders, you may require hospitalization and an intense outpatient program to get you out of the pit.
Psychological interventions
There are various psychological interventions that can be initiated to help and individual suffering from mental disorders. Counseling is the most common form of intervention and it often involved holding a number of sessions with the psychiatrist or a psychologist. The length of these sessions is determined by the type of the disorder and the response of the patient to the initiated program.
Interpersonal psychotherapy
This type of intervention entails the patient holding a series of sessions with the counselor to discuss the issues that trigger the eating disorder. Like most mental disorders, eating disorder is caused by factors such as anxiety, depression and dysfunctional relationships amongst many others. This session hence helps unearth these factors and come up with various strategies of dealing with them.
Family level
The best way of coping with eating disorders is by involving family members. As is usually the case, family provides the support bulk needed to overcome such situations. Such therapy helps not just the patient but also the family members understand the nature of the disorder, its triggers and how it can be resolved. Having a supportive family goes a long way in helping the individual to cope with the problem.
Group therapy
Group therapy involves the psychiatrist holding a therapeutic session with a group of individuals who have been diagnosed with similar conditions. This session provides a useful forum to the patients to be able to interact with each others, share their problems and find a common approach to treatment. It is always encouraging for patients to find that there are others like them and learn from each other the progress that they are making.
Medications
The best treatment to eating disorders is to combine medication with psychological interventions. Antidepressants are usually prescribed to help alleviate anxiety and depression. Antidepressants also help reduce the symptoms of eating disorders. Recently, there have been new studies showing correlation between the use of ADHD medication (e.g. ADDerall) and eating disorder. You should investigate possible negative effects of medication if either you or your child is diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.
All in all, the approach to take towards treating eating disorders is dependent on the seriousness of the disorder and also the decision of the caregiver. An approach that combines the assistance of the family members and the knowledge of treatment professional is; however, the most preferable.
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