This is more likely if weight has been low for a year or more in children and young people. Or 2 years or more in adults. Your GP may suggest you have a special type of X-ray called a bone-density scan. This checks the health of your bones. Girls and women are more at risk of getting weak bones than men. Your GP may prescribe you medicine to help protect your bones against osteoporosis. Antidepressants are not the only treatment for anorexia. An antidepressant in combination with therapy might be more effective.
This will help you manage other conditions such as:. Most people with anorexia will be able to stay at home during their treatment. You will usually have appointments at your clinic and then be able to go home. Your doctors will keep a careful eye on your weight and health if you are in hospital.
They will help you to reach a healthy weight over time and either start or continue therapy. You should be able to return home when they are happy with your weight and physical and mental health. In these cases, doctors may decide as a last resort, to admit the person to hospital for compulsory treatment.
This is called "involuntary admission". Have checks of your weight and mental and physical health at least once a year. This will usually be done by your GP but it may be with an eating disorder specialist. Contact Bodywhys for further information and support. Free call Samaritans Read our cookies policy to find out more about cookies and how we use them. Treatment Anorexia nervosa Symptoms Treatment.
You can recover from anorexia, but it may take time and recovery will be different for everyone. Treatment for anorexia is different for adults and those under 18 years old. For both, the GP can: provide assessment and treatment refer you to a community mental health team Treatment for adults Many different talking therapies are available to treat anorexia.
Cognitive behavioural therapy Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT helps you manage problems by thinking more positively. They will help you to: cope with your feelings understand nutrition and the effects of starvation make healthy food choices Your therapist will ask you to practice these techniques on your own. For example, distorted thinking about shape and weight or perfectionism.
You can involve your family or carers if you think it would be helpful. Focal psychodynamic therapy Other therapies might not be right for you or work for you. You should be offered weekly sessions for up to 40 weeks 9 to 10 months. Even people without an eating disorder experience feelings of anxiety and inferiority when they compare themselves to others on social media.
People exaggerate the positive aspects of their lives on Facebook, Instagram and the like, brushing over their flaws and the doubts and disappointments that we all experience. If necessary, take a break from social media —and toss the fashion magazines. Even when you realize that the images are pure Photoshopped fantasy, they can still trigger feelings of insecurity.
Pamper your body. Instead of treating your body like the enemy, look at it as something precious. Pamper yourself with a massage, manicure, facial, a candlelight bath, or a scented lotion or perfume that makes you happy. Stay active. The key is to differentiate between compulsive exercise—which is rule-driven, weight-focused, and rigid—and healthy exercise that is rule-free, fun, and flexible.
Focus on activities you enjoy and do them because they improve your mood, not because they might change how you look. Outdoor activities can be especially good at boosting your sense of well-being.
Develop a solid support system. Surround yourself with people who support you and want to see you healthy and happy. Avoid people who drain your energy, encourage disordered eating behaviors, or make you feel bad about yourself.
Or are difficulties at work or in your relationship likely to trigger your disordered eating habits? Know what your early warning signs are, and have a plan for dealing with them, such as going to therapy more often or asking for extra support from family and friends.
Avoid pro-ana and pro-mia websites. These sites are run by people who want excuses to continue down their destructive path. Keep a journal. Writing in a daily journal can help you keep tabs on your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Stick with your eating disorder treatment plan. Follow the recommendations of your treatment team. Fill your life with positive activities. Make time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. Recovery is a process—and that often involves setbacks.
Authors: Melinda Smith, M. In the U. A generous donor will match all contributions made before December 31 — doubling your gift and your impact! Cookie Policy.
These tips can help you start recovery and develop true self-confidence. How do I begin recovery from an eating disorder? True recovery from an eating disorder involves learning to: Listen to your feelings. Listen to your body. Accept yourself. Love yourself. Eating disorder support groups While family and friends can be a huge help in providing support, you may also want to join an eating disorder support group.
For help finding an eating disorder support group: Ask your doctor or therapist for a referral. Call local hospitals and universities. Call local eating disorder centers and clinics. Call a helpline listed in the Get more help section below.
Call a friend Listen to music Play with a pet Read a good book Take a walk. Write in a journal Go to the movies Get out into nature Play a favorite game Do something helpful for someone else. Get more help. Print PDF. Will you be the Gift of Hope this holiday season? Can we count on you to be there for the next person? Allow yourself to be vulnerable with people you trust. Fully experience every emotion.
You should be offered 20 or more weekly sessions. Your therapist will set you a target weight and, over the course of the 20 weeks, will help you reach it. Focal psychodynamic therapy is usually offered if you do not feel any of the above therapies are right for you or if they do not work. Focal psychodynamic therapy should include trying to understand how your eating habits are related to what you think, and to how you feel about yourself and other people in your life.
During your treatment you'll probably be given advice on healthy eating and your diet. However, this advice alone will not help you recover from anorexia, so you'll need to have talking therapy as well as dietary advice.
Your doctors will probably also advise you to take vitamin and mineral supplements so you get all the nutrients you need to be healthy. Children and young people will usually be offered family therapy. You may also be offered CBT or adolescent-focused psychotherapy. Family therapy involves you and your family talking to a therapist, exploring how anorexia has affected you and how your family can support you to get better.
Your therapist will also help you find ways to manage difficult feelings and situations to stop you from relapsing into unhealthy eating habits once your therapy ends.
You can have the sessions together with your family or on your own with the therapist. Family therapy is sometimes offered in a group with other families. You'll usually be offered 18 to 20 sessions over a year, and your therapist will regularly check that the schedule is still working for you. Adolescent-focused psychotherapy will usually involve up to 40 sessions, and normally lasts between 12 and 18 months.
You'll have sessions more often in the beginning to give you more support. If you have anorexia, you may not be getting all the vitamins and energy that your body needs to grow and develop properly, which is especially important as you reach puberty.
During your treatment, your doctor will give you advice about the best foods to eat to stay healthy. They'll probably also advise you to take vitamin and mineral supplements. They'll also talk to your parents or carers about your diet so they can support you at home.
Anorexia can make your bones weaker, which can make you more likely to develop a condition called osteoporosis. This is more likely if your weight has been low for a year or more in children and young people, or 2 years or more in adults. Because of this, your doctors may suggest you have a bone-density scan to check the health of your bones. Girls and women are more at risk of getting weak bones than men, so your doctor may prescribe you medicine to help protect your bones against osteoporosis.
Antidepressants should not be offered as the only treatment for anorexia.
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