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Treatment for Anorexia

Anorexia (or anorexia nervosa) is a serious mental illness where people limit their energy intake, leading to a low body weight. It can affect anyone of any age, gender, or background. The way people with anorexia see themselves may be very different to how others see them – they often have a distorted image of themselves, and think they’re larger than they really are. People with anorexia experience a deep fear of gaining weight, and will usually challenge the idea that they should.

In most cases, anorexia can be treated in outpatient facilities. More intensive treatment in day patient and inpatient units might become necessary if the condition worsens, if your health doesn’t improve in response to outpatient treatment, or there is other high risk to your physical health. Read more about anorexia.

Therapy

There are lots of different talking therapies that can be used to help treat anorexia. The aims of talking therapies are to reduce risks to your physical and psychological wellbeing, encourage healthy eating, and aid your recovery by helping you to develop healthy ways of coping with the thoughts and feelings behind your eating disorder.

Evidence-based guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), apply in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Guidelines from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) apply in Scotland.

For adults, NICE recommends one of the following:

The guidelines say that you should receive an explanation of the what the treatments involve to help you choose which you would prefer.

For children and young people, NICE recommends family therapy focused on anorexia. If this is unacceptable or ineffective it recommends individual CBT focused on eating disorders or adolescent-focused psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa

For adults with anorexia in Scotland, SIGN recommends CBT tailored to eating disorders as a first-line therapy. If this is unsuitable, ineffective or inappropriate it says other treatment options could be considered, such as interpersonal therapy, MANTRA, SSCM or focal psychodynamic therapy.

For adolescents with anorexia in Scotland, SIGN recommends family-based treatment. The guidelines also refer to systemic family therapy and enhanced CBT for eating disorders in certain situations.

You can read a bit more about what each therapy involves in our glossary of eating disorder terms. The most useful therapy will vary from person to person and depend on circumstances. For example, family interventions are recommended as part of the treatment for children and adolescents. The therapy you’re offered should take into account your preferences and those of the people caring for you where appropriate.

Find support

Accredited counsellors and therapists

You can search our HelpFinder service to see accredited counsellors and therapists in your area.

Self-help and support groups

Self-help and support groups where you’re able to talk to others going through similar experiences can be useful to both people with eating disorders and their families throughout treatment and in sustaining recovery. You can search our HelpFinder service to see what’s available in your area.

What support can Beat offer?

Beat’s free, confidential Helplines are here for you.

You can also join one of our online support groups, which are anonymous and give you the opportunity to speak to people going through similar experiences to you.

If you’d like to find face-to-face support in your area, you can use our HelpFinder service to see what’s available.

Overturning bad decisions and understanding good ones

An eating disorder diagnosis helps clinicians decide the best treatment pathway. If you are not sure you have been given the right information or have been denied treatment our Overturning Bad Decisions (and understanding good ones) page can help you understand your options.