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Eating disorders have been recorded throughout history, but in recent years, the media's disproportionate attention to the waif-like celebutant group of starlets like Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan have contributed to a new focus on the treatment of such disorders. In order for treatment of eating disorders to be efficient, it must address both physical and psychological aspects of the specific disorder.

Individual counseling is suggested for most patients, allowing them to develop a trusting relationship with a therapist who can help them overcome underlying issues contributing to their disorder including depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and difficulties with forming interpersonal relationships.

Several kinds of individual therapy are offered for patients, focusing on different contributing factors to the disorder. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy typically addresses the individual's thought process. Therapists help patients to identify unrealistic or unhealthy thoughts and assist them in developing healthier coping patterns to everyday stressors. Alternatively, psychoanalytic psychotherapies focus on uncovering experiences in the individual's past which may have played a role in the development and intensification of the disorder.

Group therapies are also often helpful for individuals with eating disorders. These communities offer a network of support typically including individuals in recovery as helpful mentors. Group therapy can assist patients in developing healthier social skills and teach them effective methods of establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships.

One form of group therapy which has proven to be extremely helpful in the recovery process of individuals with eating disorders is family therapy. Parents, siblings, partners, or other family members and caretakers are often invited to join counseling sessions in which therapists discuss possible underlying tensions between family members which may be contributing to the disorder in the patient. As a unit, they will be instructed on developing communication skills and alternative methods of coping as a family unit with similar issues.

Because eating disorders are often taxing on the patient's body, serious health problems (and even death) can result. Patients in recovery are urged to seek the guidance of a physician who will monitor their progress and help them regain their overall health.

Occasionally, doctors or psychiatrists prescribe drugs such as antidepressants to treat anxiety or depression which may either be a leading cause of the disorder or a symptom. However, medication alone cannot cure eating disorders, which are mostly rooted in psychological abnormalities.

In conclusion, the most effective way to treat eating disorders is a combination of therapies, psychological and physical alike. In addition to seeking professional assistance from psychiatrists or other physicians, a recovering patient should also consult a dietician or nutritionist who can teach them how to create an individually tailored diet plan and dispel myths or fears about certain foods.

Learn more about this author, Krystle Hernandez.
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