Living With Food: The Science Supporting Eating Disorder Treatment

Understandably, one of the most difficult moments about beginning therapy for an eating disorder is when you first start treatment. In general, one is in a state of emotional distress during a crisis and is often given advice from multiple sources. With many different therapy options available, it can be difficult to be a truly educated consumer of psychological treatment. Add to this that so many health care providers believe that they hold the key to recovery and one can see how the ability to know if you are getting evidence-based care becomes very elusive. The mere fact that a therapist, physician, or other professional says they believe that a treatment is effective should never be a reason to chose that therapy. One needs something to support that belief.

In the real world we do not have time to review the scientific literature on everything a health care professional might tell us. What then can someone do first to research evidence-based treatment?

1. Remember that there are very few evidence-based treatments for eating disorders. If you are not receiving cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, or family based therapy, then the odds are very high that you are not getting evidence-based care.
2. Your primary care physician is likely to have experience with patients who have done different types of treatment in your community. Your primary care physician is therefore a critical resource.
3. When you are in a provider’s office and they are discussing care options with you, never hesitate to ask for all of the evidence behind what they are saying. At this point in time, all practitioners in eating disorder treatment should be able to back up what they are saying in a straightforward and understandable manner.
4. Finally, while doing research on treatment for eating disorders, the Internet, while helpful, may not provide definitive answers (and may be more confusing than anything). There are certain organizations that we feel are trustworthy. We highly recommend NEDA, AED, Maudsley Parents, ED Recovery, The Freed Foundation, Are you eating with your anorexic, The F-Word, NAMI, Life After Recovery, and FEAST as reliable organizations and blogs where you can learn about evidence-based care and communicate with other patients and families that may be struggling with an eating disorder. 

Next week:  CCED's Commitment to Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Contributions by Sarah Emerman