As most health professionals are well aware, eating disorders are often regarded as being difficult conditions to treat. Due to the length of time often required for successful recovery it is essential that possible obstacles or existing barriers negatively impacting treatment are acknowledged and regularly reviewed to maximise the effectiveness of approaches to treatment. Key areas to be examined in this article are listed below.
- Common obstacles to anorexia recovery
- Professional help to overcome recovery obstacles
- Self-help strategies to overcome recovery obstacles
Common Obstacles to Anorexia Recovery
Freeman (2002) has identified several main obstacles common in anorexia recovery including the following: fear of change (regardless of how hard the status quo may be), fear of losing control (despite the fact that one is actually being controlled by the illness), lack of commitment, isolation (anorexia makes socialising extremely difficult) and self-defeating mechanisms. Further examples of barriers to recovery, as highlighted by Samelson (2009), include a lack of motivation, unrealistic goals or expectations, perfectionism and associated conditions such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.
Professional Help to Overcome Recovery Obstacles
There are several different treatment approaches and techniques that may be used in order to aid the eating disorder sufferer to not only overcome such obstacles but also where possible avoid them all together. Skills used within the frameworks of both Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) when worked through with a qualified therapist who is experienced in the field of eating disorders may provide valuable tools which the sufferer may continue to put into practice long after therapy has ended. Examples of DBT skills include the following: distress tolerance, acceptance and self-soothing. CBT skills may involve Socratic questioning, thought recording and undertaking behavioural experiments.
Self-help Strategies to Overcome Recovery Obstacles
When therapy is perhaps not a viable option due to issues such as finances or long waiting lists the role of self-help is very significant. Forms of self-help include working through a practical recovery work-book, attending support groups (such as Eating Disorder Anonymous), using online support forums (ensure these forums are pro-recovery) and studying key approaches previously highlighted such as CBT or DBT. A valuable asset may also be having a mentor or sponsor who is either in strong recovery or recovered; online programs such as MentorCONNECT offer such support.
To conclude, awareness and education are key to identifying obstacles to recovery while specific approaches such as CBT and DBT offer essential skills and techniques to overcome such obstacles.
Sources:
Freeman, C. (2002) Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa London: Constable Robinson
Samelson, D. (2009) Feeding the Starving Mind Oakland: New Harbinger
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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