How do therapists understand the cause of eating disorders?
Various factors can contribute to a person’s development of eating disorders. This includes genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Psychological factors can include temperament traits such as anxiety, fear, moodiness, or perfectionism. Environmental factors could include diet culture, trauma, media, weight teasing, etc.
What is the need of consulting a therapist for eating disorders?
A therapist can help treat eating disorders by working on the issues that contribute to the eating disorders. A therapist can normalize the eating patterns, help adopt healthy eating patterns and achieve a healthy weight, improve mood and relationships, help them develop problem-solving and stress-coping skills, and help them learn to monitor their moods and eating.
What types of therapies are useful in treating eating disorders?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help by teaching the patient to recognize, challenge, and replace their negative thinking and maladaptive behaviours with constructive patterns. Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) can help improve the relationships with others that may be contributing to one’s eating disorder. Family therapy can involve the family members to monitor the patient’s eating behaviour and provide a support system that enhances recovery.
What are some coping techniques that therapists may suggest to someone with an eating disorder?
Coping techniques need to be tailored for each person with an eating disorder. Some techniques that may be useful for some can include – sticking to a regular eating routine, writing down and challenge one’s negative self-talk, identifying and deciding to let go of rigid eating rules, engaging in activities that help the person to cope with their negative emotions, etc.
