CPG for Eating Disorders

team of psychiatrists, psychologists, etc. of the mental health centre/unit in your area will undertakeyour management to resolve the problem. There are also hospitalisation units (reference) tomanage those patients who, due to the severity of their situation, require day care or inpatient care.Do not worry about confidentiality. All specific details that you share with health careprofessionals are personal and private information and will not be disclosed.TreatmentThe family’s collaboration is essential in the treatment of these diseases. Treatment mustbe carried out by multidisciplinary teams of specialised professionals who can manage themedical, psychological, social and family complications that may arise. Medical care is aimed ateliminating physical complications, restoring normal weight and learning about following ahealthy diet.Once the necessary physical balance has been achieved, psychic problems linked to thedisease are addressed. Psychologists or psychiatrists will be in charge of these therapies. Thus,proper treatment of these disorders should take the following aspects into consideration:Psychological treatment: aimed at modifying distorted thoughts and negative feelings regardingweight, shape and body size in the patient’s systems of values to help construct or recover anidentity that aids the person in coping with life’s challenges and difficulties.This treatment can be delivered individually or in group sessions with other patients whoare experiencing the same problems and, in some cases, with family members (parents, siblings,spouse, etc.).Nutritional treatment: its main objective is to provide counselling on healthy eating habits andto provide information on the dangers of following unnecessary diets that, although justifiable,are not prescribed or managed by a competent health care professionals.The social dimension of food, understood in terms of how eating provides a pleasantopportunity for family interaction, is emphasised more than food’s nutritional value. It isimportant to receive nutritional counselling from the beginning of treatment to prevent relapses.Pharmacological treatment: aimed at patients who require drugs in combination withpsychological treatment, especially in cases of BN and BED, or to resolve associatedsymptomatology such as depression, anxiety or impulsiveness.Not all patients are the same or require the same treatments. That is why it is important foryou to follow your health practitioner’s advice and to get involved in your own treatment.Eating disorders have varying degrees of severity. Treatment can be performed on anoutpatient basis, although in very severe cases temporary hospitalisation (inpatient or day care)may be necessary.National associations of individuals with eating disordersAside from the resources available in the NHS to address these diseases, patients and family241CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR EATING DISORDERS