Anorexia and Bulimia

Effective Therapies for Eating Disorders
"Doctors have found certain treatments are the most helpful for children with eating disorders.
•For anorexia nervosa, research shows that family-based treatment—also known as Maudsley family therapy works well
•For bulimia nervosa, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family-based treatment are options that “might work”
•Binge eating disorder was only recently identified as an eating disorder. Because of this, there are no child and teen therapies that have been tested for effectiveness. But, CBT is somewhat effective in teens with binge eating disorder

Research has shown that some medications, such as antidepressants, may be helpful for adolescents suffering from bulimia nervosa, but only as a second option to therapy. Additionally, while atypical antipsychotics for body image distortion, weight-gain fears, and anxiety related to anorexia nervosa have been shown to be helpful in adults, there is no solid evidence to suggest that these medications work well for adolescents."
https://effectivechildtherapy.org/concerns-symptoms-disorders/disorders/eating-body-image-problems/#effective-treatments

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)

What Works
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The most effective independent treatment option; it is used to change underlying eating disorder cognitions and behaviors.


Pharmacological Treatments
Antidepressants, namely Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs),  have effectively reduced binge/purging behaviors, as well as comorbid psychiatric symptoms.


Combined Treatments
A combination of CBT and pharmacotherapy seem to maximize treatment outcomes.



What Does Not Work
  • Individual Psychotherapy
  • Behavioral Therapy: Compared to CBT, few individual therapeutic approaches have been effective in reducing symptoms.
  • Behavioral techniques, such as exposure, have been less effective than CBT techniques.


Twelve-Step Programs
Not yet tested for efficacy and are discouraged as a sole treatment.

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