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Overcoming an eating disorder can be a long and challenging journey. But it doesn't have to be taken alone.
This article will break down the different types of therapy for treating eating disorders and how they can be tailored to help address each patient's unique needs.
Remember, every eating disorder is treatable, and therapy for eating disorders is available now at Within.
Eating disorder therapy is a broad term for the many different modalities and treatments used to help people combat an eating disorder.
The most common type of therapy for eating disorders is typically a form of psychotherapy. Better known as "talk therapy," these sessions involve talking to a mental health professional and generally follow a certain theoretical approach, with their own guiding philosophies on how to best help people overcome eating disorders.
Prescription medications can also help people struggling with an eating disorder.1 Several other therapies, including nutritional counseling, physical therapy, and even occupational therapy, can be incorporated depending on the patient's needs.
Therapy helps treat eating disorders by providing patients with different ways of reflecting, growing, and healing. Just as people don't learn in the same ways, people also don't heal in the same ways. So, it's nice to provide options and to learn what works.
In addition, therapy allows underlying mental health disorders to be treated alongside the eating disorder. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and other mental health concerns often co-occur with eating disorders. Being able to address co-occurring conditions at the same time will significantly improve the chances of healing.
Some therapy options are also designed to help someone thrive long after they've left active treatment. For example, aftercare programs and support groups can provide long-term recovery options. These programs teach people the skills to recognize their unhelpful thought and behavioral patterns more clearly and give them the tools to address and prevent these downward spirals moving forward.
With all this in mind, it's important to remember that the best type of therapy for eating disorders may not be the same for everyone. People can find help on their journey to recovery in many different ways.
Art therapy utilizes creative outlets, such as drawing, painting, music, dance, and even acting, to help someone better channel the feelings surrounding their condition. Bypassing the more logical mind helps many fully identify or embody the emotions underpinning their eating disorders.
The core of dialectical behavior therapy is talk therapy, based on CBT, intended to identify and change destructive disordered eating behaviors. Patients are taught several coping strategies to help them better regulate their stress levels, moods—and, ultimately, their actions.
Exposure therapy aims to help people overcome certain deep-seated fears, using repeated interaction with the object, thought, or situation to help desensitize them to certain triggers.
A treatment modality and a particular form of group therapy, family therapy incorporates several members of the same household. This type of psychotherapy utilizes group dynamics to help assess and address any potentially unhelpful patterns within the home.
Group therapy is a treatment modality that can take place in an in-patient or out-patient setting. It generally involves a group of people who may or may not know each other but are working on similar issues and are led by one or several therapists.
Interpersonal psychotherapy is a treatment modality that addresses issues with someone's social interactions and personal relationships, which may be contributing to disordered eating behaviors. It's also often used when someone is going through a period of grief or transition—after losing a loved one, getting a divorce, or becoming a parent, for example.
Self-guided therapy for eating disorders is much as it sounds, coming with a workbook, app, or other pre-planned programs for someone to follow independently. Still, patients are usually also given information or opportunities to contact therapists or other program followers.
At Within, we're here for you every step of the way, no matter your initial assessment or therapeutic needs.
Our knowledgeable care team understands the differences and benefits of these and many other types of therapy and can help you create an individualized treatment plan catered to your specific condition, health, and best outcome.
Everything from meal kits to experiential outings and after-hours support is accounted for in your personalized schedule. And our team can also help coordinate insurance to ensure you can participate in the program fully and confidently.
Most importantly, it's crucial to remember that it's never too late to seek help. The road to recovery can be difficult, but a healthier and happier life is always possible.
Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.
