Your friend/relative and treatment

What does the treatment for an eating disorder involve?

The types and availability of treatment varies around the country and different types of help may be offered. Treatment should include dealing with the emotional as well as the physical issues but this must be done quite slowly so that your friend or relative is able to cope with the changes. It should involve talking with someone about the emotional difficulties that have led to their eating disorder. It will also explore their physical problems, general health matters and eating patterns. Help with eating and simply regaining weight is usually not enough. The more actively they participate in the treatment programme, the greater the chance is of them making a good recovery.

Will they have to go into hospital?

Many people with eating disorders are seen as outpatients (for example, going to the hospital one day a week), but in severe cases, they might need to visit the hospital more often or stay in hospital for more intensive support and treatment (in-patient care).

Should I visit them in hospital?

This depends very much on what your friend wants, how you feel and what the treatment centre allows. Let them know you are thinking of them and would like to visit them. If this is not possible you can always write to them or call to let them know that you are still there to support them.

“I didn’t want to see people while I was in hospital, I felt so embarrassed, but my friend sent me a letter which really picked me up”

Can my friend be forced to get help?

If they have lost a great deal of weight, they may be in danger of starving themselves and developing serious complications. In these circumstances they may literally not be able to think properly and can refuse essential treatment and even life sustaining food. A doctor may decide, after consulting colleagues who must agree, to admit them for specialist treatment. This is usually called being ‘sectioned’ because it is done under the rules in one of the ‘sections’ of the Mental Health Act.

Will they be cured when they come home?

Most people with an eating disorder do recover and learn to use more positive coping mechanisms.
However recovery from an eating disorder can take a very long time, and can be very difficult. Part of your friend may want to get better while the other part might be very scared about giving up the eating disorder.

“I want to get better, but just don’t want to gain weight”

They are likely to have good days and bad days. At times of stress, eating difficulties may return. To change the way people think and feel is never easy and it takes time. Your friend may have changed, but that isn’t always a bad thing is it? He or she will still need your support.