Helping Patients with Eating Disorders

Topics: Eating Disorders

TCPR: Can you explain the factors determining whether to hospitalize somebody with an eating disorder? Dr. Schwartz: There are two types of hospitalizations to consider. One is in a medical unit with psychiatric support, and the other is in a psychiatric unit, preferably a specialized eating disorder unit that has medical services available if necess

Family-Based Therapy to Treat Anorexia Nervosa

Topics: Eating Disorders

The role of families in the treatment of mental illness has always been a tenuous one. Often blamed (think refrigerator mothers), but also expected to provide continuous care for the afflicted loved one, families carry a significant burden. Nowhere is this dichotomy more visible than in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN), where it has long been assu

Bones and the Blues

Topics: Eating Disorders

SSRIs have been around for a long time and generally are thought to have a fairly benign side effect profile. However, these are medications that are taken for many months or even years, and it is important to consider the potential long-term effects on your patients. One highly-publicized possible sequela of long-term SSRI treatment is damage to bon

Risperdal not Effective for Anorexia Nervosa

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Eating Disorders | Research Updates

Effective Psychiatric Medications for Eating Disorders

Topics: Antidepressants | Eating Disorders

Because of the dearth of FDA –approved medications for eating disorders, psychotherapy has gradually become the treatment of choice. Nonetheless, clinical trials of off-label uses of various medications have yielded a few impressive results, particularly for bulimia and binge eating disorder. Here’s a quick run down of various meds that may be worth

Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders: A Review of the Current Evidence

Topics: Eating Disorders | Psychotherapy

A variety of psychotherapy techniques work well for eating disorders, particularly for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Below is a brief summary of the evidence from controlled clinical trials. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The Technique. The theory behind CBT for bulimia nervosa (BN) is that these patients have developed distorte

Tips on Treating Eating Disordered Patients

Topics: Eating Disorders

What's New in Eating Disorders?

Topics: Eating Disorders

While few psychiatrists specialize in eating disorders, most of us see patients with anorexia or bulimia from time to time. It’s hard to keep up on the latest literature when we see such patients rarely. I recently spoke to Dr. David Herzog about new research in eating disorders over the last few years. Dr. Herzog, who is director of the eating disor

Therapeutic Strategies for Disordered Eating

Topics: Eating Disorders