“How can my teenage daughter be cured of anorexia?”
My daughter is 17 years and she revealed to me she is suffering from anorexia. I am so relieved she confided in me, but I am taking her to a counselor and her condition has still not improved. What are the next steps? Should I keep trying different counselors? I don't want to push my daughter away from me but I am extremely worried for her health and wellbeing.
9 Answers
She should see a psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders.
Anorexia is a mental condition causing serious physical damage. It can be very serious even lethal. Many internal organs can be affected or damaged. It is very difficult to treat. If the counseling is not helpful, you need to find a psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders asap. Also, there are eating disorder clinics. Don't wait. It is not likely it will resolve on its own.
Psychotherapy and antidepressants
Managing anorexic patients is a challenge. Treatment by a team has been found to be most helpful. The team consists of:
1, a medical internist who will monitor medical issues - maintaining desirable weight, making sure there are no other physical complications from the anorexia
2. A psychiatrist who will manage use of medications
3, a nutritionist who will work with the patient on establishing appropriate and healthy food choices
4. Therapist who can work with the adolescent and the family on psychological and family issues that may be contributing to the anorexia.
5. A behaviorist who will work on setting behavioral strategies concerning eating patterns, weight monitoring and exercise regulation
1, a medical internist who will monitor medical issues - maintaining desirable weight, making sure there are no other physical complications from the anorexia
2. A psychiatrist who will manage use of medications
3, a nutritionist who will work with the patient on establishing appropriate and healthy food choices
4. Therapist who can work with the adolescent and the family on psychological and family issues that may be contributing to the anorexia.
5. A behaviorist who will work on setting behavioral strategies concerning eating patterns, weight monitoring and exercise regulation
Please get her seen by a psychiatrist as we are more trained in treating eating disorders and she might need medications as well.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm really sorry to hear about your daughter. You certainnly did the right thing in finding a counselor for her. In my personal and professional experience patients respond better to interventions in which they develop a good chemistry with the therapist. Not necessarily because a counselor is more expensive means your daughter will respond. You can definitely give it a shot trying a more experienced counselor, or perhaps one graduated from a better recognized institution. Anyhow, if I were in your shoes, what I would try doing would be finding a doctor whose personality traits and and personal descriptions better match my daughter’s style. You know your daughter better than anybody else. So what you can try to do is search for therapists reviews in your area whose style matches that of your daughter. I think this will ultimately yield the highest therapeutic benefits.
Nutritionist and likely intensive outpatient first, if that doesn't help inpatient, she needs an expert in eating disorders.
I am glad to hear that you have an open relationship with your daughter for her to come forward and share that with you. If counseling is not helping that is when the need of medications come in to play. Please see a psychiatrist for assessment and management while continuing the counseling.
Teenagers go through turmoil, their hormonal upsurging with a role as an adult yet there some more growing pains with it. Anorexia is more complex in its dynamics, distortion of body imaging, faulty or incomplete early feeding, and many earlier relationships have been dysfunctional and a whole host of other problems that your daughter is trying to work through.
Anorexia is complicated eating disorder and a speciality and not as simple and need a well qualified expert to treat it.
There are weights that become dangerous to go below. I advise a well qualified eating disorder specialist to evaluate thoroughly and see if a councilor can help, but under the psychiatrist “WHO IS EATING DISORDER“ specialist and who treated this disease.
Anorexia is complicated eating disorder and a speciality and not as simple and need a well qualified expert to treat it.
There are weights that become dangerous to go below. I advise a well qualified eating disorder specialist to evaluate thoroughly and see if a councilor can help, but under the psychiatrist “WHO IS EATING DISORDER“ specialist and who treated this disease.
