The Process of Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa

The Process of Recovery from Anorexia Nervosa

During recovery from an eating disorder there are many hurdles to face. As a result we wanted to help guide you through what the process of recovery can look like and hope that it can help you, or someone you love, on the road to recovery Please bear in mind that this article will focus primarily on anorexia nervosa (AN) recovery and no other eating disorders. For information regarding other eating disorders, please refer to Beat Charity, the NHS website or your GP for guidance.

The statistics:

It is believed that approximately 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder, 8% of which have AN. Eating disorders affect males and females of all ages. Males account for 25% of those affected by an eating disorder and whilst AN is often seen in teenagers, it affects children and adults too. Despite the statics suggesting 1.25million people suffer from an eating disorder, there will be many more suffering in silence.

The Path to Recovery

Taking the first step:

The first step to recovery is the individual recognising that they need help. This step takes a lot of courage so it is important to be gentle with the family member or friend who is seeking help. It is a very difficult time in their recovery process and much support is required.

Seeing a GP:

When an individual has recognised that they need help, it is time to contact the GP. AN recovery is difficult to battle alone so the GP can guide them through the next processes. The GP will put processes in place and send referrals to health professionals (psychologists and dietitians) for further support.

Psychological Help:

What is extremely important to remember is that AN is a severe mental health disorder. AN has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder and it should not be taken lightly. Highlighting the importance of this, it is essential that the individual gets the best care possible. When a psychologist is appointed to the individual the relationship should work well. If the psychologist is not offering the support that is required, a request for an alternative should be made.

Whilst it is improving, the health services for AN is not the best in the UK and waiting lists for support can be long. If you face a long waiting list you may want to consider going privately, if this is feasible, or reach out to charitable organisations such as Beat for support.

CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a key part of the recovery process however, getting a CBT therapist on the NHS can be difficult. Many AN sufferers will never see a CBT which is a devastating matter as they play a key role to recovery. The GP will put in a referral for CBT but it is never guaranteed. If this is something that is faced, going private could be worth the extra cost, if affordable. AN support across the UK will vary so don’t be alarmed as getting CBT is still a possibility.

Dietitian:

A dietetics referral will be made for the individual. Typically AN patients seeing a Dietitian as an outpatient will have an initial assessment then based on that future sessions may follow. Each individuals experience will differ here and sessions will vary between cases.

In-patient therapy:

Not all individual’s with AN will become inpatients. Most are managed as outpatients and for the mental health and recovery of AN sufferers this may be the best option. Admittance to an inpatient hospital is for the most severe cases and it can be a battle to get admitted. In-patient hospitals for recovery have strict rules and systems in place and can be challenging for the patient.

Alternative recovery plans

The above are a few steps that may be faced on the road to recovery, but there are other options too (if things do not work to plan). It is important to follow the process above but theee are some alternative options.

Seek help privately – seeing a cognitive behaviour therapist, dietitian or psychologist privately can speed up the process to recovery. The NHS systems can take a lot longer than going privately. It is not to say that the NHS don’t do a great job, it is just a matter of time with the individual and speed of process.

Beat Charity – Beat are an incredible eating disorder charity with lots of free help, advise and information. They offer help to AN suffers as well as family/ friends and carers too. They have support lines, chat rooms, support groups, leaflets and much more. Sometimes just talking to someone who understands AN can be a great help to recovery.

Things to remember during the recovery process

It is important to highlight that recovery from AN is never easy. There will be ups and downs throughout the process and to full recovery can take years. Recovery is about learning to love food again, finding peace with body image, removing the fear of food and learning how to eat again. Sufferers with AN face many hurdles when it comes to eating again and it is not a a simple process. AN doesn’t happen overnight and neither does recovery.

There are many factors involved when it comes to recovery and each individual is different; it is very important to highlight this. For further information on AN please visit Beat Charity and if you have any questions feel free to drop us an email too.

Take care.