Anorexia Patients Identify Disorder as “Inauthentic Self”
When an individual has an eating disorder such as anorexia, the individual’s loved ones may wrestle with how hard to push for formal eating disorder treatment. The person with the eating disorder may resist enrollment in even an outpatient program or meeting with a therapist, causing friends and family members anxiety about their safety.
A recent article posted on PsychCentral describes the insight gained by a study conducted in the south of England. A group of researchers interviewed 29 women being treated for anorexia at various clinics in the area.
The researchers asked questions about how the women viewed their eating disorder, including asking them about how they viewed compulsory treatment and the impact of anorexia on their ability to make decisions.
The interviewers did not specifically ask questions about the patients’ view of their authentic self, almost all of the participants expressed their views about their eating disorder using terms like "authentic self" and "inauthentic self."
The exact perception of how the two selves were involved with anorexia was not consistent in every case, but many of the women expressed anorexia as being their "inauthentic self."
The researchers viewed this perception as a sign that the women may be able to utilize their concept of separate selves as a way to overcome their disorder. The researchers did not think that the perception of separate selves warranted compulsory eating disorder treatment.
However, they did feel that it may indicate that in some cases, patients may exhibit a pattern of incapability with decision-making that may warrant compulsory treatment when self-harm is suspected to be likely.
