Forced Treatment for Eating Disorders May Be Positive Experience Overall
When an individual is suffering with an eating disorder, they may wait years before they disclose their problem to another person. Fear of exposure often prevents a person with anorexia or bulimia from telling a healthcare professional, and often serious health problems develop before they receive medical attention.
After disclosing their difficulties to a family member, friend or healthcare professional, the individual may resist any type of treatment to help them get to the root of their disordered eating behaviors. They may be overwhelmed with the prospect of others knowing about their disorder, even in the safety of a treatment program.
A new study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry reports that those individuals who resist treatment and are forced into therapy fare just as well in treatment programs as those who enroll voluntarily. The practice of forced treatment is controversial, but participants in the study expressed appreciation shortly after completing a program.
The research was conducted by the Department of Psychiatry at the University Of Iowa College Of Medicine. The researchers investigated the situations of 397 patients that were admitted over a seven-year period.
The results of the examination show that the involuntary patients were similar in every aspect to patients admitted by choice. The only differences were the original circumstances surrounding the admission, specifically the willingness to be treated.
The study did find that there was a difference in the amount of time required to complete treatment. Those admitted involuntarily tended to require a longer time in the treatment program than the length of the voluntary patients’ stay.
The authors explained that the patients involuntarily treated later recognized the necessity of the treatment and even had a positive attitude about the treatment process. Further research is necessary to determine whether the same results are observed after a follow-up period has elapsed.
Many of the individuals treated for eating disorders are diagnosed with one of two eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is known by its symptoms of severe limitations on caloric intake, sometimes paired with excessive exercise in order to control weight.
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by a cycle of binge eating (consuming excessive calories in a relatively short amount of time) and purging, in which the individual uses self-induced vomiting or laxatives to rid their body of food before it can be absorbed.
Both disorders are rooted in a very serious body image dissatisfaction that leads to body image distortion. With that distortion comes intense feelings of shame that may prevent the sufferer from being able to share their problems with another person and agree to seek help.
