Challenges & Rewards of Working with Longer-Term Eating Disorders

Longer-term eating disorders benefit from treatment modalities tailored specifically to the complexities unique to those types of illnesses, including a deep and wide-ranging dependence upon the symptoms/behaviors of the disorder; the sufferer’s belief that he/she “is” the illness as opposed to a person who “suffers from” the illness; an entrenched worldview based on the eating disorder that leads to profound difficulty envisioning life without the disorder and an inability to believe in the possibility of surviving without the “assistance” of the illness; diminished experience in relationships other than with the illness; and the sufferer’s consequent fear of incompetence in his/her ability to cultivate and maintain fulfilling connections.

Treatment must navigate these complexities, balancing attempts to reduce/resolve symptoms with the reality that the sufferer is intensely attached to, and dependent upon, those very symptoms. Explore various methods for working with long-term eating disorders, including a new model designed specifically for this clinical population.