icult it is to overcome the disorder and its effect on the body. If an eating disorder is suspected, particularly if it involves weight loss, the first step is a complete physical examination to rule out any other illnesses. Once an eating disorder is diagnosed, the clinician must determine whether the patient is in immediate medical danger and requires hospitalization. While most patients can be treated as outpatients, some need hospital care. Conditions warranting hospitalization include excessive and rapid weight loss, serious metabolic disturbances, clinical depression or risk of suicide, severe binge eating and purging, or psychosis. The complex interaction of emotional and physiological problems in eating disorders calls for a comprehensive treatment plan, involving a variety of experts and approaches. Ideally the treatment team includes an internist, a nutritionist, an individual psychotherapist, and a psychopharmacologist. To help those with eating disorders deal with their illness and underlying emotional issues, some form of psychotherapy is usually needed. Group therapy, in which people share their experiences with others, has been especially effective for individuals with bulimia.NIMH supported scientist, have examined the effectiveness of combining psychotherapy and medications. In a recent study of bulimia, researchers have found that both intensive group therapy and antidepressants medications, combined or alone, benefited patients. In another study of bulimia, the combined use of cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medications was most beneficial. This combination treatment was particularly effective in preventing relapse once medications were discontinued. For patients with binge eating disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medications may also prove to be useful. For anorexia, preliminary evidence shows that some antidepressant medications may be effective when combined with other forms ...
