What You Need to Know about Eating Disorders by Jessica Bartley

Author:Jessica Bartley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2020-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

THE CHRONIC NATURE OF EATING DISORDERS

The term chronic is used in reference to the expression of an eating disorder that has not responded to initial rounds of treatment. Unfortunately, the behaviors evolve into an unrelenting and continuous cycle for a significant period of time in one’s life. The severity and frequency of symptoms shift but never fully subside. The conceptualization and treatment approach from the clinicians in helping positions mirror these shifts in order to make the goal more aligned with stability and maintenance of symptoms instead of full remission.

Chronicity should be evaluated on more than just the length of time one spends in the illness. Other factors to consider may include the clinical level of ED behaviors themselves, the amount of time spent in previous ED treatment programs or facilities, and the individual’s response to the treatment interventions implemented. Additionally, observation around the level to which one’s individual functioning is impacted is important. This would include medical, psychological, familial, professional, and interpersonal levels of functioning, which are all very important to think through when categorizing an eating disorder as chronic.

Long, Fitzgerald, and Hollin (2012) evaluated 34 adults who were clinically diagnosed with anorexia, either the restrictive type or the binge-purge type. These patients were followed for four years beginning in the acute phase of inpatient treatment through outpatient levels of care. Observation included keeping an eye on the maintenance of their weight restoration as well as follow-up meetings. The content of the follow-ups entailed completion of various assessments that evaluated factors such as ED symptoms, mood presentation, body image thoughts, and level of body satisfaction. The use of specific assessment measures in their study revealed that those who entered remission continued to improve on the comprehensive collection of assessments administered, while those who relapsed never improved on some measures at all. This specifically included body dissatisfaction and interpersonal distrust scales. These individuals also struggled to make progress with sustaining a normal BMI, while those who entered remission were able to improve and maintain a BMI within the normal range.

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