If someone you care about is suffering from an eating disorder, it can be scary to watch them get skinnier and skinnier. Our society today equates being thin with being beautiful. This sets people, women especially, up for failure. It is not possible for the average person to attain the weight of the super-skinny models and stars while remaining healthy. Unfortunately, some people turn to extreme measures to try to attain the unattainable. This includes two specific eating disorders: anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In a nutshell, anorexia is deliberately starving yourself and bulimia is the binging/purging cycle. Each disorder is treated differently.

For both disorders, the sooner the person receives treatment, the more likely the treatment is to be successful. Eating disorders are extremely complex diseases and treatment is also complex, involving medical care, monitoring, psychological treatment, nutrition counseling and sometimes medication. It is important that a health care professional help treat the person, as sometimes hospitalization is necessary.

There are three phases to treating anorexia. First, the sick person needs to have their weight restored. This is not easy, as there are extreme underlying psychological issues that have to be overcome before the person is even able to eat. Sometimes they need to be fed intravenously. During this stage, the person needs to be highly monitored. Next, treat the underlying psychological issues. Such issues might be a distorted body image or low self-esteem. Often there is a reason such as past abuse or teasing. Once these issues have been addressed, it is time to strive towards long-term recovery. Treating anorexia is an extremely long process and should not be taken lightly. It is often helpful to include the family in the healing process. Sometimes members of the family have contributed unknowingly to the problem and often the family members are crucial to the healing.

The goal of treating bulimia is to stop the cycle of binging and then purging. Start with nutritional intervention. Eliminate the binge food and watch the patient carefully to ensure they are eating well-balanced meals and not purging. Then seek psychological treatment. It is important to address the underlying concerns that are causing the problem. It is also important to establish a proper eating patter. Exercise should be encouraged in moderation. Extreme exercise can be another symptom of bulimia, as it is the patient's way of trying to purge the calories they consumed. If there is an anxiety disorder associated with the sickness, this may be treatable using medication. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are the types of medication that seem to really help bulimia patients and prevent the condition from reoccurring.

One particular problem with getting a person suffering from an eating disorder from seeking treatment is that the person often has trouble admitting or recognizing that they have a problem. When you suggest to them that they need help, they may fight the suggestion strongly. It is important that you not give in to their arguments. You know they need help and, as someone who loves them, it is your responsibility to make sure they receive that help!