General Article Anorexia nervosa – treatment 

Topic Selected: Eating Disorders
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The treatment for anorexia nervosa usually involves a combination of psychological therapy and supervised weight gain.

It’s important for a person with anorexia to start treatment as early as possible to reduce the risk of serious complications of anorexia, particularly if they’ve already lost a lot of weight.

The treatment plan

GPs are often closely involved in ongoing treatment, although other healthcare professionals are usually involved, including:

  • specialist counsellors
  • psychiatrists
  • psychologists
  • specialist nurses
  • dietitians 
  • paediatricians in cases affecting children and teenagers. 

Before treatment starts, members of this multidisciplinary care team will carry out a detailed physical, psychological and social needs assessment, and will develop a care plan.

Most people with anorexia are treated as an outpatient, which means they visit hospitals, specialist centres or individual members of their care team for appointments, but return home in between.

In more severe cases, a ...

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