How do you recover from anorexia?
If you are a young woman with anorexia, the best way to figure out the seriousness of your problem would be to go to your doctor to see if you will require hospitalization or psychiatric services. Recovery from anorexia nervosa includes both short- and long-term treatment, help from dietitions, psychiatrists and doctors who specialize in anorexia.
Hospital treatment is recommended for anorexics with any of the following characteristics: weight of 40% or more below normal body weight, or more than 30 pounds of weight- loss over a three-month period, severely disturbed metabolism, serious binging and purging, severe depression or risk of suicide. During hospitalization, you will have individual and group therapy as well as refeeding and monitoring of your physical condition. Treatment usually requires two to four months in the hospital. In extreme cases, you may be force-fed through a tube inserted in the nose (nasogastric tube) or by over-feeding.
Anorexics have been treated with many different medications, including antidepressants and antianxiety drugs. The effectiveness of these medications are not certain. However, at least one study of Prozac showed it helped patients maintain the weight gained while in the hospital. The determination for long-term recovery may vary from study to study, but the most reliable estimates are that 40 - 60% of anorexics will make a good physical and social recovery, and 75% will gain weight after treatment. The long-term mortality rate for anorexia is estimated at around 10% (or 1 in 10 with anorexia), although some studies give a lower figure of 3 - 4%.
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