Treatment For Eating Disorders with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Types Of Eating Disorders

Two major eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. The root cause of these eating disorders is unhealthy beliefs or cognitive view leading to a strong desire to control food intake and body weight.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia patient often view themselves as fat even though is seriously underweight. They have intense fear of gaining weight and ignore potential health risk such as renal failure, cardiovascular issues and hair loss. Starvation and excessive exercise are common method engaged to control their shape or body weight. The patient usually has depressive mood and obsessive towards certain behaviour. Their perfectionist beliefs created sense of insecurity lose control in life and negative self-evaluation. Certain patient may experience trauma in their early life.     

The Common Unhealthy Beliefs For Anorexia Patient Are:

·              * I must be thin, if I am not then I am a failure

·              * I must be in control of my weight, if I am not then I am worthless

·              * I must control my weight, if I am not , people will not accept me

Treatment for anorexia nervosa with Cognitive Behavior Therapy mainly focus on helping the client to see the short term and long term consequences of their behavior. Motivate the client to change with the Cost Benefit analysis. Establish a mutual agreeable weight gain target which is gradual and realistic. All related unhealthy beliefs would need to identified, challenged and disputed. Nurture health beliefs as a base for changes. Patient will impart with appropriate problem solving skills and rebuilt their self-esteem to face the future challenges in life.   

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia patient would eat large amount of food and engage inappropriate compensatory behavior such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or excessive exercise in order to prevent gaining weight. Binge and purge cycle often accompanied with senses of helpless, shame and guilt. The action is usually carried out in secret and fear of being found out. The patient is obsessed about their shape and body weight and use the binge and purge to gain sense of satisfaction.

The Common Unhealthy Beliefs For Bulimia Patient Are:

·               * I must be control of my weight, If I am not then I am not controlling my live

·              * I must not purge or vomit, I am worthless for not managing it

·              * I must not feel uncomfortable or have negative emotion, eating could eliminate these negative feelings

Treatment for bulimia nervosa with Cognitive Behavior Therapy could help the patient to see the consequences and effect of beinge eating and purging. Set mutual agreeable eating plan and stop dieting is necessary as part of the treatment. The therapist will help the patient to identify root cause of emotion dissatisfaction and issue of self-worth with the unhealthy beliefs behind it. All the unhealthy beliefs will be disputed and a set of helpful beliefs will be installed. Technique such as mindfulness eating and emotion tracking could break the behavior pattern and lead to change of attitude, behavior and lifestyle. 

Reference : Treatment For Anoroxia Nervosa in Malaysia

                   Treatment For Bulimia Nervosa in Malaysia   

Website : www.clinicalhypnosis.com.my

Tel : +60136882577   Roger Tang