How Anorexia Is Treated

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPsychotherapyMedicationNutrition CounselingHospitalizationComplications of TreatmentHow to Make Your Treatment Most EffectiveA Word From Verywell

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Psychotherapy

Medication

Nutrition Counseling

Hospitalization

Complications of Treatment

How to Make Your Treatment Most Effective

A Word From Verywell

It’s important to treat anorexia as soon as possible, in order to prevent serious complications. The longer anorexia is left untreated, the worse it gets. Earlier diagnosis and treatment can help improve treatment outcomes.

Treatment goals for people with anorexia can include:

Depending on the individual and their symptoms, treatment for anorexia can involve psychotherapy, medication,nutrition counseling, and in severe cases, hospitalization. Treatment may require multiple healthcare providers, such as psychotherapists, nutritionists, and physicians.

If you or a loved one have an eating disorder and need help, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one have an eating disorder and need help, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Psychotherapy can help a person with anorexia understand their triggers, change their thoughts and behaviors, and improve the way they respond to stressful situations.

These are some of the types of therapy that can help treat anorexia:

What to Know About Eating Disorders

In addition to psychotherapy, people with anorexia may need to take antidepressant medication such asProzac(fluoxetine) or antipsychotic medication such as Zyprexa (olanzapine) to treat emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression.

One of the side effects of antipsychotic drugs is weight gain, which may be helpful in the treatment of anorexia.

Medicationmay also be required to treat any complications of anorexia, such as heart or bone conditions.

In addition to losing weight, people with anorexia may not be getting all the nutrition they require to stay healthy.

Nutrition counselingcan help them eat healthier, restore their weight, improve their relationship with food, and understand the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. It can also treat any nutrition deficiencies, such as vitamin or mineral deficiencies, with food and nutrition supplements.

Eating Disorder Recovery: 12 Tips to Aid in the Process

Depending on how severe the person’s condition is, hospital care may be required.

People with the following conditions may require hospitalization for intensive care or frequent monitoring:

Outpatient treatment may be an option for people who are psychiatrically and medically stable, if their symptoms are under control and they don’t require constant monitoring.

Anorexia treatment can lead to a complication known as refeeding syndrome, which can be life-threatening. This occurs when a person who is severely malnourished receives nourishment and is unable to metabolize it properly.

Refeeding syndrome can lead to:

These are some of the risk factors for refeeding syndrome:

People with refeeding syndrome may require hospitalization, where their calorie intake will be increased gradually until they gain weight and their electrolyte levels stabilize. Even after they are discharged, they may require continued medical care to ensure that their brain, heart, and bone health are restored.

Caregiving for Anorexia

Here are some steps that can help make treatment for anorexia more effective:

Coping With Anorexia

If you or someone you love is struggling with anorexia, it is important to remember that help is available. While it can be difficult, recovery is possible. Talk to your health care provider or a mental health professional about your treatment options.

Is My Loss of Appetite an Eating Disorder?

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Keshaviah A, Edkins K, Hastings ER, et al.Re-examining premature mortality in anorexia nervosa: A meta-analysis redux.Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2014;55(8):1773-1784. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.07.017Treasure J, Cardi V.Anorexia nervosa, theory and treatment: Where are we 35 years on from Hilde Bruch’s Foundation lecture?European Eating Disorders Review. 2017;25(3):139-147. doi:10.1002/erv.2511Brockmeyer T, Friederich H-C, Schmidt U.Advances in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a review of established and emerging interventions.Psychological Medicine. 2018;48(8):1228-1256. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002604Brown TA, Keel PK.Current and emerging directions in the treatment of eating disorders.Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment. 2012;6:SART.S7864. doi:10.4137/sart.s7864Himmerich H, Treasure J.Psychopharmacological advances in eating disorders.Expert review of clinical pharmacology. 2018;11(1):95-108. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1383895Çöpür S, Çöpür M.Olanzapine in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2020;56(1):60. doi:10.1186/s41983-020-00195-yMittnacht AM, Bulik CM.Best nutrition counseling practices for the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A Delphi study.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2014;48(1):111-122. doi:10.1002/eat.22319Anderson LK, Reilly EE, Berner L, et al.Treating eating disorders at higher levels of care: Overview and challenges.Current Psychiatry Reports. 2017;19(8). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0796-4Skowrońska A, Sójta K, Strzelecki D.Refeeding syndrome as treatment complication of anorexia nervosa.Psychiatria Polska. 2019;53(5):1113-1123. doi:10.12740/pp/onlinefirst/90275Additional ReadingCleveland Clinic.Anorexia nervosa: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.NHS UK.Treatment - anorexia.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Keshaviah A, Edkins K, Hastings ER, et al.Re-examining premature mortality in anorexia nervosa: A meta-analysis redux.Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2014;55(8):1773-1784. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.07.017Treasure J, Cardi V.Anorexia nervosa, theory and treatment: Where are we 35 years on from Hilde Bruch’s Foundation lecture?European Eating Disorders Review. 2017;25(3):139-147. doi:10.1002/erv.2511Brockmeyer T, Friederich H-C, Schmidt U.Advances in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a review of established and emerging interventions.Psychological Medicine. 2018;48(8):1228-1256. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002604Brown TA, Keel PK.Current and emerging directions in the treatment of eating disorders.Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment. 2012;6:SART.S7864. doi:10.4137/sart.s7864Himmerich H, Treasure J.Psychopharmacological advances in eating disorders.Expert review of clinical pharmacology. 2018;11(1):95-108. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1383895Çöpür S, Çöpür M.Olanzapine in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2020;56(1):60. doi:10.1186/s41983-020-00195-yMittnacht AM, Bulik CM.Best nutrition counseling practices for the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A Delphi study.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2014;48(1):111-122. doi:10.1002/eat.22319Anderson LK, Reilly EE, Berner L, et al.Treating eating disorders at higher levels of care: Overview and challenges.Current Psychiatry Reports. 2017;19(8). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0796-4Skowrońska A, Sójta K, Strzelecki D.Refeeding syndrome as treatment complication of anorexia nervosa.Psychiatria Polska. 2019;53(5):1113-1123. doi:10.12740/pp/onlinefirst/90275Additional ReadingCleveland Clinic.Anorexia nervosa: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.NHS UK.Treatment - anorexia.

Keshaviah A, Edkins K, Hastings ER, et al.Re-examining premature mortality in anorexia nervosa: A meta-analysis redux.Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2014;55(8):1773-1784. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.07.017Treasure J, Cardi V.Anorexia nervosa, theory and treatment: Where are we 35 years on from Hilde Bruch’s Foundation lecture?European Eating Disorders Review. 2017;25(3):139-147. doi:10.1002/erv.2511Brockmeyer T, Friederich H-C, Schmidt U.Advances in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a review of established and emerging interventions.Psychological Medicine. 2018;48(8):1228-1256. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002604Brown TA, Keel PK.Current and emerging directions in the treatment of eating disorders.Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment. 2012;6:SART.S7864. doi:10.4137/sart.s7864Himmerich H, Treasure J.Psychopharmacological advances in eating disorders.Expert review of clinical pharmacology. 2018;11(1):95-108. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1383895Çöpür S, Çöpür M.Olanzapine in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2020;56(1):60. doi:10.1186/s41983-020-00195-yMittnacht AM, Bulik CM.Best nutrition counseling practices for the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A Delphi study.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2014;48(1):111-122. doi:10.1002/eat.22319Anderson LK, Reilly EE, Berner L, et al.Treating eating disorders at higher levels of care: Overview and challenges.Current Psychiatry Reports. 2017;19(8). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0796-4Skowrońska A, Sójta K, Strzelecki D.Refeeding syndrome as treatment complication of anorexia nervosa.Psychiatria Polska. 2019;53(5):1113-1123. doi:10.12740/pp/onlinefirst/90275

Treasure J, Cardi V.Anorexia nervosa, theory and treatment: Where are we 35 years on from Hilde Bruch’s Foundation lecture?European Eating Disorders Review. 2017;25(3):139-147. doi:10.1002/erv.2511

Brockmeyer T, Friederich H-C, Schmidt U.Advances in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a review of established and emerging interventions.Psychological Medicine. 2018;48(8):1228-1256. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002604

Brown TA, Keel PK.Current and emerging directions in the treatment of eating disorders.Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment. 2012;6:SART.S7864. doi:10.4137/sart.s7864

Himmerich H, Treasure J.Psychopharmacological advances in eating disorders.Expert review of clinical pharmacology. 2018;11(1):95-108. doi:10.1080/17512433.2018.1383895

Çöpür S, Çöpür M.Olanzapine in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2020;56(1):60. doi:10.1186/s41983-020-00195-y

Mittnacht AM, Bulik CM.Best nutrition counseling practices for the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A Delphi study.International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2014;48(1):111-122. doi:10.1002/eat.22319

Anderson LK, Reilly EE, Berner L, et al.Treating eating disorders at higher levels of care: Overview and challenges.Current Psychiatry Reports. 2017;19(8). doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0796-4

Skowrońska A, Sójta K, Strzelecki D.Refeeding syndrome as treatment complication of anorexia nervosa.Psychiatria Polska. 2019;53(5):1113-1123. doi:10.12740/pp/onlinefirst/90275

Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia nervosa: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.NHS UK.Treatment - anorexia.

Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia nervosa: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

NHS UK.Treatment - anorexia.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?