Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment

When your relationship with food and obsession with thinness interferes with your life, you may be suffering from an eating disorder. Eating disorders involve destructive patterns of restrictive dieting, purging, exercising, and binging that lead to serious physical and psychological consequences. Recovery is most possible when an eating disorder is identified early, treated by trained professionals, and when treatment is supported by close friends and family.

Help yourself or someone you are concerned about. The following are available through self-referral:

  • Medical evaluation and treatment - 387-3290
  • Individual psychotherapy - 387-1850
  • Nutrition assessment and counseling - 387-3290
  • Helping resources - 387-3263

Reaching Out To Someone With An Eating Disorder

DO

  1. Speak to the person privately and allow time to talk.
  2. Tell the person you are very concerned about her or him.
  3. Calmly tell the person all the specific observations that have aroused your concern.
  4. Allow the person time to respond. Listen carefully and non-judgementally.
  5. Keep the focus on problems (for example, withdrawing from others). If the information you receive suggests an eating disorder, share with the person that:
    • You think the person might have a problem with eating (or body image or weight management).
    • You are concerned about his or her health and well-being.
    • You are concerned that the matter needs to be evaluated by somebody who understands eating disorders.
  6. Know about some of the resources in your school and your community to which students can be referred.
  7. Tell a nurse, guidance counselor, teacher or coach immediately if the person has problems that scare you, for example, if the person is:
    • Bingeing and throwing up several times per day.
    • Passing out or complaining of chest pains.
    • Complaining of severe stomach ache and/or vomiting blood.
    • Suicidal.

DON'T

  1. Don’t speak to someone else without first speaking privately to the person whom you suspect of having an eating disorder (unless the situation is an emergency).
  2. Don’t confront the person with a group of people, all of whom are firing concerns and accusations at the person.
  3. Don’t threaten or challenge the person.
  4. Don’t be judgemental. Don’t tell the person what they’re doing is “sick” or “crazy” or “stupid”.
  5. Don’t give advice about weight loss or exercising or appearance.
  6. Don’t diagnose.
  7. Don’t get into an argument or a battle of wills.
    • Calmly repeat your evidence, your concern, and your strong belief that they need to have the problem evaluated.
    • End the conversation if it is going nowhere or if either of you becomes too upset.
  8. Don’t promise to keep what you have observed a secret.
  9. Don’t try to keep track of what the person is eating or try to force the person to eat or not to eat.
  10. Don’t let the person monopolize your time and energy.

From N.E.D.O. (1991). A Five A Day Lesson Plan On Eating Disorders.



 

Sindecuse Health Center
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 5445 USA
(269) 387-3287 | (269) 387-3204 Fax
shc-webmail@wmich.edu