The Broad Changes Occurring in Eating Disorder Treatment

The changes in treating people with eating disorders have been dramatic in recent years. Several differences in how we as a culture approach mental health have opened the door to very new ideas about diagnosis and treatment.

First, mental health is a much more accepted part of overall health. We discuss our psychological and emotional well being as something to be monitored, addressed and taken seriously. The idea that we should tough out difficult experiences and ignore our emotional selves is not the only way to function anymore. Awareness increases the likelihood that family or friends will notice changes in eating behaviors or emotions and say something a lot sooner.

Second, knowledge and education about eating disorders are much more available and prevalent. Mental health awareness is a part of this change, but in addition most people know what eating disorders are and many more people have experienced someone close to them who has struggled with one. Social media exposes people to eating disorders much more regularly, and younger people have a larger breadth of knowledge not just about eating disorders but also diet culture and fat phobia.

Third, the expansion of care with many more treatment programs, virtual programs and clinicians for people with eating disorders makes it possible to be diagnosed and treated much earlier in the course of the illness. Since so more options now accept insurance, many more people have access to care. Treatment options means many people can get help and find a path to recovery sooner in their illness.

Compared to the relatively recent past, these changes are shocking to consider. The majority of people with eating disorders used to struggle for years before figuring out a diagnosis, let alone find any professional help, but that path is much less common these days. I am much more likely to see a young patient who understands their issue and the help they need than a patient ten years older coming to treatment for the first time.

This post reflects an important aspect of mental health care, namely how psychiatric diagnosis and treatment changes with cultural changes in our society. I’ll talk more about that in the next post.