psychiatric disorders
Bulimia Nervosa
Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa
Cognitive behavioral therapy Interpersonal psychotherapy Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Cognitive behavioral therapy is the treatment of choice for bulimia nervosa. Therapy usually involves 16 to 20 individual sessions over 4 to 5 months, although it can also be done as group therapy. Treatment aims to Increase motivation for change Replace dysfunctional eating with a regular and flexible pattern Decrease undue concern with body shape and weight Prevent relapse cognitive behavioral therapy eliminates binge eating and purging in about 30 to 50% of patients. Many others show improvement; some drop out of treatment or do not respond. Improvement is usually well-maintained over the long-term. In interpersonal psychotherapy, the emphasis is on helping patients identify and alter current interpersonal problems that may be maintaining the eating disorder. The treatment is both nondirective and noninterpretive and does not focus directly on eating disorder symptoms. Interpersonal psychotherapy can be considered an alternative when cognitive behavioral therapy is unavailable. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) used alone reduce the frequency of binge eating and vomiting, although long-term outcomes are unknown. SSRIs are also effective in treating comorbid anxiety and depression. 