How to Use Behavior Therapy to Treat Anorexia

With roots going as far back as Pavlov and his classical conditioning experiments, behavior therapy is one of the best-established ways to treat psychopathological behavior. Behavior therapy can be especially effective when used as part of an applied healing program for anorexic patients.

Things You'll Need

• Psychotherapist (specializing in the use of cognitive-behavior therapy)
• Physician

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Instructions

Understand Behavior Therapy

• 1

  Ask your therapist to explain the principles of behavior therapy. It is usually blended with cognitive therapy, which seeks to help patients attain an understanding of the root causes of their malady. Behavior therapy is introduced when a patient recognizes the psychological triggers of anorexia.

• 2

  Use behavior therapy to change the way the patient psychologically responds to the stimuli that foster his anorexia. Common techniques used to help the patient understand and change his behavior include keeping journals and diaries, questioning his beliefs and, eventually, putting himself in situations he would previously have avoided.

• 3

  Treat the anorexic individual with behavior therapy on an outpatient basis, if the person has adequately recovered following hospitalization.

Use Behavior Theory to Treat Anorexia

• 4

  Get a referral to a cognitive-behavior specialist from a physician or psychiatrist, if the patient does not already have a therapist appointed.

• 5

  Take part in behavior therapy either individually or as part of a group. There are benefits and drawbacks to both single-person and multi-person approaches. A mental health professional's judgment is usually the determining factor in deciding which type of therapy the patient should seek.

• 6

  Increase the efficacy of psychotherapy by treating the anxiety and depression that usually accompany anorexia with drugs, if prescribed by your doctor. Studies have shown that the dual application of therapy and medicine increases the effectiveness of both, compared to the effectiveness of each alone.

• 7

  Keep the patient in behavior therapy until a qualified doctor deems the person fit to cease treatment. In order for a treatment program to be declared successful, a person with anorexia nervosa will generally not only have to regain and maintain a healthy body weight, but she will also need to demonstrate psychological healing to her team of doctors.