How to Meet the Criteria for Hospitalization for Anorexia

When a person suffering from anorexia reaches a physical or psychological crisis, hospitalization is often necessary in order to stabilize the patient. While there is no exact, codified criteria for a patient to meet, hospitalization in a medical or psychiatric facility is usually used when the patient's circumstances become life threatening.

Things You'll Need

• Psychiatrist
• Physician

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Instructions

Hospitalize an Anorexia Patient Due to Physical Symptoms

• 1

  Take the patient to a hospital if physical signs of severe malnutrition are present. Beyond the standard symptoms like an extremely thin body, exceptionally skinny limbs and bone structures visible through the skin, there are other signs of an impending malnutrition crisis. Brittle bones that fracture or break easily, discoloration and loose skin around the nails and physical weakness are also key signals.

• 2

  Seek medical attention for a person whose eating disorder has resulted in dangerous dehydration. Pock-marked skin on the face (especially the cheeks), headaches and sore eyes are physical symptoms of dehydration that precede more serious symptoms such as difficulty standing or walking and loss of consciousness.

• 3

  Have a doctor see the patient as quickly as possible if heartbeat irregularities surface. Of course, this requires the afflicted individual to communicate with the people around her, which is all too often avoided by anorexia sufferers.

• 4

  Learn more about the other symptoms associated with the physical complications of anorexia. Hypothermia and immune system deficiencies are two of the more serious conditions that meet hospitalization criteria.

Hospitalize an Anorexia Patient Due to Psychological Symptoms

• 5

  Talk to a mental health professional to gain a clearer understanding of the psychological symptoms of anorexia that signal an impending crisis, so that you're prepared to deal with them in case of an emergency.

• 6

  Know the law. If a person's mental illness poses a serious threat to his well-being, you may be able to compel him to get treatment. Suicidal behavior, including the verbal expression of the desire to commit suicide or attempts to commit suicide, is considered grounds to seek coerced treatment.

• 7

  Have the patient committed, or treated on an outpatient basis, as suggested by the anorexia sufferer's caregiver.