Overcoming the Obstacles in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: A Proposal

Abstract

Eating Disorders (ED) are part of a group of complex mental health issues that are in many cases disabling and tend to become chronic (Klump, Bulik, Kaye, Treasure, & Tyson, 2009). These disorders have high rates of mortality and suicide (Fichter & Quadflieg, 2016; Hoang, Goldacre, & James, 2014).
Various sources inform that there is enough evidence to assure that most of these clients have low chances of getting fully recovered (Murray, 2019).
In order to improve our therapeutic interventions, we have to deepen our knowledge of the obstacles we are dealing with and how to overcome them.
In the present study we will focus on the most meaningful barriers of the therapeutic process: (1) the chronicity, which decreases positive expectations both of the client and their context; (2) the high comorbidity, which makes especially hard to elaborate a precise diagnosis and design a proper treatment plan; and (3) the resistance that impedes to achieve positive changes.