The Eating Disorders Programme from the Department of Psychiatry at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), shares coping tips for eating disorders and how they are treated.
Continued from previous page.
The
Eating Disorders Programme from the
Department of Psychiatry at
Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the
SingHealth group, shares coping tips for eating disorders and how they are treated at SGH.
Eating disorder coping tips: Building a positive body image and a healthy self-esteem are key
Eating disorders cannot be treated solely using medications, if at all.
Psychotherapy or counselling is the most effective and long-lasting treatment for individuals with eating disorders, coupled with careful attention paid to medical and nutritional needs.
Family counselling may also be needed to support the individual’s recovery process.
Building a healthy self-esteem and a positive body image is one important way to build resilience against eating disorders. There are several ways one can achieve this.
For some individuals, seeking professional help from a psychologist or a counsellor can further support their efforts to build a positive self-image and increase self-confidence.
a) 10 ways to improve self-image
Appreciate all that your body can do and celebrate it
Keep a top 10 list of things you like about yourself (not linked to your weight or what you look like) and read it often
Remind yourself that ‘true beauty’ is not just about how you look physically
Look at yourself as a
whole person, instead of focusing on specific body parts
Surround yourself with
positive and supportive people
Shut down internal voices that shame you or your appearance
Wear clothes that are
comfortable and that make you feel good about your body
View social and media messages with a
critical eye and pay attention to how they make you feel about yourself
Do something
nice for yourself – take a relaxing bath, make time for a nap, or find a peaceful place to relax
Use the time and energy that you might have spent worrying about food, calories, and your weight to do something to
help others
Learning and adopting healthy coping skills can also help individuals manage their emotions and responses to stressors better.
This in turn reduces the necessity for the individual to turn to food or controlling food to cope with life’s challenges.
Coping better can be done by improving skills in stress management, time management, decision-making, problem-solving, and lifestyle management.
Another way to improve one’s ability to cope is to build resilience – which refers to the process of adapting well to trauma, adversity, threats, or other significant sources of stress.
One of the most important ways to build resilience is to have supportive and caring relationships in one’s life. Having a positive view of yourself is another important factor in building resilience. The following are specific strategies that one can use to build resilience:
b) 10 Ways to build resilience
Maintain good relationships with close family members and friends, and help others
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems
Accept that change is part of living
Set
realisticgoals, break them down into small achievable goals, and move toward your goals gradually
Take
decisive actions instead of avoiding problems
Look for
opportunities for self-discovery (e.g. think about specific ways you have grown from dealing with a difficult situation)
Nurture a
positive view of yourself, and develop confidence in your ability to solve problems
Keep things in perspective – think long-term and avoid blowing things out of proportion
Maintain a hopeful outlook – visualize what you want instead of worrying about what you fear
Take care of your needs, your feelings, and your body
Eating disorders treatment at SGH
SGH has a structured eating disorders treatment programme supported by a multi-disciplinary team comprising experienced psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, family therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, physiotherapists, art therapists, and clinical counsellors.
The team utilises evidence-based treatment that is safe, effective, and scientifically proven. Treatment is individualised to the patient’s specific needs and recovery process. The programme accepts patients aged 13 and above.
How to know if eating disorder treatment is working?
There are 3 key factors to look out for in the recovery of a patient with an eating disorder are:
First is physical recovery, where the patient’s body weight and nutritional status are restored to a healthy level and where any medical complications that resulted have been resolved.
Second is behavioral recovery, where there are improvements in the patient’s behaviors related to food, eating, exercising, and engaging in social situations where meals are involved.
Third is psychological recovery, where thoughts related to the eating disorder (such as fear of certain foods or bloating, body image issues, or significant obsession with healthy eating) are resolved or reduced.
For more information and tips, download a FREE copy of the "Treating Eating Disorders: The SGH Experience" booklet.
Information modified from Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorder, Inc. (ANRED)
See page 1 for the three types of eating disorders.
See page 2 for
common causes of eating disorders.
See page 3 to for
complications that may arise from eating disorders.
Ref: G25 (ed)
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