The Process of Help-Seeking in Anorexia Nervosa: Patients’ Perspective of First Contact With Health Services

Abstract

In this study we explored circumstances, reflections, and reactions to first treatment contact in 34 women (aged 18-51) diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) (DSM-IV). Using methods from grounded theory we identified how the meeting came about, what motivated the patients, and how they reacted to the conversation. The results suggest that (a) health care professionals need to demonstrate effective professional communication skills and proficient knowledge about eating disorders in early contacts; (b) treatment goals other than recovery from AN should be explored; and

Perceived barriers and facilitators towards help‐seeking for eating disorders: A systematic review

“…Another prominent barrier identified in the current review was denial, a lack of awareness or a failure to perceive the severity of the problem. This was consistent across included studies that examined clinical samples and at‐risk samples . Some of the included studies indicated that individuals with eating disorders do not necessarily consider their disordered eating behavior to be problematic which in turn prevents them from seeking help.…”

“…Included studies have shown that people with eating disorders are afraid of gaining weight, have a fear of losing the positive aspects of the eating disorder, and feel that they are not ready for change . Participants in these studies reported that their eating disorder was an important part of their identity and provided them with a sense of control . Consequently this had a negative impact on their help‐seeking behavior.…”

“…[17][18][19] Not only individuals with eating disorders, but also often the public perceive eating disorders as a lifestyle choice rather than a severe mental illness requiring professional help. 20,21 In addition, individuals with eating disorders often do not believe they have a problem [22][23][24] or do not believe that their symptoms or behavior require treatment. 15,25 These beliefs, in combination with a reluctance to disclose information regarding their eating behavior 22,26 may result in delayed access to treatment.…”

“…Detailed characteristics of the included qualitative (n 5 8), 17,18,22,23,25,35,40,41 quantitative (n 5 3), 12,26,42 and mixed-methods studies (n 5 2) 14,24 are described in Table 1. An overview of these characteristics including the year of publication and country in which the study was conducted, sample description and characteristics of participants, and the employed methodologies is provided below.…”

Improving motivation to change amongst individuals with eating disorders: A systematic review

“…People with eating disorders (i.e., anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) are often considered to have low motivation to change eating disorder behaviors (Colton & Pistrang, 2004;Leavey, Vallianatou, Johnson-Sabine, Rae, & Gunputh, 2011). One possible reason for this low motivation to change may be a sense of denial regarding whether behaviors are problematic or require intervention (Gulliksen, Nordbø, Espeset, Skårderud, & Holte, 2015;Reyes-Rodríguez, Ramírez, Davis, Patrice, & Bulik, 2013). Indeed, the core features of eating disorders can often be highly valued and perceived as functional, as the behaviors may provide a focus, coping mechanism or sense of control (Schmidt & Treasure, 2006;Schoen et al, 2012;Williams & Reid, 2010).…”