NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Family therapy is treatment of more than one member of a family based on the idea hinting at problems with the way the whole family operates. The anorexic will get better if the family system can change (Marx 198). Family therapy is most useful with the young high-school age anorexic who lives at home (Whitaker 74). Treating the entire family is advisable if the patients appear to be strong enough to adopt a nurturing authoritative posture toward the anorexic in therapy sessions (Levenkron 171).
The goals of family therapy are the first task is to help the patient break her abnormal eating pattern. Family can support the patient better if they know the facts, and educate the family. The exact goal of therapy depends on the patients age. When the patient is under the age of 18, it focuses on the parents. With an older patient, the therapist helps the patient separate from the family and live on their own (Marx 199). Finally, the last type of therapy is group therapy.
There are different types of group therapy. Psychodynamic group therapy, psycho educational and cognitive-behavioral group therapy, family support groups, creative therapy, art therapy, psychodrama groups, and self-help groups. The role of group therapy is made to address some of the problems anorexia nervosa cause loneliness, isolation, and hopelessness. Group therapy helps with self-esteem. Patients gain hope by meeting others who have had the disease (Marx 175 - 178). A type of group therapy is psychodynamic.
Psychodynamic therapy helps the patient gain insight into their situation and bring about changes in their personality. It gives patients a chance to express themselves and interact with others in a supportive environment. The goals of treatment are to help the patients identify and trust themselves and improve relationships with other people. Some other goals are sense of ineffectiveness, low self-esteem, anxiety, misperception of feelings, mistrust of others, disturbances in body image, avoiding maturity, and behavior (Marx 176). Psycho educational and cognitive-behavioral group therapy provides a natural environment for patients to learn the facts about anorexia nervosa.
The group gives patients an opportunity to share strategies for improving unhealthy eating. Also, model patterns of thinking and feelings (Marx 177). Family support groups are led by a social worker. These groups involve members of anywhere from 5 to 10 families of eating disorders patients. Families learn how to be supportive of their child, how to set limits, and how to handle problems. People share experiences and trade advice, giving each other emotional support (Marx 177).
In self-help groups people bond together to solve their common problems. It offers patients a chance to share experience, fellowship, and advice. The group reinforces change by offering role models for behavior and sharing successful strategies and attitudes and also emphasizing personal responsibility and valuable lessons. Self-help groups reflect traditions of self-reliance and voluntarism (Marx 185). Other types of group therapies are creative therapy, which is movement or dance therapy to help patients get in touch with their bodies.
Art therapy lets patients draw or sculpt to express feelings about their bodies and relationships with others. In psychodrama, groups patients can act out of scenes, playing different roles to carry on conversations or demonstrate feelings. Finally, there are womens issues groups which are concerns relating to sexuality and the role of women in society (Marx 178). Why anorexia nervosa arises, is put into four perspectives; biological, family, sociocultural, and psychological. In the biological perspective, biologists see eating disorders as a foul-up in the body systems that regulate hunger and eating, particularly the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus is a cluster of nerves in the brain that controls body functions. By releasing hormones, the hypothalamus also regulates puberty an important connection to anorexia nervosa. Although biologists do not know exactly what pulls the trigger, puberty may begin when the body reaches a certain percentage of body fat. Starving makes both weight-to-fat ratios fall too low, metabolic changes occur, including the loss of menstruation.
Free research essays on topics related to: group therapy, eating disorders, cognitive behavioral, family therapy, anorexia nervosa
Research essay sample on Anorexia Nervosa Cognitive Behavioral
