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Hello. My 15 year old daughter was treated for anorexia two and a half years ago. She is now struggling with compulsive over eating and is convinced she has become 'fat'. Her weight is now in the more 'normal' range (132) but she is miserable and feeling 'out of control'. She reports being very angry and hating herself. She is crying often and says this has been happening for over a year.I am wondering if a psychiatric medication may help her. Medication was highly recommended to her when she left treatment two years ago but at that time, she refused to take anything. She has an appointment to talk to a psychiatrist who works with eating disorders on November 19th. She really wants some help sooner and I think she needs it. Do you think an appointment with any psychiatrist would be as helpful as a psychiatrist who speicializes in eating disorders.I want to get her in to see someone as soon as possible. She is so miserable. Thank you.
Hello.
An eating disorder is closely akin to anxiety disorder. In both cases, there is very little ability to wait as the thing that they do is anxiety reducing and thus reinforcing. That being said waiting is a good thing despite that it causes anxiety as it is one of the skills that she will have to learn inorder to overcome her eating disorder. Waiting for the appointment will also make it more "psychologically: valuable which may give the psychiatrist more leverage should he choose to medicate her. In addition, she is much better in the hands of a specialist and I believe that see a general psychiatrist will devalue the psychiatric experience. So for the several reasons that I have enumerated, I believe that she is significantly better off in waiting to see the specialist. I hope that this information has been useful to you and wish the both of you the best. Additionally, I certainly do not want your wife to suffer needlessly, but this is not needless and in the overall picture, I truly believe it is the est option.
Sincerely,
Ralph LMHC
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Experience: 20+ years as therapist, supervisor, clinic director at mental health, substance abuse treatment ctrs
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You mention an eating disorder being closely akin to 'anxiety disorder'. I would appreciate it if you could point me in the direction of some good information about anxiety disorders. I can 'google' it but if you know of a good place to get information about anxiety disorders, I'd appreciate it. You were right on about her inability to wait!
Certainly! Here are two of the best rtersources of the many out there.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder
Also NAMI hjas several helpful phamphlets for friends and family of those experiencing emotional disturbance: www.NAMI.org