Family Based Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder

Contributor: Leigh Bell, BA, writer for Eating Disorder Hope

Little research exists on the use of family based therapy (FBT) to treat binge-eating disorder (BED) in children or adults. In fact, researchers have yet to do large bodies of research on FBT and BED altogether.

There’s several reasons for this. First, BED is a relatively new diagnosis that recently moved from the category of “Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified” to an individual diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is used by clinicians to diagnose and by insurance companies to cover treatment of mental illness.

New Spotlight on Binge Eating Disorder

In fact, it was just recently that BED was put into society’s spotlight by Shire, the drug company that produces Vynase, the first and only medication approved by the Federal Drug Administration to treat BED. Shire hired former tennis star Monica Seles to promote awareness of the illness and donated $100,000 to the Binge Eating Disorder Association, according to an article in the New York Times. [1]

This doesn’t diminish the seriousness of BED nor the suffering it causes, but until recently, the illness wasn’t on as many radars.

A second reason FBT hasn’t been widely, if at all, applied to treatment of BED is that FBT has remained virtually limited to the treatment of adolescents with an eating disorder, most often anorexia.

Family Based Therapy is Now an Option for Adults

Mature woman with daughter having serious conversation“Family therapy is the most effective treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa,” according to a researched synopsis of eating disorders and effective treatment says. “There are no randomized controlled trials of family therapy in the treatment of bulimia nervosa: it may be considered for adolescents.” [2]

Moreover, family-based therapy has been mainstream for only 30 years or so. Previously, experts considered family to be one reason a family member had an eating disorder, rather than part of the treatment.

Most researchers studying adults and eating disorders just simply don’t consider family-based therapy as an option for adults, but perhaps for developmental reasons, including family in the treatment of younger people seems more reasonable. [3]

And more practical. The average onset of BED is 25. Anorexia, on average, starts between the ages 9 to 12 – it used to be 13 to 17. [4] Eating disorder treatment of younger people will more sensibly include parents, with whom the patient is likely still living.

Family Involvement is Important to Adult Recovery from BED

When the person in treatment for an eating disorder is an adult, family involvement may be a spouse and/or children.

Whether family-based therapy is research-based or not doesn’t truly matter to you, your recovery, or your life. If the inclusion of family members makes treatment more successful, then it is the right decision. And treatment doesn’t have to be completely family based, rather, family therapy can be an adjunct to treatment. When one family member has an eating disorder, all family members can be deeply affected by it.

Family Therapy Offers Support to Loved Ones of BED

group-woman-talkingFamily therapy can offer support to the member personally struggling with an eating disorder, as well as the people who love him/her. The therapy provides education, support, communication skills, and conflict resolution. [5]  Another important aspect of family therapy is teaching members how to have realistic expectations of one another, and reorganizing faulty roles and dysfunctional boundaries.

It’s just about getting everyone on the same page and providing as much support and understanding for the person seeking recovery from BED. Currently researchers are seeking couples, one of whom has BED, for a research study at the University of North Carolina Center for Excellence for Eating Disorders and the university’s Department of Psychology. The study will examine the outcome of treatment for BED when a significant other is involved.

While family based therapy isn’t for everyone, for those with supportive family members, it could prove helpful for recovery.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

Research has an important impact on the treatment of eating disorders. What are your thoughts on Binge Eating Disorder being added as a relatively new diagnosis?


Leigh BellAbout the Author: Leigh Bell holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Creative Writing and French from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a published author, journalist with 15 years of experience, and a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Leigh is recovered from a near-fatal, decade-long battle with anorexia and the mother of three young, rambunctious children.


References

[1]: Thomas, K. (2015, February 24). Shire, Maker of Binge-Eating Drug Vyvanse, First Marketed the Disease. Retrieved November 18, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/business/shire-maker-of-binge-eating-drug-vyvanse-first-marketed-the-disease.html?_r=0
[2]: Halmi, K. (2005). The multimodal treatment of eating disorders. World Psychiatry, 4(2), 69-73.
[3]: Lock, J. (2011). Evaluation of family treatment models for eating disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 24(4), 274-279.
[4]: Renkl, M. (n.d.). The scary trend of tweens with anorexia. Retrieved November 18, 2015, from http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/08/tweens.anorexia.parenting/index.html
[5]: Engel, B., Staats Reis, N., & Dombeck, M. (2007, February 2). Eating Disorder Professional Treatment – Family Therapy. Retrieved November 18, 2015, from https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/eating-disorder-professional-treatment-family-therapy/


We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on December 30, 2015
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com