Where can I get treatment?

Your first step for getting help is usually through your GP. They can pass your details to specialist services or therapy if you need this.

There are different types of treatments for eating disorders, and you may be offered a combination of these.

If your body weight is very low, doctors will focus on increasing your weight before starting any therapy. You may stay in hospital or a specialist facility for this.

Talking therapies are often an important part of eating disorder treatments and may include counselling, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), group therapy, and family therapy. The most suitable treatment for you will depend on your age, weight and situation. You can find out more about different talking therapies in our Talking Therapies section

Family support to help your family address any issues which may have led to your eating disorder and to support the family as a whole

Sometimes doctors will prescribe medication, such as antidepressants. However, it should not be the only treatment for eating disorders.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidelines for the treatment of eating disorders. These guidelines recommend that if you have anorexia or bulimia you should be offered psychological therapy. This should be intensive CBT if you have bulimia.

Special forms of CBT have been developed for bulimia and binge eating disorder and you should be able to access these through the NHS.

There is no legal right to specific treatments on the NHS. However, you should get treatments that are recommended in the NICE guidelines unless your doctor has strong clinical reasons why not.

Family members should be included in treatments for all eating disorders. If you would like more information on the recommended treatments for eating disorders then please see the NICE guidelines for eating disorders. You can find these here.

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, more than half of people with anorexia recover after being ill for an average period of five to six years.

People who have the most severe cases of anorexia can die. This is less likely if you stay in touch with medical care. As long as your heart and other organs are not damaged, the other complications caused by anorexia will improve slowly when you are eating again.