Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1034-1038
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
The treatment of anorexia nervosa
AR Lucas, JW Duncan and V Piens
The authors report on their treatment of 32 young patients with severe
anorexia nervosa who had lost an average of 37% of their original body
weight. The therapeutic approach, conceived to meet both the physiological
and the psychological needs of the patients, was carried out in a
psychiatric unit for adolescents in a general hospital and involved
separation of the patient from his or her family, treatment of the
malnutrition, individually planned psychotherapy, and concurrent work with
the family. The importance of accepting the patient's uniqueness,
maintaining long-term contact, and encouraging the patient's striving
toward constructive growth and autonomy is emphasized.
