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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I help my 38 year old daughter? I believe she has an eating disorder.

    Related Topics
    Eating Disorders Mental Health
    My daughter is a walking skeleton - she said it was due to the stress at work - I believe her problems started even before but was exacerbated by Work load pressure & not sympathetic boss - she is depressed - currently trying to go through work cover system - we are trying to encourage her to see a psychiatrist & psychologist. Is that the right way to go?
    • 2 answers
    • Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith
    • Elizabeth Newsham-West
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  • Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    I suggest that you encourage your daughter to see her GP for a full physical check-up; it is possible that physical health issues may be responsible for her loss of weight.

    As far as a possible ED is concerned, the Butterfly Foundation is a great local resource:

    http://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/

    There is a lot of good information there.

    All the best.

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  • Elizabeth Newsham-West

    Dietitian

    I would strongly encourage you to get your daughter to see her GP first , for a full medical check up. If she is a walking skeleton there may be some important medical and nutritional areas that need to be addressed first and then psychotherapy can be much more successful. (Practice Guidelines 2013 American Psychiatric Assn). Her GP can also provide Medicare plans which means that some professional services can be covered (or partly covered) by Medicare.
    Restricted eating disorder ( Anorexia Nervosa) is a malnutrition disease first and only when these nutritional areas are addressed and weight is being restored to a certain level is where treatment becomes more successful including psychotherapy.  There are good studies which show when weight is too low, this malnutrition in itself is perpetuating the disordered eating which can only be reversed when weight and nutrition is being restored ( Starvation Study) . There are certainly drivers to disordered eating with Psychotherapy being essential in addressing these areas and crucial in managing this disease long term, but needs to be on a platform of better nutrition and weight. Disordered eating is a chronic disease and if not addressed early and speedily by a multi disciplinary team then it can go on for years. Start with you GP.

    I would encourage you to ring the Butterfly Foundation as they are also helpful to family members who have a memeber with disordered eating.

    The condition may be perpetuated by the biochemical changes induced by weight loss , ketosis and the impact of the ensuing malnutrition on the brain (starvation illness). ......   Silber, T. J. (2013).

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