Therapy for eating disorders and anger management

In the third part of our guide to the therapies that can help you, we find out how to deal with eating disorders and anger problems.

EATING DISORDERS

What is it?

More than 1.1 million people in the UK now suffer from an eating disorder. Experts say that eating disorders are often a reflection of the victim's inner emotional turmoil and their way of eating gives them some control over their lives.

For a complete guide to eating disorders, click on the link in the blue box above.

What treatment will I need?

Treatment of eating disorders is two-fold; first, sufferers have to re-establish healthy eating patterns and second, they learn to deal with their emotional problems.

The treatment you receive will depend on how seriously your eating disorder is affecting you. The first thing you should do if you believe you have an eating disorder is to make an appointment with your doctor. They can help provide you with the right care to get better.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may attend a specialist eating disorder clinic. This may be on a residential basis or attending as a day patient.

To re-educate sufferers about healthy eating patterns, they may be referred to a nutritionist. However, to get to the emotional cause of their problems, those with eating disorders will most likely receive counselling or 'talking therapies'.

What's involved?

The main talking therapies used to treat eating disorders are cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy and motivational therapy.

Cognitive behavioural therapy involves identifying your negative thought patterns to turn them into positive ones. You may be asked to keep a diary to recognise your negative eating patterns to help change them.

Family therapy is particularly useful for younger people. Experts believe that family relationships can contribute to the sufferer's problems. By working with the family, they can identify these how these relationships work and help change them.

Motivational therapy is aimed at helping the sufferer find a way to change the way they view themselves and their life. Similar to CBT, it attempts to change a person's thought patterns.

What type of therapy you have and how many sessions you need will depend on the particular eating disorder and how severe it is. Your specialist will be able to advise you what you will need.

Where can I go for help?

For more help and advice, contact the Eating Disorders Association at www.edauk.com or call their Helpline on 0845 634 1414.

The EDA also runs a telephone counselling course for those with bulimia. The course costs £200 (plus the cost of your calls). Call 0870 770 3256 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm for more information.

To find a counsellor in your area, contact the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy on www.bac.co.uk and click on the 'Seeking a counsellor' button.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

What is it?

The British Association of Anger Management says that anger is a natural response. But if you do not learn how to channel it properly, it can be very destructive for you, your career and your family.

If you do not know what causes your anger, or how to react when you become angry, it can start to control you.

By learning what your 'triggers' are, you can learn how to control your anger.

What treatment will I need?

Anger can be triggered by a number of causes. It might be work, your home, your relationships or 'past anger' - feeling hurt and resentful

Although they are all different, there a number of common steps you can take to learn how to control your anger. You will learn these during your therapy sessions.

There are also courses available for parents, women and gay men. These are tailored to the specific sources of anger that these groups might be experiencing and how they can overcome them.

What's involved?

Your first step is to contact the British Association of Anger Management. They run a number of evening and residential courses where you can learn the essential rules of anger management and other ways to identify and control your anger.

Some of the things you will learn include identifying your main sources of anger, how you respond to your own anger, recognising the cycles of your anger, creating an anger 'barometer' for yourself so you know when your anger may be getting unmanageable and learning how to turn your anger into a positive emotion.

Similar to the treatment for eating disorders, you may be asked to keep a diary so you can identify where your negative anger comes from and discover ways to avoid those situations or how to manage them more effectively.

In addition to courses and conferences, the BAAM offer counselling on a one-to-one basis or group therapy sessions.

Where can I go for help?

To sign up for a course of anger management sessions or to attend residential courses, visit the BAAM website at www.angermanage.co.uk or call their Helpline on 0845 1300 286. Call this number if you are also interested in individual counselling sessions.

The BAAM website also has a list of useful books to help you manage your anger. Click on the Counselling & Support link for more information.