Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa
Why Is It More Difficult For Men?

Treatment for anorexia nervosa is difficult enough, but are eating disorder clinics able to focus on women with anorexia as well as eating disorders in men?

For a long time now eating disorder treatment centers have focused almost exclusively on women with eating disorders. It can be harder for men with anorexia because -- unfortunately -- they often have some additional battles.

Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa
Is Difficult For Men

In a society where teen anorexia is thought of as strictly a female illness, there is a bit of stigma associated around men with anorexia.

The shame and embarrassment of having a (supposedly) "female disease" might be enough to prevent a male from speaking up about his strange habits with food and/or exercise.

In the past, it is believed that many men with eating disorders were overlooked and not even diagnosed properly. Especially in the case of anorexia.

The Diagnostic And Statistical Manual (or DSM-IV for short) is the encyclopedia-like book used by physicians on which to base a diagnosis.

It states that one of the criteria for having anorexia is amenorrhea, or loss of the menstrual cycle. How can men lose something that they never had in the first place?

It's like men are not supposed to have anorexia.

That is just not reality. Male anorexia is becoming more and more of a problem in our society, and it can start at a young age - sometimes pre-teen.

The DSM-V is supposed to be released in November 2010 and one of the proposed changes to the clinical definition of anorexia is that amenorrhea be removed as one of the criteria. But that's a whole other discussion!

Finding Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa In Men

Once a diagnosis is made, the challenge then becomes getting the proper treatment for anorexia nervosa.

Although there are many good facilities for eating disorder treatment, a large number of them will not admit men and/or they simply don't have the resources to treat male anorexia.

In cases where men have been admitted, my understanding is that the treatment is far from effective. The male feels isolated and lonely with nobody who can relate to his specific feelings or needs as man (or young boy).

For the most part, I believe that the treatment for anorexia nervosa is the same for men as it is for women in terms of group therapy, cognitive restructuring (cognitive behavioral therapy - CBT), and so on.

However, men are different. They think differently, they have different issues socially, and all of that (and more) needs to be addressed in psychotherapy that is tailored specifically for them.

It's clear that there is much more research to be done in the area of treating anorexia in males.

For interesting male anorexia stories, read about men with eating disorders, and Daniel Johns' anorexia.

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