Eating disorders as addictive behavior. Integrating 12-step programs into treatment planning

To be effective in treating eating-disordered individuals, we must be open to working with an electric model of treatment. Often health care providers have difficulty with the addiction model of treatment, even though many eating-disordered patients will attest to the assistance and support they receive from these programs. It will be useful for both health care professionals and 12-step programs to avoid taking competitive positions. It is far more useful for professionals to have a working knowledge of how these programs work and how they can be of use to the individuals with eating disorders. Knowledge of local resources will also be of great value. Given the assistance that the clients tell us they receive at these programs, it makes more sense to understand and use these programs more, not less. There is evidence that eating disorder behaviors are addictive behavior, both from a psychological and physiologic perspective. Use of a 12-step program will assist with the practical details of helping individuals to stop employing self-destructive behaviors as well as provide support and decrease feelings of isolation and depression. It is important to integrate the 12-step program components into an overall treatment program to make the best use of both programs and decrease the competition usually inherent in both programs.