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Gail A. Anthony, LMSW
Emergency Services Program Manager
Aroostook Mental Health Center
Presque Isle, Maine
In the past two decades, clinicians and researchers have hecome increasingly aware of the number of women, men, and adolescents in our society who are afflicted with eating disorders. These people who are afflicted with eating disorders are presenting at hospital emergency rooms and mental health centers across the country in crisis. It is important that the crisis worker understand the nature of eating disorders, and how to make a proper assessment. It is only after collecting this information that the crisis worker will be able to consult with a medical expert and make an appropriate referral to medical treatment, therapy, or a combination thereof:.
As might be expected few anorexics or bulimics openly discuss their behaviors, such as purging, with family and friends. This secrecy that often accompanies such behavior presents a challenge to the crisis worker. If the crisis worker does not assess hinging and purging behavior, as well as level of food restriction, it is unlikely, that the client will volunteer this information. The fact that the mortality rate associated with eating disorders is between 10 to 20 per cent, provides further evidence that crisis workers need to be able to perform assessments in order to determine appropriate recommendations for treatment.
Further adding to the complexity of working with clients with an eating disorder, is the high correlation between eating disorders and mod disorders. The psychological response to starvation, and nutritional deprivation includes; preoccupation with food; impaired concentration and memory; loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed; depression; mood swings, irritability; anxiety; apathy; and sleep disturbance. Understanding such information increases the awareness of a critical fact. Crisis workers have been and will continue to work with clients whose presenting issues may be connected to eating disorder pathology.
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