Full Of Nothing

Abstract

The eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and obesity are known and described from the principles of Western civilization. Eating disorders affect a large number of people, which about the 90–95% of them are women. Not to forget is their multicausality. Though their etiology is not exactly known yet, being on a diet is the most important predictor of having an eating disorders.

We summarize here a case of R. a 30-year-old woman, who visited the Infant Mental Health Institut for the first time at the age of 13 referred by her pediatrician and suspected to have an eating disorder. R. lived with her parents and an older sister. The patient suffered an underweight below the healthy and a distorted perception of her body among other symptoms. She has gone through several specialists and treatments including day hospital since her first entrance at the hospital.

The flexibility and cooperation between the different therapists involved in the treatment is essential for a good outcome of the patient. There are many factors that can have an influence in the treatment, like the reluctance to the treatment, the counter transference feelings that the therapy can cause and the way of relationship. These factors can often cause situations of confusion and misunderstandings between the different professionals who attend the patient, who have to be well coordinated. Not to forget is that the biggest loser of all is the patient itself.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.