Eating Disorders Must Be Recognized As Serious Mental Illnesses
In the U.S. and abroad, the failure of insurers and other gatekeepers to treatment to consistently recognize eating disorders as serious mental illnesses has resulted in an ongoing heath care crisis for sufferers and their families. In response to growing concern about this crisis, the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) has released a position paper in the March issue of its scientific journal explaining the scientific rationale for identifying eating disorders as serious mental illnesses.
“Recent research on eating disorders supports the proposition that these are serious mental disorders with significant morbidity and mortality,” says Dr. Tom Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. “Based on genetic and neuroimaging studies, eating disorders appear to have a biological basis, analogous to what is observed in other serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and addictive diseases. All of these illnesses, including eating disorders, need to be addressed as biomedical as well as behavioral problems if we are to help people recover.”
In summary, eating disorders are biologically-based, serious mental illnesses because:
• There is medical and scientific evidence that anorexia
nervosa and bulimia nervosa are as heritable as other psychiatric
conditions (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression) that
are considered biologically based.
• The behaviors of restricting food intake, bingeing and purging
have been shown to alter brain structure, metabolism and neurochemistry
in ways that make it difficult for individuals to discontinue the
behaviors.
• Eating disorders are associated with impairment in emotional and
cognitive functioning that greatly limits life activities.
• Eating disorders are life-threatening illnesses and are
associated with numerous medical complications. Mortality rates for
anorexia nervosa are the highest of any psychiatric disorder.
As of 2007, the laws of some U.S. states have excluded eating
disorders from conditions considered to be “serious mental
illnesses,” thus making it possible for patients to be denied
insurance coverage for their treatment, leading to serious lifelong
health consequences and an increased risk of death. “Eating
disorders are associated with the highest level of mortality and medical
complications of any psychiatric condition. It is imperative that eating
disorders receive the same level and breadth of health care coverage
that is available for treatment of medical disorders and other
psychiatric conditions,” states AED President Judith Banker.
The Academy for Eating Disorders is a global professional association
committed to leadership in eating disorders research, education,
treatment, and prevention. The Academy issues position papers on issues
of highest concern to the organization in their scientific journal,
The International Journal of Eating Disorders. The position
paper is available in its entirety on the AED Web site: www.aedweb.org.
Access to treatment also will be an issue raised in the upcoming International Conference on Eating Disorders to be held in Cancun, Mexico April 30 through May 2.
For more information, contact Theresa Fassihi, PhD at +1-832-794-1280 or terryfassihi@earthlink.net.