title: Untreated recovery from eating disorders.
abstract: This retrospective study explored the experience of recovery from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa without professional treatment. A nine-question open-ended electronic survey was posted for a period of four months at a mid-western university. Sixteen female and two male respondents reported recovery from adolescent-onset full syndrome anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. All respondents reported onset factors supporting a sociocultural etiology. Recovery was initiated through the empathic, participatory efforts of parents and friends, or was self-initiated. Respondents with the shortest disorder duration and most complete recovery reported early parental intervention. Onset factors similar to those in research with a clinically treated population were found. Implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: cfslw@eiu.edu
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D002032:Bulimia / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome