Understanding and Treating Eating Disorders in a Psychoanalytic Approach

Abstract

Eating disorders are mental illnesses, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Psychoanalysis is a common approach applied in psychotherapies, which focuses on peoples unconsciousness. Projection, transference, and countertransference are defense mechanisms identified by psychoanalysis. This review mainly discusses the role of the psychoanalytic approach in understanding and treating eating disorder patients. The likelihood of developing eating disorders is closely related to peoples personalities, current life situations, and interpersonal relationships. Through early observational learning, young children tend to regulate their emotions in a similar manner to their parents. People form a secure attachment or an insecure attachment mainly in childhood. The attachment types are likely to predict ones probability of developing eating disorders in later life. The majority of patients experience eating disorders due to certain unconscious reasons. To treat eating disorders that are caused by past experiences, the key is to identify the meaning underlying their issues in eating that are related to their childhood. This review can provide some guidance to the development of parent education programs.