How Differing Diagnoses Impact Patients' Views on Eating Disorder Recovery

We surveyed 143 former eating disorder patients about what being fully recovered from an eating disorder means and what factors helped them attain recovery. In addition to basic demographic information, participants were asked eight key questions, such as: “How would you personally define the concept of being "fully recovered" from an eating disorder?” There were differences by diagnosis in what eating disorder patients believed being “fully recovered” meant as well as what treatment factors they felt were most helpful. For example, those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were most likely to report that life changes/focusing on something more important/ having purpose were the factors that most affected the maintenance of their eating disorder recovery. Those who were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa were most likely to report that support and accountability affected their recovery the most. Those diagnosed with binge eating disorder equally reported that the factors life changes/focusing on something more important/ having purpose, support and accountability, and skills/intervention most affected their recovery. Those diagnosed with other specified feeding and eating disorders equally reported that the factors continuation of care/therapy, support and accountability, and skills/intervention most affected their recovery.