Eating Disorders

Help a friend

01/30/2008 11:49AM

Question:

my friend has anorexia, she has told me she hasnt eaten for 18 days. i know she has gone weeks before without eating. i recently found out she has tried to overdose a few times and this time she is trying to starve herself to death.she is in therapy at the moment,if her therapist got to know about this could she be put into hospital wheather she wanted to or not.would they be able to make her go into hospital, as she thinks nobody can do anything its her choice wheather she lives or dies as she is an adult.

Answer:

If you are concerned that your friend is doing things that could threaten her life, then it is important that you tell others who are in the position to help. You may choose to warn her first that you are going to share with her therapist, or for example, her parents, but in spite of her asking you not to, it is too dangerous to hold the secret.

In the psychological profession, IF we deem that a person is commiting harm to themselves that could be life threatening, then we are required to warn and seek help.

As a friend, you are not required to take action, but if harm did come to her, it may haunt you for a very long time, and you may ask yourself, why you did not do something about it.

Your friend may get mad, but it is better to be alive and mad. In spite of her anger, by warning her that you are going to share your concern of what she is doing with her therapist or her parents, then you are showing you care about her by being straightforward and truthful; and you care about her to do for her what she is not able to do for herself... get help and tell others about the extreme behaviors.

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Response by:

Laura Hill, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University