Inpatient and Day Hospital Treatment for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are often chronic conditions that require long-term treatment planning. In general, outpatient treatment measures are sufficient. This is especially true for the treatment of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED). However, if outpatient treatment is not sufficient due to the severity, chronicity, or complexity of the symptoms (e.g., in cases of comorbidity requiring treatment, suicidality, or medical complications), day hospital or inpatient therapy may be necessary. In the case of anorexia nervosa (AN), inpatient treatment is most often indicated due to the physical risk and pronounced fear of weight gain, and in some cases, it may also be the primary entry point into a longer-term therapy process.