RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

doi:10.1136/bmjusa.01040005

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.01040005, (Published 5 September 2002)

Letters

RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM Two e-letters posted on bmj.com in response to the paper by Waller are reproduced (after minor editing) below. $---$ Editor

Understanding the patient

Binge eating: Physical assessment is important

Understanding the patient

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

This article originally appeared in BMJ USA

EDITOR $---$ I always appreciate organized and clear clinical guidance about complex conditions. Dr Waller covered several anglesto watch out for (depression, drug abuse, etc). The family doctoris often the first professional to have a chance to identify aneating disorder. Having criteria for the diagnosis is the basicstep.

However, patients often are delayed in getting, or are unable to get, psychological help beyond symptom resolution, if thesymptoms and relating problems are not identified early. If thepatient developed the bingeing behavior six months ago, asking"why then" could lead to helping her, as a whole person, ratherthan just treating a symptom or adisease.

I have treated many people who were reluctant to get psychological help for years, and their anxieties about their emotionalcompetence could have been identified at a very early stage, whenbingeing and/or . . . [Full text of this article]