Joanna,
In one of your posts, above, you say that "brain structure physically changes during deep psychotherapy," and you cite to Allan Schore.
I have researched Schore's work and don't see that he has studied anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders. Why, then, cite him as an authority on treating these illnesses? It makes no sense.
Second, assuming that "deep psychotherapy" does in fact change physical brain structure, why assume that it's for the better? How do you know that in the case of anorexia nervosa it doesn't do more harm than good?
How do you know that it's not like going into the brain blindly with a scalpel? If you wanted to change brain structure with a pharmaceutical drug, you would need to prove to FDA that the drug was both safe and effective. If you want to alter someone's brain structure with your brand of psychotherpy, however, you don't need to prove either. Do you inform your patients and their families that you are conducting experiments on them, using untested methods? Have you done peer reviewed long-term outcome studies on your patients and their families?
Informed consent and systematic study of treatment models are standard procedure for the treatment of all other illnesses. Why don't sufferers from eating disorders deserve the same?
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Joanna,
June 7, 2009 - 10:53amIn one of your posts, above, you say that "brain structure physically changes during deep psychotherapy," and you cite to Allan Schore.
I have researched Schore's work and don't see that he has studied anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders. Why, then, cite him as an authority on treating these illnesses? It makes no sense.
Second, assuming that "deep psychotherapy" does in fact change physical brain structure, why assume that it's for the better? How do you know that in the case of anorexia nervosa it doesn't do more harm than good?
How do you know that it's not like going into the brain blindly with a scalpel? If you wanted to change brain structure with a pharmaceutical drug, you would need to prove to FDA that the drug was both safe and effective. If you want to alter someone's brain structure with your brand of psychotherpy, however, you don't need to prove either. Do you inform your patients and their families that you are conducting experiments on them, using untested methods? Have you done peer reviewed long-term outcome studies on your patients and their families?
Informed consent and systematic study of treatment models are standard procedure for the treatment of all other illnesses. Why don't sufferers from eating disorders deserve the same?
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