It is very difficult for people with eating disorders to get better on their own. Recovery is easier if they have professional help and support. Will power on its own may not be enough.

The steps towards professional help are as follows:

1. Go to you GP - he/she is the gate keeper to professional help. All health professionals assume that your visit to your GP is your first step towards getting better.

2. The GP should refer you to one of the following support services. Access to these services is a right and is not given at the discretion of the GP.

Dietitian - to help you with weight management through healthy eating.

Child and Adolescent Health Service - where health personnel, trained in understanding your problems, can help you change your habits and return to good health.

3. After visiting one or both of the above you may be invited to continue your treatment as an inpatient or outpatient.

As an inpatient you would have the opportunity to live in a professional support environment for a short time to begin your road to recovery. Staff would give help on how to cope with the things in your life that have caused your situation in the first place. They would also help you manage your weight and give advice to your friends and family on how to help you improve further when you return home.

As an outpatient you would not stay in the department but would visit it at regular times for support and to allow the staff to see that you are getting better. You would still get advice of coping with your problems and your friends and family would get guidance on how to help you on your path to good health. Local health professionals would visit you at home to make sure things were going well between you visits to the department.

4. In the situation where you are very ill you would be taken directly to hospital where your treatment would begin.