Department of Psychology, Catholic University Leuven, Tienen, Belgium.
Eat Disord. 2012;20(2):87-98. doi: 10.1080/10640266.2012.653942.
A limited series of community studies including non-treatment-seekers has shown that a considerable number of eating disorder patients do not enter the health care system but can be considered "clinically recovered" (remission of major symptoms) if followed up long enough. The possibility of "spontaneous recovery" (overcoming an eating disorder without professional treatment or formal help) often faces scepticism on the part of professionals. Clearly, self-change is an underestimated pathway to recovery from an eating disorder, but open-minded clinicians can learn a lot from it. Active coping and making use of one's "recovery capital" are key features of self-change even if maintenance of change is associated with social support and positive life changes.
一些有限的社区研究（包括非寻求治疗者）表明，相当数量的饮食障碍患者没有进入医疗保健系统，但如果随访时间足够长，他们可以被认为是“临床康复”（主要症状缓解）。“自发康复”（在没有专业治疗或正式帮助的情况下克服饮食障碍）的可能性常常受到专业人士的怀疑。显然，自我改变是饮食障碍康复的一个被低估的途径，但开放心态的临床医生可以从中学习很多东西。积极应对和利用一个人的“康复资本”是自我改变的关键特征，即使改变的维持与社会支持和积极的生活变化有关。
