Self-help approaches in the treatment of eating disorders, substance use disorders, and addictions

Abstract

Self-help interventions include step-by-step instructions that enable an individual to carry out an established treatment protocol either independently (pure self-help) or with minimal professional support (guided self-help). Generally, self-help interventions provide information about a given disorder as well as tools for building skills. In contrast, support groups-including 12-step programs-are relatively unstructured, do not target the reduction of symptoms, and do not involve therapists. In this chapter, we review the literature related to self-help and support groups for eating disorders, selected substance use disorders, gambling disorder, sexual addiction, and compulsive shopping; identify and describe self-help programs and resources for these problems; and provide recommendations for research and treatment. Very little research has evaluated the effectiveness of support groups in reducing symptoms of these disorders, and no research exists of self-help for individuals with comorbid eating disorders and addictions. However, reasonably strong evidence suggests that cognitive behavioral self-help treatments reduce symptoms of recurrent binge eating and bulimia nervosa. Similarly, self-help interventions for substance use disorders and gambling disorder using motivational and cognitive behavioral approaches improve outcomes. There is some evidence that assessment alone, or with personalized feedback, may be beneficial for those with gambling disorder. Further research examining the utility of self-help for these disorders, as well as indications for the use of pure versus guided self-help, is needed.