[Eating disorders in the physician's office--the first interview may be decisive].

Physicians are not infrequently the first to be confronted by patients with eating disorders. This means that the doctor has a decisive role in motivating the patient to take further steps to deal with the problem. In order to avoid provoking resistance and termination of the physician-patient relationship, a number of pitfalls during the consultation--for example, a power struggle with the patient, or an alliance with the attachment figure--must be avoided. Since eating disorders are serious psychosomatic illnesses that often have a strong tendency to become chronic, further professional aid is usually indispensable. Here, the internet and advice centers offer a low-threshold entry, and as a next step up, may be followed by inpatient or partially inpatient (e.g. intensive therapeutic live-in groups) measures. Directly following such measures, outpatient treatment makes good sense.