CBT is a "time-limited and focused approach" which means that it is important for the patients of this type of therapy to have particular issues that they want to address when they begin treatment.
[5][2] A common form of CBT that is used to treat eating disorders is called CBT-Enhanced (CBT-E) and was developed by Christopher G. Fairburn throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
[5] These researches conclude that Cognitive-behavioral therapy is more effective in treating eating disorders as compared to Interpersonal psychotherapy.
The results of the study are evident that cognitive-behavioral therapy is significantly faster than IPT in ameliorating the primary symptoms of bulimia nervosa.
Per this study, Cognitive-behavioral therapy is more effective than interpersonal psychotherapy in modifying the disturbed attitudes to shape and weight, extreme attempts to diet, and self-induced vomiting.
[8] CBT is the best treatment for bulimia nervosa, as indicated by a number of studies[5] including one from the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
[9] Enhanced CBT is delivered on an individual basis and usually in an outpatient situation and is meant to help with the psychopathology of the eating disorder rather than the diagnosis itself.
[12] In addition, the US National Guideline Clearinghouse reported that CBT can alleviate symptoms of depression and compulsivity that are associated with anorexia nervosa.
During tempting and triggering circumstances, the CBT patients are encouraged to look for substitutes and include reasonable behaviors instead of binge eating.
However, early interventions may be beneficial for the adolescents in terms of targeting exclusively the issues with self-esteem as well as the overvaluation of shape and weight of the body.
It is important to not to see a treatment for a psychopathological disorders as a weight-loss program, even though weight loss and decrease in binge eating episodes may happen simultaneously.