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Abstract Background International guidelines often state that general practitioners (GPs) provide early management for most patients with eating disorders (EDs). GP management of EDs has not been studied in France. Depressive disorders are often a comorbidity of EDs. The aims of this study were to describe in France the characteristics of people with all subcategories of EDs (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, ED Not Otherwise Specified) managed by their GPs and to study the management temporality between depression and all subcategories of EDs. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients with EDs visiting French GPs. Data collected from 1994 through 2009 were extracted from the French society of general electronic health record. A descriptive analysis of the population focused on depression, medication such as antidepressants and anxiolytics, and the management temporality between depression and EDs. Results 1310 patients aged 8 years or older were seen at least once for an ED by a GP participating in the database out of 355,848 patients, with a prevalence rate of 0.3%. They had a mean age of 35.19 years, 82.67% were women. 41.6% had anorexia nervosa, 26.4% bulimia nervosa, and 32% an ED not otherwise specified. Overall, 32.3% had been managed at least once for depression, and 18.4% had been prescribed an antidepressant of any type at least once. Benzodiazepines had been prescribed at least once for 73.9% of the patients treated for depression. Patients with an ED seen regularly by their GP (“during” profile) received care for depression more frequently than those with other profiles. 60.9% had a single visit with the participating GP for their ED Treatment and management for depression did not precede care for EDs. Conclusions Data extracted from the French society of general practice were the only one available in France in primary care about EDs and our study was the only one on this topic. The frequency of visits for EDs was very low in our general practice-based sample. Depressive disorders were a frequent comorbidity of EDs. GPs could manage common early signs of depression and EDs, especially if they improved their communication skills and developed collaborative professional management.

Abstract Introduction The bodily expression of psychological disorders is one of the leading motives for consultations in adolescent medicine. The diagnostic entity corresponding to DSM-5 "Somatic symptom and related disorders" is sparsely used in the English-language literature, especially for adolescents. Qualitative studies on this topic mostly concern the experiences of healthcare professionals. This study seeks to explore the experience of adolescents expressing psychological distress through their body. Methods This exploratory research took place in a Paris hospital department of adolescent medicine. Our sampling method was purposive. For inclusion, patients had to be aged 11–24 years, with a "somatic symptom disorder" meeting the DSM-5 criteria. Semi-directive interviews were proposed with visual narration inspired by photoelicitation. Thematic analysis allowed us to explore the data with an inductive approach. Results Thirty adolescents were interviewed; they were 14–22 years old and mostly had somatic symptom or functional neurological disorders. Three principal themes emerged from our analysis of the interview contents: the personal, including bodily, experience of the disorder, the experience of relationships, and the question of what is visible through the body. Conclusion This research allowed us to discuss the reversal of generations, the function of the DSM-5 diagnosis, illuminated by sociology, and finally, cultural pathways. It shows the importance of recognizing the reality of the adolescents' bodily feelings, reassuring them by ruling out serious causes, and supporting their search for meaning. It is important to think about a specific framework of family therapy that can make effective use of this experience of the reversal of generations.