Social support in patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) have deficient social support networks. They report less practical and actual support, and set low ideals for support. Social support fails to show any relation with duration of illness. Patients with AN show greater deficits in the size of their social network, while those with BN show both size and perceived adequacy deficits in their social networks. The former are less likely to have spouse- or partner-support than the latter.