However, if the degree of anorexia is mild then usually counseling and medications help the
person realize his problem and the
person starts eating. In such cases force feeding is not required. However, yes, constant effort of the medical team and support of friends and relatives goes a long way in helping a person recover.
However, people may agree or disagree with this line of thought and hence as I said earlier, it is a highly debatable topic. Hope this helps. Take care!