By September 1975, Carpenter weighed . At live performances, fans reacted with gasps to her gaunt appearance, and many wrote to the pair to inquire what was wrong. She refused to declare publicly that she was in ill health; on her 1981 "Nationwide" appearance, she simply said she was "pooped". Richard later stated that he and his parents did not know how to help Karen. In 1981, she told Richard that there was a problem and that she needed help with it. Carpenter spoke with Cherry Boone, who had recovered from anorexia, and contacted Boone's doctor for help. She was hoping to find a quick solution to her problem, as she had performing and recording obligations, but the doctor told her treatment could take from one to three years. She then chose to be treated in New York City by psychotherapist Steven Levenkron.