More than 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the US. These disorders also have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. One or more people die from an eating disorder every 62 minutes.
Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, races and ethnicities. Yet, only one in 10 people seek treatment. Of those, only 35% attend a facility that specializes in eating disorder treatment programs.
These statistics show a strong need for better public education about eating disorders. There’s an equally strong need for better access to effective treatment.
Types of Eating Disorders
While each disorder shows different symptom patterns, there are often similar mental health issues at the core. Many people with eating disorders struggle with issues around body image and anxiety.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is the most well-known eating disorder often connected to distorted body image. People with anorexia limit their food intake to lose weight or prevent weight gain. They continue restricting their calorie intake even if they become unwell. Many anorexics try fad diets or abuse drugs — from laxatives to crystal meth — to induce rapid weight loss. Extreme exercise is also common. This often requires an anorexia nervosa treatment center in Long Beach.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia is also called binge-purge syndrome. A person with bulimia has episodes of binge eating. Here, they may eat several thousand calories worth of food. After binging, they purge by inducing vomiting. They might also abuse laxatives, over-exercise or restrict food intake between binge-purge sessions. This often requires a bulimia treatment center in Long Beach.
Other Eating Disorders
There are several other kinds of treatable eating disorder that aren’t as common as anorexia or bulimia. They include:
- Binge eating disorder: Most people overeat from time to time. In binge eating disorder, overeating—sometimes to the point of pain—is a common occurrence.
- Compulsive overeating: People who compulsively overeat eat past the point of fullness. They may also snack between meals, eating food just because it’s there, rather than to satiate hunger.
- Night eating syndrome: People with this eating disorder tend to overeat late in the evening. Some wake up from sleep and are unable to get back without eating.
- Orthorexia: This eating disorder creates an obsession with eating only “healthy” foods. It can result in restrictive eating to the point where a person may eat only a small handful of specific foods.
- Anorexia athletica: This disorder is most common in serious athletes. People with anorexia athletica fixate on their athletic performance and may exercise to the point of exhaustion, injury or illness.
Why Seek Treatment for an Eating Disorder?
Many people with mental health problems find it hard to ask for help. For people with eating disorders it can be even harder. These disorders thrive on secrecy and isolation.
Individualized treatment is vital. Eating disorders can cause serious and permanent damage to your health due to the lack of proper nutrition. People with eating disorders risk side effects such as gastrointestinal problems, organ damage, seizures and heart failure.
All eating disorders can be damaging to health, but anorexia in particular can be deadly. Around 10% of people with anorexia die from the disease. Of these, one in five people die by suicide.
What is Promises Residential Eating Disorders Treatment Like?
Treatment for Eating Disorders
Promises Behavioral Health eating disorder treatment centers offer programs with several goals in mind.
These include:
- Define a program of personal recovery
- Learn healthy coping skills
- Reduce feelings of shame and guilt
- Learn healthy food choices
In eating disorder treatment in Nashville, Tennesee, we help clients develop a healthy balance between body, mind and spirit. We also help them learn skills that empower them to pursue a lifelong recovery.
Co-Occurring Disorders
People with eating disorders have a high risk of developing other mental health problems. For instance, around 50% of people with eating disorders also suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder. Around 10% of people with bulimia or binge eating disorder also abuse alcohol or drugs.
Your treatment plan may differ if you have an alcohol or drug abuse disorder as well as an eating disorder. Some drug or alcohol addicts need a medical drug detox before they can start a treatment program. If so, you can complete a detox program at The Ranch. Then, you can transition to your residential eating disorder treatment program.
Eating Disorder Treatment at The Ranch
Promises Behavioral Health offers eating disorders treatment at The Ranch in Tennessee. The Ranch offers a residential treatment program that helps clients address both their eating disorder and any co-occurring mental health problems.
Complete your residential treatment as part of a small group of people. In both one-on-one and group therapy sessions, you can explore issues around your eating disorders together.
As part of the eating disorder treatment program, you’ll work with an experienced treatment team. They’ll help you address and improve your physical and mental health as you progress. As part of your eating disorder treatment, you’ll:
- Uncover motivating problems that contribute to your eating disorder
- Attend therapy and process groups, and options such as equine therapy
- Plan and prepare meals with meal-time support and after-meal processing groups
- Develop a relapse prevention plan including learning healthy coping skills
- Create an aftercare plan to help you maintain your recovery after you complete the program
About The Ranch
The Ranch sits 45 minutes outside of Nashville. This eating disorder treatment center is accessible to the city while offering a peaceful, secluded refuge for reflection. Rolling hills and green pastures offer a tranquil setting to focus on recovery.
Eating Disorder Treatment at Aloria Heath
Aloria Health is an eating disorder treatment center located in the heart of Milwaukee. The experienced team at Aloria offers comprehensive residential, outpatient and intensive outpatient programming for adolescents and adults. Additionally, integrative family programming supports each client’s loved ones as they progress through recovery. Aloria focuses on building a stable foundation to treat both eating and co-occurring disorders.
Recovery is Possible
Eating disorders can make food and weight-related issues the focus of your life. There is space for so much more. Are you struggling with an eating disorder? Promises Behavioral Health offers residential eating disorder treatment centers that may help you break free. Call 844.875.5609 to speak with someone today.