Treatment Options for Eating Disorders

Almost 10% of the population of the United States has an eating disorder. Genesis New Beginning is a therapy clinic in Orange County, CA that can help you deal with an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are mainly caused by psychological issues, hence therapists are best placed to treat them. They understand all the issues surrounding the disorder and will work to address it at the root cause.

Common eating disorders include anorexia, binge eating, and bulimia. You should be wary of the symptoms of an eating disorder and should be aware of them in you or a loved one.

Treating an eating disorder can be done through the following methods:

Psychological Therapy

The core of any treatment of an eating disorder will be psychological treatment.  It will be administered by a psychologist, therapist, or a licensed counselor.

The duration and frequency of psychological therapy will depend on the intensity of the eating disorder. It may last for several months or years with sessions ranging from once a week to four times a week.

Cognitive behavioral therapy will be an integral part of therapy as it will help you observe the deep-seated issues that affect your eating behavior. It will also help you deal with the emotions surrounding your eating disorder.

Group therapy may be included as well so you can have a support structure other than your family and therapist. Having more people to support you increases the chances of changing your eating habits.

Education on Nutrition

Knowledge is the ultimate power as far as treating eating disorders is concerned. The mental issues that cause eating disorders are perpetuated by the lack of knowledge.

Therefore, as part of the treatment plan, if you have an eating disorder, the doctor will refer you to a nutritionist so you can learn more about your diet.  A registered dietician will serve the same purpose.

You will understand how your nutrition affects your body and how your eating disorder causes nutritional issues.  You will then work towards achieving a healthy weight.

You will learn how to do meal planning and how to establish regular eating patterns which should address your eating disorder.

Medication

It is crucial to note that medicine is not an absolute treatment for eating disorders. However, they can reduce the intensity of the symptoms of eating disorders.

They can also be used to induce physiological changes that can help alleviate your eating disorder. For example, they may help suppress your gag reflex if you vomit after eating.

Medications such as antidepressants can be prescribed by a psychologist to treat the mental aspect of the disorder. They will reduce accompanying symptoms of the disorder such as depression and anxiety.

Hospitalization

If your eating disorder becomes life-threatening, then you will have to be hospitalized for some time. Anorexia is an eating disorder that can have severe physical complications.

Hospitalization is done to stabilize serious medical symptoms, but when the patient is well enough, they will often be treated on an outpatient basis.