When to Seek Treatment for Eating Disorders

Seeking treatment can be difficult regardless of what stage you are in while in the recovery process. Whether it is your first or fifth time seeking help, or whether you have been suffering for one, five or more years. The key is to know when to seek treatment for an eating disorder.

It often starts as a diet

When an individual engages in eating disorder behaviors, it often starts as a diet or a healthy eating crusade. Most people will begin by limiting the quantity of food, and then limit the quality of the food eaten. They may start choosing healthier options and limit fatty alternatives such as fast food and processed food.

Some individuals begin by going on a specific diet program or meal plan where food groups are omitted, and fasting is encouraged. Extreme weight loss may occur within a short period of time and can cause people to develop an addictive sense of success that motivates them to continue dieting to an extreme. If and when they eventually lose “control,” they may then subject themselves to periods of binging and feeling out of control in their eating after such heavy discipline and restriction.

Eating disorder thinking

For some, weight loss continues as a result of a diet, but then an obsession with food begins, irrational thoughts about food, eating, and weight gain/loss often enter their mind. At first, these thoughts may be temporary, but after some time, these same thoughts often become “all-consuming.” Individuals may start having a difficult time separating their own thoughts from their eating disordered thoughts. When the obsession with food, weight, eating, etc. becomes all that they think about, then they have arrived at a serious need for treatment.

Weight loss, behavior and mood changes

Many changes can occur during the development of an eating disorder. For many, mood changes are the first to be easily recognized. Irritability, depression, and social isolation are just some of the shifts in personality frequently seen in anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder [1].

Disordered eating and weight obsession are far too common in today’s society. Some common signs of developing eating disordered behaviors include (1) cutting down on food portions, (2) cutting out food categories such as carbohydrates, protein or fat, and (3) weight and food obsessions. These self-made diet programs can lead to vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies or malnutrition if left untreated too long [1].

Slips and relapses

Slips and relapses can and do occur for those who consider themselves progressing in recovery. For some in the recovery maintenance phase, relapses could be considered a sign of failure. On the contrary, relapses do happen and are vital in teaching individuals the triggers and situations they need to address.

Learning to live in eating disorder recovery can be a lifelong process. It is about learning how to navigate known triggers and proactively addressing and managing new triggers as they arise. The key is to know that treatment is available when needed, and even though relapses happen, they can be overcome.

Untruths

When someone needs to seek eating disorder treatment, they may begin to deceive those around them to cover up their disordered eating behaviors. The sufferer may lie to themselves, to friends, and to their treatment team about their progress, behaviors or practices. It is a typical reaction to push people away and mask what really is happening in order to keep their disorder a secret.

Eating disorders love secrets. It enjoys isolation and keeping the troubling behaviors, thoughts, and emotions to itself. Some have described an eating disorder as a “secret club” between only the sufferer and the disorder.

The more a person battles against the disorder, the stronger the disorder becomes. It can be extremely difficult to leave this destructive “secret club” without professional help.

Another part of the deceit that can occur in ed treatment is choosing to skip appointments with the treatment team for various reasons. The person may miss therapy appointments or nutritional sessions often and choose to engage in disordered behaviors instead. This usually sends a signal to both the treatment team and the sufferer that something is not right and that treatment may all the more be necessary.

Treatment choices

Treatment involves four levels of care. These are (1) residential care, (2) partial hospitalization care, (3) intensive outpatient programming care (IOP), and (4) outpatient counseling.

Residential Care

Residential care occurs when an individual stays in an eating disorder facility 24-hours per day. Treatment is multifaceted and includes individual and group therapy, nutritional counseling, psychiatric care, meal support, and holistic therapy.

Residential care offers support seven days a week for individuals who need round the clock care and support. Individuals typically share a room and have meal support with the treatment team or direct care staff. Frequently, there are outings to practice skills learned during their stay. The typical length of stay is 30 days+ at this level of care.

Partial Hospitalization

The next level of care is partial hospitalization. At this level, the individual receives all the benefits of residential care, but the person goes home or has transitional living at night.

The program’s timeframe is 12 hours a day, and the typical length of stay is two weeks to 30 days. All meals and snacks are provided, and this level of care allows people to practice what they have learned at home.

Intensive Outpatient Programming

The next level of care is Intensive Outpatient Programming care (IOP). This type of treatment could either be the last or first level of care for a sufferer depending on the severity of the eating disorder. Here, the person often attends 3 hours per day, up to 7 days a week, but usually no less than three days a week.

Programming is delivered in a group therapy format, and the patients are often responsible for bringing their own meals. The assigned facility staff checks on meals to ensure that meal plans and supplements are followed. The typical duration for this level of care is two weeks to one month.

Outpatient Counseling

Outpatient counseling is designed for individuals who do not necessarily require a high level of care and are working on behaviors and issues that are not directly related to eating disorders. Typically, issues addressed in this type of care are the underlying issues, symptoms management, recovery processes, body image, and co-occurring disorders.

If an eating disorder is suspected, reach out to a counselor, therapist or doctor and discuss the behaviors, thoughts and any physical effects of the eating disorder. Early intervention in eating disorders is essential and will provide the best likelihood of full recovery.

Sources:

[1] Warning Signs and Symptoms. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/warning-signs-and-symptoms