Eating Disorder Treatment in North Carolina

Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment

While it's essential for anyone struggling with an eating disorder to receive appropriate care, in-person eating disorder treatment centers are no longer the only option.

Virtual eating disorder treatment programs have become increasingly common for addressing these mental health concerns. The programs offer the same evidence-based therapies and comprehensive treatment used in in-person clinics, but do it all virtually, making it easier for most patients to access care, regardless of their location, transportation, or health-related concerns.

Studies have also shown that in many cases, virtual eating disorder treatment is just as effective as in-person care, making it an all-around helpful way to seek treatment.²

Additional North Carolina Eating Disorder Help

If you're looking for help with BED, BN, AN, or other eating disorders, but are unsure where to start, there are a few state agencies that may be able to assist you.

The North Carolina Department of Health offers general information on these conditions, including educational materials and additional resources for seeking help. They can also help with coordinating care or securing referrals for specialized or intensive care, like residential eating disorder treatment.

Some residents will also qualify for North Carolina's Medicaid program, which has a behavioral health services division. This program can help more directly, covering certain treatments, like individual or group therapy and medical evaluations, both for eating disorders and any related mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder.

Finding the Top Eating Disorder Centers in North Carolina for You

While it's a blessing to have many top eating disorder centers in North Carolina, it can make it difficult to choose the best center for you or your loved one. In these cases, it may help to keep certain considerations in mind:³

• Whether the center offers the level of care required, including residential treatment programs, partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient services
• Whether the center accepts your health insurance coverage
• How long the center has been operating and/or specializing in eating disorder treatment
• Any overarching treatment philosophies the center may have
• How the center measures progress toward recovery
• Whether family or friends are allowed to participate in treatment

Eating disorder recovery can be a long and uneven road, but having a caring treatment team and the support of loved ones can help ensure that the road leads to a more stable, happy, and healthy future.

Reference List

1. Social & Economic Cost of Eating Disorders in North Carolina. (2018). Harvard University. Accessed June 2025.
2. Steiger H, Booij L, Crescenzi O, Oliverio S, Singer I, Thaler L, St-Hilaire A, Israel M. (2022). In-person versus virtual therapy in outpatient eating-disorder treatment: A COVID-19 inspired study. International Journal of Eating Disorders; 55(1):145-150.
3. Questions to Ask Treatment Providers. (n.d.) National Eating Disorders Association. Accessed June 2025.