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Eating Disorder Treatment Center

An eating disorder treatment center is a facility that provides medical and psychological care to people who are suffering with such illnesses as anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating. Most of the patients are teenage girls and young women who have an unrealistic mental picture of what they look like. Instead of seeing themselves as others do, people suffering with these kinds of disorders see themselves as being overweight and unattractive. No matter how skinny, even skeletal, their bodies become, those afflicted with disorders think of themselves as obese. The unrealistic body image becomes such an obsession that the individual begins unhealthy dieting habits that lead to starvation or bingeing. According to one nonprofit organization that specializes in this issue, victims of anorexia engage in self-starving. These girls simply refuse to eat. Bulimia refers to the practice of bingeing (eating to excess) and then making oneself vomit the food. Obviously, both these practices and other disorders are dangerous and create additional physical problems. The professionals at an eating disorder treatment center can help those who have found themselves unable to eat because of anorexia or caught in a bulimic cycle.

These kinds of illnesses are sometimes brought to the public's attention when a well-known person or celebrity admits to suffering from one of the disorders. What researchers have found in the past few decades is that eating disorders isn't just about food. There are almost always deeper issues. In a culture that practically worships youth and a macabre skinniness, it's not surprising that teenage girls and young women feel inferior when they don't look like the touched-up, air-brushed modeling photos of their celebrity idols. Even when celebrities are admitted to an exclusive eating disorder treatment center, some girls will continue to starve themselves into size zero clothing. Instead of concentrating on body image, individuals are urged to consider Paul's message to the Corinthian church. He wrote: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). A young woman who has a healthy dose of self-confidence will accept that not everyone looks the same. Those who become obsessed with the unrealistic goal of fitting into size zero clothes or weighing less than a hundred pounds despite their height may fall prey to anorexia or bulimia.

The services of an eating disorder treatment center may vary from one organization to another. Even so, many of these centers provide an array of services to patients. For example, depending on the severity of the disorder, professional help may be offered on either an outpatient or inpatient basis. Severe cases may require residential care where the patient lives at the facility for several days or even weeks at a time. During a stay, or even as an outpatient, the individual often receives a personalized plan that includes both physical and mental treatments. Medical care may include such measures as intravenous feeding to provide the patient's body with needed nutrients and fluids. A nutritionist may provide a special diet that helps the patient gain weight or stop the bulemic cycle. Additionally, the patient may have individual sessions with a specially-trained therapist and/or participate in group therapy sessions. While at the eating disorder treatment center, the patient will be helped to deal with difficult and often painful issues in her past. She will, with the assistance of her psychiatrist, learn the coping skills she needs to end her obsession with food and the shape and size of her body.

Public education is playing an important role in bringing attention to the underlying causes of eating disorders. Teenage girls and young women especially need to be aware of the media messages that bombard them so they can avoid the pressures of excess dieting and focusing on food. Instead, people need to recognize that good health comes in many shapes and sizes. Some people have larger frames than others; some have stockier builds. Women (and men) are encouraged to seek health instead of an unachievable weight loss goal by eating healthy foods in adequate amounts and get needed exercise to maintain a healthy weight. After all, just because someone is skinny doesn't necessarily mean that the person is healthy. Educators at an eating disorder treatment center advise a simple plan: eat when hungry; stop eating when full. This advice teaches people to pay attention to and heed the hunger/full signals that the body naturally provides. Good nutrition comes from eating a wholesome diet of protein, fruits, and vegetables.

The website of a reputable eating disorder treatment center is an excellent place to find more in-depth information on this troubling topic. These sites provide detailed definitions for anorexia, bingeing, and bulimia, in addition to providing more information on how to combat the youth-obsessed media. Articles on body image and similar topics also can be accessed. Many nonprofit centers are also engaged in educational and research efforts as well as providing medical care to patients. In addition to educating the public, an important goal is educate policymakers about the devastation that anorexia and bulimia can cause to individuals and their families. Funding is needed to continue educational initiatives and to pay for research studies that will lead to improved treatments. An eating disorder treatment center often receives private contributions from corporations and grants from foundations. Government funding may be available through grants. Someone suffering from an eating disorder may not be able to admit to having a problem. Those who love that person are obligated to see that proper medical treatment is provided, no matter the cost.

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