Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental health concern that affects around 1% of the population. It has the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder, according to data from the NIMH[1]. Despite its severity, it is common for the families of people with anorexia to feel so overwhelmed with guilt about their failure to prevent the development of the disorder that they are emotionally unable to provide an environment that is conducive to healing.
People do not choose to become anorexic, but they can choose to commit to treatment if their independent attempts at recovery are not giving them the results they want. Treating anorexia involves helping people develop new habits, many of which have nothing to do with eating. At Crestview Recovery, we do not treat eating disorders as a primary diagnosis, but we are able to assist people who are struggling with eating disorders when they occur alongside addiction and other mental health concerns. Contact us today by calling 866.262.0531 to learn more about eating disorder treatment in Portland, Oregon, at Crestview Recovery.
What Is Anorexia?
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a profound, persistent reduction in food intake, leading to severely low body weight within the context of age, sex, and physical health. It involves a relentless pursuit of thinness, distorted body image, a pervasive fear of gaining weight, and extremely disturbed eating behavior. People with anorexia engage in self-starving behavior despite malnourishment, shame, and damage to their physical appearance. The following approaches to anorexia treatment can promote healing in the right therapeutic environment, with the right therapist:
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Process group therapy
Although many people who struggle with addiction and mental health concerns struggle to get adequate nutrition, anorexia nervosa is its own monster. It can be challenging for family members and loved ones to understand why someone who may have started dieting to feel more healthy and attractive could bear the toll that anorexia takes on their health and appearance. Anorexia nervosa can be fatal without proper treatment; no one with this condition would choose to be anorexic.
Anorexia Is Not a Choice
Anorexia can affect people of all ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, races, and cultural backgrounds. For years, anorexia and eating disorders, in general, were seen as a female problem, but people of all genders can develop anorexia. Symptoms of anorexia include the following:
- Being dangerously thin and malnourished
- Frailty and difficulty remaining upright
- Intense fear of certain foods when no allergy is present
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Isolation, depression, and hopelessness
- Fear of feeling out of control despite being out of control
Although anorexia usually begins during adolescence, an increasing number of children and even older adults are also starting to be diagnosed with anorexia. People with anorexia rely extensively on the undue influence of body weight for self-evaluation. They may also deny the severity of this low body weight.
Is Intensive Outpatient or Partial Hospitalization Right for Me?
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalization program (PHP) can offer people a chance to recognize and manage the emotional and physical concerns related to eating disorders. Crestview provides eating disorder treatment alongside treatment for addiction or other co-occurring mental health concerns. To start on your path to recovery from anorexia, stop asking whether anorexia is a choice, and start thinking about solutions.
What Are the Benefits of Anorexia Treatment?
Once someone has made the courageous decision to enter into anorexia treatment, they begin to experience the benefits almost immediately. Some of the benefits of anorexia treatment include:
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
- An enhanced understanding of the condition
- An opportunity to heal the underlying causes of anorexia
- A safe space where people can share honestly in group therapy sessions
- Healthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress and pressure
- A chance to rebuild relationships with friends and family members
At Crestview Recovery, we recognize that anorexia is not the result of poor decisions or a lack of willpower to stop. Anorexia is a severe mental health disorder whose symptoms can be eased or eliminated with the support and care from a team of professionals, such as the team at Crestview Recovery.
Receive High-Quality Anorexia Treatment at Crestview Recovery
If a person you love is unable to live their best life due to mental health concerns, contact Crestview Recovery. Our team is standing by to tell you more about our innovative programs and whether our anorexia treatment center might be a good fit for your loved one. If you are the one who is struggling with a mental health or eating disorder, our Crestview Recovery team can help you too. Our comprehensive approach to treatment relies on therapy as the catalyst for healing. Reach us by calling 866.262.0531 or filling out our online form to learn about our progress-centered, research-backed anorexia treatment options.
References:
[1] https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
