Eating Disorder Clinics

Eating disorders are diseases that include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, compulsive overeating disorder, and binge eating. Psycho-emotional complexes govern these diseases. One of the best treatment options for these diseases is visiting eating disorder clinics. Such clinics are spread all over the US.

This article focuses on some aspects of eating disorder clinics.

Some of these eating disorder clinics are residential ones. Good residential eating disorder clinics run many programs. These programs include a residential program, day transitional living program, day treatment program, intensive outpatient program, extended care program, and an outpatient service.

Residential programs conducted at these clinics provide comprehensive and intensive treatment through group, family, and individual therapy. They help alleviate acute psychological stress in patients and delve into the causative issues that made their admission into clinics necessary.

Day transitional living programs provide lodging and boarding for those patients opting for day treatment, who find it difficult to commute daily. Such patients do not need residential treatment.

Day treatment programs at these clinics are meant for patients, who have completed in-house care or those who do not require residential treatment. It includes mealtime support therapy and group therapy.

Intensive outpatient programs provide mealtime support therapy thrice a week with each session of 3 to 4 hours. This program is meant for patients who are in a position to attend work or school.

Extended care programs are meant for patients who have already completed treatment and want to recuperate and transition back into the world.

Outpatient services conducted at some of these clinics are joined by individuals, who desire psychiatric consultation, nutrition therapy, art therapy, psychodrama, or dance movement therapy, as needed by them.

Although most such clinics in the US limit their activities to medicinal therapy, some provide specialized integrated services that include medical, nutritional and psychosocial therapy. Their medical plan essentially focuses on restoration of normal weight in individuals. Some of them also treat anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Large eating disorder clinics are staffed with psychotherapists, doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, and registered dietitians. An assessment of patients' problems is made initially. For serious medical conditions, patients are referred to hospitals for treatment. For minor issues restrictions are not necessary. Such patients are treated as outpatients. Psychotherapy and medicinal treatment are simultaneously administered.

Eating disorder clinics and hospitals in the US include American Anorexia/Bulimia Association. Inc., (AABA) in New York, Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (ANRED) in Eugene, Oregon, Bulimia Anorexia Self Help, Inc. (BASH) in St. Louis, Missouri, Center for Eating Disorders in Worthington, Ohio, Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia in New York, and Foundation for Education about Eating Disorders (FEED) in Baltimore, Maryland.

Through this article, you may have got an insight into some aspects of eating disorder clinics in the US. For other aspects, you can get relevant information on the Internet.