A bulimia nervosa treatment center can offer a wide range of treatment options for people suffering from eating disorders. When comparing various bulimia nervosa treatment facilities, there are many different variables to consider. Some of those variables include:
Types of behavioral therapies: Different centers may offer a certain type of behavioral therapy as part of their bulimia nervosa treatment programs. These behavioral therapies may include nutritional counseling, exercise training, meditation, or other stress-reduction techniques. Some centers may also offer a combination of several of those treatments. When combining behavioral therapies with other services, clients are given an increased chance at recovery and more fulfilling life.
Professional help: A bulimia nervosa treatment program should offer their clients the ability to find and utilize a local or online professional help network. This network can aid in the management of emotional issues that may arise during the treatment process. The network can be used to foster support between clients and their therapists and between the therapists and the patients. Clients can often find the assistance they need to manage bulimia while avoiding relapse.
Types of treatment for bulimia nervosa treatment centers vary depending on the severity or diagnosis of the disorder. Some of the most common treatment options include self-help programs, medical or hospital treatment, and inpatient treatment for people suffering from bulimia disorders. Bulimia is not considered a serious condition by most mental health professionals, and so the chances of successful treatment are quite high. However, people with this condition should seek out professional help and treatment options as failure to do so can result in the condition rapidly escalating into something much worse. These conditions are often hard to treat, but proper treatment can go a long way towards helping those suffering from these disorders feel better about themselves and live healthier and fuller lives.
Self-help treatment programs: Many self-help treatment programs focus on relapse prevention. These programs teach sufferers how to effectively deal with stress, anxiety, and other triggers that can cause an episode. Many people suffering from bulimia eating disorders are prone to self-injuring themselves when they become too stressed. So these programs may provide some relief by teaching sufferers how to prevent this from happening.
Hospital treatment: Most people diagnosed with bulimia nervosa require some type of inpatient treatment. While many individuals suffering from these disorders feel better when home, others continue to exhibit risky behaviors and refuse to return home once they have suffered a relapse. To recover fully, they must receive appropriate treatment from a highly regarded mental health care facility.
Outpatient treatment: For most people suffering from bulimia nervosa, outpatient treatment is usually sufficient. For those that still exhibit risky behaviors or exhibit symptoms of depression or mood disorders, inpatient treatment may be necessary. Patients can return home to a more comfortable environment after being treated at a mental health facility for their disorders. It is not uncommon for patients to be hospitalized until they can no longer self-medicate due to serious side effects from purging or excessive exercising. Purging is the most common behavioral symptom of bulimia and is often associated with increased vomiting, leading to dehydration.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This type of therapy is typically used in conjunction with medication. The purpose of cognitive-behavioral therapy is to teach patients how to recognize the triggers that cause them to experience compulsive overeating or extreme distress over body image issues. Patients are taught to replace those behaviors with healthier, more acceptable ways of thinking. Behavior therapy is often used alongside the medication that helps patients control their urges to purge. In some cases, medication may also be prescribed as bulimia often mimics the feelings and behaviors of depression or anxiety.
Seeking Treatment For Bulimia Nervosa
The treatment for bulimia nervosa is a major ongoing problem for many people today. There are an estimated five million sufferers of this condition in the United States alone. The problem is so severe that millions more may be suffering needlessly around the world. Because the cause of this condition is not yet known, it is difficult to determine what the optimal treatment should be.
Four main conclusions can be drawn from the current studies and the patient-related studies upon which they are founded. First, most of the empirical studies of the treatment of bulimia nervosa up to now have been very small in scale and, thus, lacking in statistically significant statistical power to determine specific treatment effects. Second, while CBT and ECT are the most common forms of treatments used for this condition, they do not reach the desired level of perfection. Finally, many of these interventions do not achieve remission for most people diagnosed with this condition. This makes treatment very complicated and problematic.
Because the treatment for bulimia nervosa is such a complicated issue, a plan must be developed to care for people with this condition. In general, the treatment for bulimia nervosa involves a combination of psychotherapy, medications, and supportive therapies. These four treatment elements can be grouped broadly according to the priority level that each patient has reached and then treated with the appropriate medication.
Psychotherapy is primarily used as a treatment for bulimia nervosa to improve the ability of the patients to deal with stress and alter how they respond to negative stimuli. The treatment for this disorder will usually include psychotherapy sessions lasting an hour a week for twelve weeks. During this time, the therapists will try to identify the disorder's underlying cause in the patients. They may also teach the patients various techniques that will help them modify their interpersonal psychotherapy skills.
Mood stabilizing drugs are sometimes added to the treatment regimen to help patients manage extreme emotions when they become overwhelmed by the situation. Other medications may also be prescribed to help patients avoid the symptoms of anxiety and depression that are frequently associated with the use of psychotherapy in this disorder. CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy is commonly used as a treatment for this disorder. It will often consist of weekly sessions that will provide patients with therapeutic and behavioral techniques to learn how to better deal with life's situations.
Another treatment for bulimia nervosa is individualized psychotherapy that uses various treatments to help people overcome their feelings of self-loathing. A psychotherapist may use hypnotherapy to help the patient uncover patterns of overeating or self-starvation. They may also utilize neurofeedback to teach the patient effective ways of controlling their urges to binge on food or self-comfort foods. In addition, psychotherapy often helps patients change their reactions to stressful situations.
Treatment for bulimia can take a wide range of forms, but the most important thing is that it should focus on changing the way the patient sees the problem rather than just suppressing his or her symptoms. Medications are often used to treat this disorder, but the effectiveness of these medications diminishes over time as the body builds up a tolerance to the medications. Psychological treatment is often the most effective way to stop binge eating and return the patients to a more normal state of living. Because this disorder is largely a behavioral problem, lifestyle changes are often the best treatment for Nervosa.
Patients who have difficulties controlling their urges to purging or excessive self-inducing behaviors may benefit from treatment for bulimia in which they learn to face their problems and do so with a healthy sense of self-worth. This may require some counseling and assistance from a trained mental health professional, but in most cases, it can be done without medication. Psychotherapy can teach patients how to develop a more positive relationship with food, set reasonable expectations about the amount of food they should eat, and what to do if they experience symptoms that lead them to binge eating. By working with their mental health professional, patients can stop binge eating and regain control over their emotional and physical health. Contact Dr. Arceo Psychiatric Services for your appointment and consultation.