Eating disorders impact more than 30 million people in the United States each year. Eating disorders, which can include conditions like bulimia and anorexia nervosa, cause serious medical issues. In fact, complications from eating disorders cause fatal consequences. Many people don’t know that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among all mental health disorders. Each day, more than 20 people die from complications caused by eating disorders, which is why many people need to seek an eating disorder treatment center in San Diego.
Eating disorders cause not only serious nutritional defects, such as malnutrition, but also severe weight loss, depression, and cardiovascular problems. Having an eating disorder and another medical disorder (like diabetes) can cause your underlying medical condition to become worse. Co-occurring disorders like depression or PTSD can make it even more difficult to recover from an eating disorder. This is especially true if the co-occurring disorder helped cause an eating disorder in the first place.
Because of the serious dangers associated with eating disorders, integrating a life skills training program provides another beneficial resource for recovery. Treatment during the recovery process provides you with additional support, understanding, and guidance.
What is an Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is a type of mental health disorder that causes you to significantly change your eating habits. These changes lead to negative medical and mental health symptoms.
Some examples of eating disorders include:
- Binging and purging
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia
- Muscle dysmorphia
Most eating disorders cause you to have an inaccurate perception of your physical appearance. Others, like anorexia, involve a fear of gaining weight or eating. Eating disorders are especially common among dancers, with as many as 12% suffering from an eating disorder. These disorders are also more common among athletes, like wrestlers, who have to regularly gain or lose significant weight in a short period of time.
Eating disorders can cause severe malnutrition, requiring hospitalization at times. Bulimia, which occurs when you forcibly vomit after eating, may burn your esophagus. This can increase your risk of developing acid reflux or problems with your gag reflex. Bulimia and binging and purging can increase a woman’s chances of contracting Polycystic ovary syndrome, a painful condition that is incurable and often disabling.
Other behaviors, such as binge eating, become compulsive reactions to stress or negative life events. Emotions like depression and anxiety may cause you to either overeat or refuse to eat while eating disorders increase your risk of suicide. Eating disorders affect both sexes. Women, however, are more at risk for developing an eating disorder.
Eating Disorder Treatment
While eating disorders can lead to serious complications, including death, they are highly treatable. Mental health counseling at True Life’s eating disorder treatment center in San Diego provides you with the resources and support you need to begin recovering.
In fact, nearly 70% of people struggling with anorexia and 50% of those suffering from bulimia ultimately recover within five years of treatment. Treatment can be accomplished in an inpatient or outpatient setting, but long-term treatment leads to better recovery outcomes.
Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectic behavior therapy can help you change your thinking patterns as well as control your emotions and behaviors. These changes can better prepare you for overcoming an eating disorder. A depression treatment program or anxiety treatment program can help with any underlying conditions caused by or making your eating disorder worse.
Finding an Eating Disorder Treatment Center in San Diego
If you or a loved one is battling an eating disorder, you may, at times, feel stressed, frustrated, and hopeless. Eating disorder treatment can provide you with the lifeline you need to find sustainable recovery. While eating disorders are complex, recovery outcomes are highly favorable, especially if you seek treatment.
True Life Center, a nationally recognized mental health treatment center and eating disorder treatment center in San Diego, is here for you. To find out more about eating disorders and treatment, call us today at 866.420.1792.