Eating Disorder Treatment That Addresses Nutrition, Mental Health, and Addiction

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses characterized by long-term distortions in eating habits and related thought patterns that create significant negative impacts on one’s physical and social well-being.[1] Although eating disorders are more commonly diagnosed in women, millions of men are also affected.[2] They most often begin during adolescence and young adulthood, though they can develop at any age.[3] Eating disorders are among the most medically dangerous psychiatric illnesses and are associated with some of the highest mortality rates of any mental health disorder.[4]

Some examples of eating disorders include:

• Anorexia Nervosa — Characterized by restricting food intake, fear of weight gain, and distorted body image. Anorexia nervosa is associated with one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder and often requires close medical monitoring in addition to psychotherapy. [5]
• Bulimia Nervosa — Characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, compensated afterward by purging, using laxatives and diuretics, or over-exercising to avoid gaining weight.
• Binge Eating Disorder (BED) — Characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming large amounts of food within a short time span, accompanied by feelings of loss of control and distress. Does not involve compensatory behaviors like purging.
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) —  Characterized by highly selective or restricted eating that is not driven by body image but results in malnutrition or impaired function.
• Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) — A clinically significant eating disorder which does not fit into the previously mentioned categories but causes significant distress and impairment.

We understand that recovery from an eating disorder is a process that requires specialized clinical focus and that if there is also an addiction involved, both conditions need to be treated at the same time in order to achieve long-lasting and successful recovery.

At Agape Detox Center, our dual diagnosis approach includes:

• Comprehensive Assessment: All new admissions to Agape Detox Center undergo a comprehensive medical, psychiatric, and psychological assessment upon admission. This assessment includes evaluation of nutritional status, medical stability, severity of eating disorder, previous substance use, and any co-existing mental health conditions. Medical stabilization is frequently a required initial step before further treatment.
• Evidence-Based Therapies: We offer a wide range of evidence-based therapy modalities to support recovery, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which has demonstrated effectiveness in treating emotional dysregulation and impulsive behaviors that commonly occur in people with co-occurring eating disorders and substance use disorders.[13] DBT promotes the development of emotional regulation skills, distress tolerance skills, and mindfulness skills that directly relate to alleviating the emotional issues inherent in both disorders.
• Nutritional Support: Recovery from an eating disorder requires nutritional rehabilitation along with psychological treatment. A multidisciplinary team develops a personalized nutrition plan as part of each client’s individualized treatment plan to ensure the physical needs of each client are met as they recover.
• Medication Management: Clients may benefit from taking prescription medication to help alleviate symptoms such as depression, anxiety, OCD, or other co-occurring mental health conditions that frequently occur with eating disorders.[14] Our psychiatrists develop medication plans for each client in collaboration with our addiction treatment staff.