How To Choose The Right Eating Disorder Clinic?

by Ellern Mede Eating Disorder Treatment

Selecting the right eating disorder clinic for you or your loved one can be tough. That decision often comes at a time when the condition is at a critical point, and you are under pressure to come to a decision. Regardless of the stress, take a bit of time to find the right treatment facility for the situation at hand. This will pay off when it comes to recovery.

The first crucial consideration is what level of care is necessary.

You need to work with the doctor to see if acute medical treatment is necessary. If the patient has reached the point where their life is in danger due to the eating disorder or suicidal thoughts, then it may become essential to consider inpatient hospitalisation. If there are no acute medical needs, but an outpatient programme is not a good fit, then a private eating disorder clinic with residential treatment facility might be the best option.

The next thing to consider is what is going on with the patient, besides the eating disorder.

Many times, eating disorders come with other medical concerns; some people come in with substance or alcohol addiction issues, while others are dealing with past trauma due to abuse of different types. You want an anorexia nervosa treatment centre that can handle any coexisting conditions while also treating the eating disorder.

You also need to look at the facility's treatment philosophy and focus.

Are they a 12-step programme? Do they work on behaviour and nutrition therapy? How much time do they spend with individual and group therapy? What happens if you have a medical emergency? Are there treatment options for family or spouses? Do they have a programme to step down treatment gradually as the patient improves? What are the statistics for patients that they have treated in the last year? All of these questions will help you choose the right eating disorder treatment facility for yourself or a loved one.