If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, it can feel like the condition is taking over your life. Meals may revolve around calorie counting and “good” or “bad” food items. Exercise may become an obsessive activity. Social events may be canceled or passed up altogether due to fears about weight gain or being seen in a swimsuit. In short, life with an eating disorder can be challenging.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Professional mental health treatment is available, and finding eating disorder therapy in Rogers, Arkansas, isn’t difficult. With the help of trained mental health professionals, you can learn to control your disorder and start living a happier, healthier life. Call 479.309.1427 to learn more about Alleviant’s eating disorder treatment center in Rogers, Arkansas. Speak to someone from our experienced team today.
What Are Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that can profoundly affect a person’s physical and emotional health. They’re complex disorders that are caused by a variety of biological, psychological, and social factors.
There are three main types of eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa – This disorder is characterized by severe calorie restriction, weight loss, and an intense fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia often have a distorted self-image and see themselves as overweight, even when they’re dangerously underweight.
- Bulimia nervosa – This disorder is characterized by binge eating followed by purging. The latter involves behaviors like self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, excessive exercise, and fasting. People with bulimia often have an average weight or are slightly overweight.
- Binge eating disorder – This disorder is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by feelings of shame, guilt, or embarrassment. Like those struggling with bulimia, people with binge eating disorder often have an average weight or are slightly overweight. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that can profoundly affect a person’s physical and emotional health.
Eating disorders typically involve unhealthy behaviors around food and exercise, such as severe calorie restriction, binge eating, purging, compulsive exercise, and obsessive thoughts about weight and body shape. People with eating disorders often have a distorted self-image and see their worth directly related to their weight or body size.
What Are the Benefits of Undergoing Eating Disorder Treatment?
Better Physical Health
If you’ve been restricting your food intake or engaging in other unhealthy behaviors around food, your physical health has suffered. Treatment can help you get back on track with developing healthy eating habits and achieving or maintaining a healthy weight.
Better Emotional Health
Untreated eating disorders often go hand-in-hand with depression, anxiety, isolation, and low self-esteem or poor body image. Receiving treatment can help improve your mood and outlook on life while also helping you develop a healthier relationship with your body.
Healthy Coping Skills
One of the goals of treatment is to help you develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stressful situations, unpleasant emotions, and difficult life circumstances. This can be especially helpful if you’re prone to using food to cope with stressors in your life.
Support from Professionals
When you’re in treatment, you’ll be surrounded by professionals who understand what you’re going through and can offer guidance, support, and advice. Knowing that people in your corner want to see you succeed in recovery can be beneficial.
Learn More About Eating Disorder Treatment at Alleviant Health Centers of Rogers
No matter how difficult things may seem, it’s important to remember that help is available and that recovery is possible—regardless of how long you’ve been struggling or how deeply entrenched your disorder may seem. If you’re ready to start on the road to recovery but don’t know where to begin, seeking professional help at the Alleviant Health Centers can give you the tools and support you need to start rebuilding your life in recovery one day at a time. Call 479.309.1427 and ask about our eating disorder treatment program in Rogers, Arkansas.