February 21 through 27 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This is an annual campaign to bring public attention to the critical needs of people with eating disorders and their families. The focus of this year’s campaign, themed 3 Minutes Can Save a Life: Get Screened. Get Help. Get Healthy is on early detection and intervention. NEDA has partnered with Screening for Mental Health, Inc., to develop an anonymous, free, online screening—which takes as little as just three minutes to complete—from which participants can learn if it’s time to seek professional help.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder and 30 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
Claire Mysko, interim CEO of NEDA, says, "Eating disorders can hide in plain sight and frequently go undiagnosed until someone's health is at significant risk. These are life-threatening bio-psycho-social illnesses, not a 'lifestyle choice.' It's time to get beyond the stigma and stereotypes and recognize the diverse experiences of people affected by disordered eating. Early intervention is a critical first step toward ending this epidemic, and everyone who is struggling deserves to be able to access help without delay to provide them the best chance possible of full recovery."
Nearly 20 million women and 10 million men in the U.S. will suffer from an eating disorder. But with treatment, 60 percent make a full recovery. Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors. Scientists and researchers are still learning about the underlying causes of these emotionally and physically damaging conditions.
Several types of treatment centers and levels of care are available for treating eating disorders. Knowing the terms used to describe these is important because insurance benefits (and the duration of benefits) are tied not only to a patient’s diagnosis, but also to the type of treatment setting and level of care. Treatment is delivered in hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and private office settings.
Levels of care consist of acute short-term inpatient care, partial inpatient care, intensive outpatient care (by day or evening), and outpatient care. Acute inpatient hospitalization is necessary when a patient is medically or psychiatrically unstable. Once a patient is medically stable, he/she is discharged from a hospital, and ongoing care is typically delivered at a sub-acute care residential treatment facility. The level of care in such a facility can be full-time inpatient, partial inpatient, intensive outpatient by day or evening, and outpatient. There are also facilities that operate only as outpatient facilities. Outpatient psychotherapy and medical follow-up may also be delivered in a private office setting.
Patients with severe symptoms often begin treatment as inpatients and move to less intensive programs as symptoms subside. Hospitalization may be required for complications of the disorder, such as electrolyte imbalances, irregular heart rhythm, dehydration, severe underweight, or acute life-threatening mental breakdown. Partial hospitalization may be required when the patient is medically stable, and not a threat to him/ herself or others, but still needs structure to continue the healing process. Partial hospitalization programs last between three and 12 hours per day, depending on the patient’s needs.
Recovery is a term that can be defined in many different ways and does not always happen in a consistent step-by-step basis. There is continual growth, occasional setbacks, and learning from experience. Recovery begins when a person realizes positive change is possible, and focuses on building on the multiple capacities, resiliencies, talents, coping abilities, and inherent worth of individuals. This helps the individual move on to fully participate in the recovery process.
Acceptance by the community, society, and systems, as well as appreciation of the individual—including protection of rights, elimination of discrimination and stigma —is a necessary step for recovery to take place. Regaining self-acceptance and personal belief in one's self are also necessary.
The message of a better future—that people can overcome hardships that occur—must be internalized. It is the motivation for recovery. It can be inspired by peers, families, friends, providers, and others. If you know of someone who needs help, be kind and extend your hand.