Eating Disorder Treatment

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Eating Disorder Treatment and Healing Food Addiction

There are many different forms of eating disorders, identifiable by obsessive and compulsive behaviours. These behaviours require professional eating disorder treatment in order for the sufferer to obtain a healthy mind and body.

Treating a food addiction can be a difficult task, as one cannot be "abstinent" from food. Healing a food addiction requires intense therapy and a daily, 12 Step recovery programme. The three forms of eating disorders that are the most common and the most life threatening are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Compulsive Overeating. These are life threatening illnesses and do not stop unless eating disorder treatment is sought.

Anorexia Nervosa is a condition in which the suffererrestricts their calorie intakeseverely, causingextreme weight loss. Severe cases result in a skeletal appearance and dangerously low body weight. There is a great chance of anorexia being fatal if the condition is not arrested by eating disorder treatment.

Bulimia nervosa is a condition in which the sufferer embarks on uncontrollable binges and then uses purging behaviour such as vomiting, fasting or excessive exercise to rid themselves of the food, and the associated guilt. Whilst bulimics usually remain at a reasonably healthy weight, internal damage is possible, and death through internal injury can be common when the illness is left untreated.

Compulsive overeating is a condition where the sufferer embarks on massive binges like a bulimic, but without the purging behavior. This results in the client gaining massive, often dangerous amounts of weight leading to obesity and even death.

Eating disorder treatment at Oasis Counselling Centre focuses on the behavioural aspects of the addictive nature of eating disorders. The treatment of food addiction at our registered rehabilitation centre in South Africa focuses on the underlying psychology of the obsessions and compulsions which accompany the disorder.

Similar to drug or alcohol addiction, the compulsive behaviour is a symptom of deeper issues. These are addressed during one-on-one counselling sessions with one of our qualified addiction counsellors, or in group therapy sessions. Often, clients who seek help for drug addiction or alcohol addiction discover an underlying eating disorder and are able to address this problem in a safe environment suitable for healing food addiction.

A proper and supervised diet is also encouraged when undergoing eating disorder treatment, in order to help with healing food addiction. Oasis has registered nurses and a consultant medical physician, and consultant psychiatrist to help clients achieve a healthy body as well as a healthy mind. When a client learns to make healthy life choices based on self-respecting principles, true healing can begin. For those suffering from an eating disorder, the compulsion to engage in self-destructive behavior often seems a safer option than choosing healthy ways of expressing feelings. It is only once the client is willing to live 'life on life's terms', free from all compulsive behaviours, that recovery becomes a way of life.

An eating disorder is often something that has been present for a long time, sometimes since early childhood, and is ingrained in the behaviour of a client. Thus, treating food addictions requires time and effort. The minimum stay recommended at Oasis Counselling Centre for an eating disorder treatment is three months, possibly followed by a stay at our tertiary care facility, Solar House rehab centre.

Find out more about eating disorders and eating disorder treatment by contacting Oasis substance abuse Counselling Centre in Plettenberg Bay and speaking to one of our highly qualified and professional counsellors.