Types of Eating Disorder

Eating Disorders do not discriminate

Each year, 5 million individuals are affected by varying types of eating disorder, which go untreated and at times become life-threatening. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia, binge-eating, compulsive eating, etc are different types of eating disorder which can affect any man, woman or child of any class, caste or culture. Almost everyone has concerns about the impact their weight and body shape can have on their image. Eating disorders may start with an desire for physical attractiveness or body shape, but it is not all about dieting or overeating. An eating disorder is a complex psychological disorder, which modifies our eating pattern and forces us to maintain it, as a solution to other problems in life. It is a combination of biological, psychological and environmental abnormalities.

Anorexia Nervosa

In anorexia nervosa, a person becomes self-conscious about his/her current body weight or becomes afraid of gaining weight and intentionally deprives himself/herself of food. Anorexia is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening eating disorder which compels a person to starve themself to death in an attempt to become thin. An anorexic person is convinced that they are fat, even if they become extreme skinny. They consider weight loss as an achievement and a sign of their disciplined eating habits. Extreme weight loss and a refusal to maintain a proper diet and body weight can be considered primary symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa.

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Binge Eating

Binge eating disorder is the compulsion to repeatedly consume abnormally large amounts of food. People suffering from binge eating disorder eat irrespective of being hungry or not. This disorder frequently leads to obesity, the disease responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths each year. It also, typically, develops into a deadly eating disorder, such as bulimia nervosa. People suffering from binge eating disorder are run the serious risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, etc.

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Bulimia Nervosa

Bingeing - i.e. consuming large amount of food at a very short interval of time - followed by purging the just eaten food, by self induced vomiting, are the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa. Bulimia nervosa leads to serious problems, such as kidney damage, injury to the digestive system, depression, anxiety, heart damage, etc. Individuals suffering from bulimia nervosa are at risk of dangerous, impulsive and self-destructive behaviors, such as sexual promiscuity, kleptomania, self-mutilation and alcohol and/or drug abuse.

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Compulsive Eating Disorder

Compulsive eaters are unable to control the frequency and amount of food intake they have during the day. Symptoms are, typically, eating without hunger, gobbling food, inability to cease eating, eating in seclusion or continuous eating throughout the day. Sufferers prefer sweet and sugar based food. When they are not able to eat the way they exhibit symptoms of withdrawal.

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Orthorexia

Orthorexia is the term for a condition involving obsessive behavior with regard to the pursuit of a healthy diet. Sufferers are obsessed with eating foods that give the feeling of being pure and healthy. Typically, they will avoid foods containing artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, foods that have been genetically modified or treated with pesticides, foods with a high fat or sugar content – even animal or dairy products.

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Obesity

Obesity can be the result of an eating disorder and has extreme, severe results. Obese individuals are prone to mental disorder, depression, anxiety, etc. Obesity can also lead to Anorexia and its life-threatening impact. High blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, respiratory problems, arthritis, menstrual irregularities, etc. are just a few of the medical problems which are developed due to obesity.

Treatment at Sovereign Health of California

Eating disorders are treatable and we are here to help!

Due to the serious health consequences of eating disorders, most treatment providers tend to focus solely on treating the eating disorder - ignoring the fact that many patients are also suffering from co-occurring disorders or addictive behaviors. These may either be part of the root cause of the disorder or may have developed as a result of it being inadequately or untreated for a period of time.

At Sovereign Health of California, we have a different approach. Our aim is to treat the entire person, not just the presenting symptoms.

Before we admit a patient, we request extensive information from not only the sufferer, but from family and friends, in order to obtain a complete picture of the issues involved. We seek permission to contact any previous eating disorder treatment providers in order to gather additional information. The more complete the picture, the easier it will be to design a treatment program to meet the specific needs of the individual.

Once admitted, each patient undergoes a comprehensive medical and psychiatric assessment which will uncover any underlying dual diagnosis issues or co-occurring disorders.

Sovereign Health of California has a reputation for the finest treatment of dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders in the U.S. and these extensive assessments provide our treatment team with an exclusive insight into any co-occurring or dual diagnosis issues, allowing us to incorporate them into the overall treatment program.

The patient is then introduced to the treatment team, which will include, among others, a family therapist, a psychiatrist and a registered dietician. During the first few days, the patient will get to know each member of the treatment team who, in turn will carry out their own, individual evaluations before combining their knowledge, together with the results of the initial assessment, to produce a completely individual treatment plan for the patient.

Our treatment program at Sovereign Health combines traditional clinical treatments with alternative, holistic therapies, designed to ensure our clients receive the necessary care and support to take them through treatment and on to a successful recovery. Patients are encouraged to partake of therapies such as meditation, exercise, sessions at a local gym, art therapy, equine therapy, etc.

Our Policy

At Sovereign Health of California, we concentrate on creating an environment where a patient can feel safe about expressing their emotions about food and eating. The patient can understand that they are not alone in their struggle. We focus on supporting our patients as they seek to develop confidence in their ability to make healthy choices about food.

We encourage patients to participate in experiential activities such as shopping and cooking – giving them the chance to practice the skills required to overcome their anorexia, whilst surrounded by supportive professionals who understand the challenges involved in recovery.

Our patients stay in our comfortable, welcoming, gender specific residences, situated in the picturesque, coastal community of San Clemente, California. There are house managers and staff on hand 24/7 to provide any necessary support to patients throughout their stay.

We offer treatment to both men and women. So, to learn more about treatment and recovery at Sovereign Health of California, why not visit the 'What We Offer' page of our website. Alternatively, call us now! We have advisors available 24/7 to answer any question you may have with regard to Sovereign Health of California and all its treatment programs.

Our success rate speaks for itself!