There are so many different treatment methods, techniques and approaches currently available in terms of supporting those suffering from mental health conditions such as anorexia that it can be rather difficult to work out which approach or option is the best for meeting one's specific treatment needs or requirements. As eating disorders are life-threatening conditions, finding the most effective help possible is crucial to restoring both physical and psychological health. This article aims to focus on residential eating disorders treatment with key areas to be examined listed below.
- How to find eating disorder clinics
- Questions to ask prior to contacting eating disorder clinics
- What to ask during visits to eating disorder clinics
- How to spot a good eating disorder clinic
How to Find Eating Disorder Clinics
The most effective method is often to ask acquaintances, friends or relatives if they or someone they know has experienced inpatient eating disorder care and whether it was helpful or not so as to obtain a personal recommendation. An appointment with one's family doctor is also a good place to start as he or she is likely to know which treatment clinics there are available and which ones have helped their patients the most. The Internet is also a great way of getting in touch with specific treatment centres, other sufferers as well as local, national and international eating disorder organisations or mental health associations. Many self-help books will also often provide valuable information on specific inpatient units, usually at the very back of the book.
Questions to Ask Oneself Prior to Seeking Inpatient Treatment
Before contacting a treatment centre it is best to first have a good think about several different factors relating to treatment. As such treatment is usually very expensive it is essential (if NHS funding is unavailable) to get in touch with one's health insurance provider or assess if self-funding is an option.
Another factor is location and implications of travel costs and distance from home which may have further implications for one's spouse or family. Also (if applicable) it is crucial to find out how much time one may be permitted to take off as paid sick leave in order to be able to commit to the necessary length of treatment required to achieve recovery.
What to Ask During Visits to Eating Disorder Clinics
An initial visit to look around the facilities and talk to staff and/or patients is very useful and will help one get the feel of a place in order to decide if it is suitable. Important questions to ask during a visit include the following: cost of treatment, typical length of treatment, to see a room, therapies available, visiting times, aims/goals of treatment, waiting lists and what aftercare such as day-patient groups or outpatient therapy is available.
How to Spot A Good Eating Disorder Clinic
The best way of finding out how good or effective a clinic may be is through talking to patients either past or present, ideally when staff are not present. An effective clinic should have an experienced team of therapists, psychiatrist(s), specialised nursing staff, nutritionists and support staff. Also, the length of time key staff remain for is another indicator.
Sources:
Samelson, D (2009) Feeding the Starving Mind Oakland: New Harbinger
Wilson, R. & Branch, R. (2006) CBT for Dummies Chichester: John Wiley & Sons
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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