Eating Disorders Help for Eating Disorders at Lukin Center Expert Eating Disorder Treatment in Northern New Jersey An Eating Disorder is a serious mental and physical health condition that involves a person’s perception and behavior when it comes to food. Whether it’s eating too much, not enough, or other barriers to healthy eating, Eating Disorders are about controlling one’s physical and mental state through exercise, medicine, or diet. Disordered eating keeps your body from getting the nutrients it needs to function properly, which can lead to a wide range of health problems and diseases, including heart complications. Eating Disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder not only affect your physical health, but also negatively impact your emotions, relationships, and daily functioning. We often think of Eating Disorders as teen and young adult issues, but they can affect people of any age, in any population, at any time. Eating Disorders at a Glance Serious mental and physical health condition Can affect people of any age, race, gender, or sexual orientation Most common in teens, young adults, and women Methods of weight control affect relationships, work, and daily functioning Often co-occurs with other issues such anxiety, depression, or trauma Can have dangerous physical effects Signs of an Eating Disorder appear in all areas of life and include dramatic weight loss or gain, excessive exercise, loss of interest in activities, unhealthy methods to control weight, low energy, poor sleep, and more Eating Disorders are treatable. Quality therapy can help you heal your relationship with food and get your life back. Compassionate, targeted Eating Disorder therapy at Lukin Center can help you normalize your eating patterns, achieve a healthy weight, feel more comfortable with your body, learn to cope with stress, and work toward positive change. What are the Symptoms and Treatments for Eating Disorders? It’s tough to heal from an Eating Disorder alone, and many people who are struggling don’t think they need help. If you think your or someone you love might be experiencing symptoms of an Eating Disorder, be alert to the following: Changes to dental health: tooth enamel thinning Eating in secret Eating larger-than-normal portions for meals or snacks Excessive use of dietary supplements, laxatives, or other weight loss products Expressing shame or guilt about eating Intense exercise Making excuses for not eating Outsized focus on nutrition Persistent worrying about weight, body shape, or losing weight Restrictive dieting Skipping meals Withdrawing from favorite activities How can Lukin Center Help Me with Eating Disorder Treatment? Individual therapy is one of the most important parts of anorexia treatment, bulimia treatment, binge eating disorder treatment, and Eating Disorder recovery. Your Lukin Center therapist will begin by establishing a judgement-free, compassionate space to explore your feelings about food, discuss your physical health, and identify the habits you’d like to change. Your therapist might ask you to keep a food journal or other homework assignments to help you understand the feelings and events that trigger unhealthy eating behaviors. Together, you’ll work with your therapist to change the way you think about food and your body, and address underlying mental health issues like anxiety, depression, self-harm, substance abuse, family of origin concerns, or sexuality issues. Lukin Center therapists create individual treatment plans based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methodologies and complementary techniques. Sometimes, Eating Disorders are disruptive or dangerous enough to require inpatient treatment in a specialized program. Should your therapist feel that your health requires more intensive treatment, they will refer you to a program, recommend an appropriate level of care, and remain in touch until you’re ready to return. Don’t wait to get help for an Eating Disorder. Lukin Center clinicians must maintain the highest possible degrees and certifications in their fields, including best practices in treating Eating Disorders in adults and children. As one of the largest mental health therapy practices in Northern New Jersey, Lukin Center gives you access to more highly trained therapists and a broader range of specialties, so you can get exactly the help you need. We’ll help you connect with the right mental health professional to get the results you want.
