I have a wife with bulimia and it was getting to the point where I couldn't take it any more. She needed bulimia treatment badly, but I didn't know where to turn. Through the internet I came across your site and sent my wife for bulimia treatment at your center.
Whoever she first spoke with made her feel so comfortable, she even became excited about the possibility of not having to binge and purge any more. The change in her is amazing. I know she will always be recovering, but I am proud to say she is the most courageous person I know. Thank you for all of your help.
-- Preston V., Nashua, New Hampshire
I needed to find an eating disorder clinic so badly. I used to eat compulsively and had swung over completely to purging and laxatives. I felt so bad about myself, the shame and guilt was just killing me. I had been to an eating disorder clinic before, but they really did not address my mood swings, that I have since understood them to be a bipolar disorder.
Your staff kept telling me that my eating behavior was a symptom of other problems. Well even though I didn't believe them they turned out to be right. I don't use laxatives, I have even learned to exercise moderately. Thank you so much. By the way, it has been ten months since I last purged.
-- Bonnie S., Boston, Massachusetts
Well Shelly, I told you I would write when I had one year in recovery and here I am. Who would have guessed. I have so much gratitude for you taking your time and referring me to a great facility. I knew from the moment I walked in there that I was in the right place. The next time I come by it will be to visit, not as a patient. You are absolutely the greatest.
-- Venessa C., Raleigh, North Carolina
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Dual Diagnosis Programs
Effective dual diagnosis treatment is within your reach. Call our nationally recognized toll-free eating disorder helpline at 1-800-941-5313. Get the help you need to recover your health and reclaim your life. Caring professionals are standing by 24/7 to assist you and all calls are confidential.
What is a Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis, also known as co-occurring disorders, concurrent disorders or co-morbid disorders, is a term used to describe someone who is affected by both a chemical addiction (to drugs or alcohol) and a psychiatric or mental illness, including eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, compulsive eating or binge eating disorder.
If the process of locating the best dual diagnosis treatment program for you becomes confusing and a bit overwhelming, you can always call the national eating disorder helpline at 1-800-941-5313.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment - Steps to Recovery
In the past, addiction treatment programs and eating disorder programs have treated dual diagnosis separately. The results of this type of approach were less than satisfactory. Today, specialized dual diagnosis programs that treat the addiction and eating disorder concurrently have far better results.
The first step in dual diagnosis treatment is detoxifying, or cleansing, the body of alcohol and/or drugs. The goal of detox is to manage and sometimes eliminate the symptoms associated with drug or alcohol withdrawal. Even people with an eating disorder suffer psychological withdrawal symptoms when they discontinue eating disorder behavior or stop eating certain foods.
Detox should take place in a medically-monitored inpatient detox.facility. The time spent in detox varies, depending on what substances the person is addicted to, the frequency of use, amount of usage and any potential medical issues.
Once a person is stabilized, a psychiatrist and addiction treatment staff will assess the patient with regards to their need for ongoing eating disorder or dual diagnosis treatment.
Dual diagnosis treatment programs need to follow a steady, yet gradual methodology. Patients have to proceed at their own pace.
The goal of any respected drug addiction treatment program, eating disorder program or drug rehab should be medication compliance, adherence to a healthy eating plan and abstinence from drugs, alcohol or eating disorder behavior.
After completing a dual diagnosis program, individuals should be involved in psychiatric follow up. Aftercare in an eating disorder program or drug rehab and attendance at self help groups should be part of the relapse prevention plan.
People with dual diagnosis are often in denial. They may ignore their issues completely or not take their problems as seriously as they should. Often, family and friends must resort to having a professional intervention in order to get the person into a dual diagnosis treatment program so the recovery process can begin.
