Eating Disorder & Addiction

Treating an Eating Disorder and Drug Addiction

More and more people entering drug addiction treatment are being diagnosed with dual disorders such as drug addiction in conjunction with an eating disorder. The question is how do you provide drug addiction treatment and treatment of an eating disorder and produce positive results? Do you treat the eating disorder first or provide treatment for drug addiction first?

Which Disorder Do You Treat First?

When providing treatment for co-occurring disorders, the patient must receive a thorough evaluation to determine whether detoxification is necessary and if there are any medical issues and if any medications are taken on a prescribed basis. It is also important to determine what eating disorder the patient presents with - binging, purging or restricting.

If the individual has a drug addiction, the first step is drug detox within a drug addiction treatment center. Prior to this the nursing staff must determine if there is an addiction to ipecac, diuretics or laxatives. If this is the case, the detox protocol must include these substances or you run the risk of the patient leaving drug addiction treatment prematurely.

In order to provide a high level of care, the staff providing drug addiction treatment needs to also be thoroughly trained in the dynamics associated with eating disorders. A separate component for the eating disorder patient should be designed to allow them to discuss issues associated with eating disorders which they might not yet feel comfortable discussing in front of the general treatment population. In addition, the program needs to have a nutritional component dedicated to the needs of the eating disorder patient.

How Do I Choose Drug Addiction and Eating Disorder Treatment?

There are several things you must look for including:

1. A board certified psychiatrist A.S.A.M. and trained in eating disorders
2. Drug addiction treatment staff credentialed in eating disorder treatment
3. A nutritionist trained in a particular eating disorder philosophy
4. exercise and recreational program
5. Comprehensive medical and psychiatric services

If you need drug addiction and eating disorder treatment call us toll-free at 1-800-542-6410. Let us help you find the treatment that's right for you. All calls are confidential and we are available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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