Outpatient Treatment for Eating Disorders

Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment in Albuquerque at Icarus

Many people aren’t aware they have an eating disorder. Eating disorders can consume every single thought you have. You step on the scale every morning, critically count calories, and think seeing bones is beautiful. At first, you stop eating in front of people, and then go days at a time without eating, developing binge eating tendencies.

Eventually, you stop going out and doing normal things due to collapsing and exhaustion. If you start believing that food is your enemy, it’s time to seek professional help – the earlier, the better. Outpatient treatment for eating disorders offers flexible and effective care for those struggling with these conditions.

Eating disorders are dangerous and can escalate quickly. However, early intervention in the early stages can nip them in the bud. Professionals at Icarus Behavior Health New Mexico can help you overcome eating disorders in their initial stages. They offer various outpatient treatments, along with multidisciplinary support, to reverse years of self-neglect and restore your weight. Read on to find out the best outpatient treatment options for eating disorders available.

Outpatient Treatment for Eating Disorder Symptoms

Outpatient eating disorders treatment is designed to help people living with eating disorders through several treatment options. These options include nutrition counseling, behavioral therapy, group therapy, and family therapy sessions.

Individuals who receive this type of treatment don’t need to live on a rehab center or treatment facility’s premises. They can go home each night or are offered supportive housing services. This allows them and other family members to continue living a normal life while receiving treatment for a life-threatening mental health disorder. They can attend work or school as usual and do their daily activities normally.

Outpatient eating disorder treatment may not be as intensive as inpatient treatment. However, it’s ideal for those who still have some control over their situation. This evidence-based treatment approach can address issues like binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa and has various benefits. Those who choose such outpatient programs can expect a smoother recovery.

Types of Outpatient Treatment Program Services

Outpatient programs offer comprehensive eating disorder treatment, including everything from evaluation to medical care and counseling. However, this form of treatment may not work for people with severe eating disorder symptoms or medical or psychiatric issues that require intensive monitoring. For those with a more severe form of eating disorder, inpatient care and treatment are recommended.

Here’s how outpatient treatment is offered to those with eating disorders:

Evaluation

Receiving a diagnosis is the first step in outpatient eating disorder treatment. This includes both physical and psychological examinations. To receive your diagnosis, a psychiatrist or primary care provider will evaluate you in an outpatient setting.

Your doctor will offer a diagnosis based on your condition and may conduct a physical exam. You’ll also be asked several screening questions during the evaluation process.

Therapies, Psychotherapy, and Counseling

After your diagnosis, your doctor will prescribe multiple effective, evidence-based therapies to treat your disordered eating. Each client is different and has unique needs. For example, what works for binge eating disorder may not be effective for anorexia nervosa. Each patient’s treatment plan generally includes psychological intervention, nutritional support, and medical care. some of them are explained below:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT

According to research, our perceptions and thoughts influence our behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on this concept and is made up of two components:

• Cognitive Therapy

This outpatient treatment explores how our thoughts and beliefs affect our emotions and mood. Based on their intensity, they may also contribute to anxiety, depression, and several other mental health issues.

• Behavior Therapy

This form of outpatient therapeutic intervention explores how certain behaviors can cause symptoms of an eating disorder. According to this theory, our reactions in day-to-day situations have an impact. When combined, these therapies form a practical recovery approach. It teaches people with eating disorders how to identify and manage dysfunctional thoughts that trigger unhealthy eating behaviors.

This therapy offers gradual but sustained progress towards recovery from an eating disorder.

 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

People living with an eating disorder, like anorexia nervosa, may exhibit persistent behavioral and emotional difficulties. DBT is an evidence-based therapy often prescribed for individuals with severe eating disorders and has been shown to:

• Control self-harm behaviors, including excessive substance use and suicidality.
• Limit behaviors that interfere with therapy, such as lack of motivation, resistance, and hostility.
• Help control life-interfering behaviors, including fears about losing a job, housing, a spouse, or custody of children.
• Improve behavioral skills by promoting mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is an acronym where A stands for “accepting your thoughts and emotions,” C stands for “choosing a valued direction,” and T stands for “taking action.” This form of therapeutic intervention addresses two main questions in the eating disorder recovery process:

• What does your ideal life look like? What are your goals, and what motivates you?
• What stands in your way of achieving your ideal life? Which thoughts and events are holding you back from living the life you want?

This approach teaches you how to process thoughts, feelings, and emotions without relapsing into disordered eating. It also helps you understand that you have limited control over your thoughts. By learning how your mind works, you can develop practical skills for coping with the pain that comes with being human.

Family-Based Therapy (FBT)

Family-Based Therapy (FBT) is one of the best evidence-based therapies for treating eating disorders. It teaches families that they are not to blame for their loved one’s eating disorder. It’s a flexible, family-based treatment outpatient approach that’s effective for those needing lower levels of care and is a standard treatment for those who require higher levels of care.

This form of therapy is often combined with Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) for the best results and is primarily designed for teens and young adults. The core difference between FBT and other forms of therapy is that it involves family members, typically caregivers or parents.

Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)

Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) helps families build stronger relationships by repairing emotional bonds and creating a secure, supportive environment. This therapy promotes resilience and connection among family members and allows them to grow and thrive together.

Nutrition Education

Nutritional counselling, provided by a registered dietitian, is included in most outpatient eating disorder treatment programs. Its focus is to identify and correct nutritional deficiencies through a personalized meal plan and improve one’s relationship with foods. In some cases, goals also include restoring weight and, eventually, body image,  if necessary.

Meal Support

Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) offer meal support services as part of their treatment programs. This form of outpatient support is provided in a group setting, where dietitians supervise mealtime to ensure everyone’s nutritional needs are met.

Mental Health Support Groups

People living with eating disorders have common struggles and victories. They can benefit significantly from a mental health support group. They can connect with peers and share their experiences to feel less alone in their struggles.

Outpatient treatment programs for eating disorders often include support groups for people at different stages of their ED journey. There are groups for people actively in eating disorder treatment as well as for those in recovery. You may also find support groups for family members dealing with a loved one with eating disorders.

Medical Care

The outpatient treatment plan for eating also includes medical care for treating complications that may arise from your eating disorder. Even though outpatient treatment is for mentally stable individuals, a medical doctor is almost always there to supervise care. They treat any health concerns that may arise during the treatment.

Learn More About Our Comprehensive Outpatient Program for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can wreak havoc on your life and of those involved. However, there is hope. There are various outpatient treatment options available for those who want to gain back their life’s control. Professionals at Icarus Behavioral Health New Mexico design treatment plans tailored to your needs, symptoms and lifestyle.

Our outpatient eating disorder treatment options help you quickly recover while causing minimal disruption to your routine. If you believe you or a loved one is at a risk of developing an eating disorder, contact us today! We will be happy to assist.