Laura Chapman highlights the best treatment available for men with eating disorders.
Eating disorders in men aren’t often spoken about as such disorders are widely seen as a female problem. However, a third of those who do suffer from eating disorders are male and the mentality that they shouldn’t seek help can be incredibly damaging.
Getting help for an eating disorder like bulimia will usually include therapy through either an inpatient or outpatient programme. This will allow them to rationalise and talk about their disorder in a safe place, free from judgement.
If you believe you or someone you know is suffering from bulimia, this article will hopefully be of interest to you.
It includes information on how you can seek treatment and why you should do so, as well as explaining why you shouldn’t be ashamed.
Anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders are generally viewed by society as women’s illnesses, but a large number of men also suffer from these harmful disorders.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), 10 million men in the United States will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives, and 10 percent of all eating disorder sufferers that receive help from mental health professionals are male.
Although some men feel embarrassed or reluctant to get help, finding an appropriate treatment option is absolutely essential. Treatment options are varied, ranging from intensive inpatient programmes to support groups and nutrition counselling. Use these facts and figures to find the best treatment for your situation.
Do men need treatment for eating disorders?
No matter how strong men feel, their eating disorders are just as dangerous as those that impact women. Psychologists agree that men’s eating disorders are generally indistinguishable in a clinical sense from those of women.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, as stated in the American Journal of Psychiatry; however, according to the International Journal of Eating Disorders, only 1 in 10 sufferers of either gender receives treatment. No matter how severe the condition, those suffering from binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia or any related disorder need to seek some type of support or treatment.
The benefits of inpatient treatment programmes
Although outpatient programmes and support groups are helpful treatment options, an adult inpatient program provides the most intensive treatment regime, including a structured, supportive recovery environment, psychotherapy, life skills counselling and controlled therapeutic meals. Eating disorder facilities generally offer full-time, qualified staff members that include psychiatrists, psychologists and registered dietitians.
Additionally, inpatient programmes help patients who need medical assistance, providing nurses who monitor vital signs and administer nasogastric feeding, if necessary, to supplement the patient’s diet. After undergoing an inpatient programme, individuals generally receive help developing an after-care plan to keep them on the right track.
The benefits of intensive outpatient programmes
Individuals who are not in immediate medical danger and do not require partial hospitalization have the option of undergoing an intensive outpatient programme (IOP), allowing them to receive treatment discreetly. Most IOP programs take place several hours per day on a few chosen days of the week. Flexible schedules allow patients to begin recovering without sacrificing work, school or other daily activities. IOD programmes generally include psychotherapy, nutritional education and skill-based eating disorder support groups.
Eating disorder support groups and therapy groups for men
Men suffering from eating disorders of every type and severity can benefit from therapy groups and support groups, which are professionally facilitated groups that give sufferers a chance to share their thoughts and fears while benefiting from the eating disorder stories of their peers. These are often held during the evening at hospitals and treatment centres, and some eating disorder facilities offer therapy groups specifically for men.
Open groups are support groups that allow individuals to drop in without pre-registering, providing a great option for those who are not ready to fully commit but who want to explore the experience. Friends and family support groups are offered by many facilities as well. Online support groups are offered by organizations such as Mentor Connect and the National Association for Males With Eating Disorders on their websites.
Nutritional counselling and fitness retraining
Services, such as nutritional counselling and fitness retraining, offered by many eating disorder treatment centres keep patients on the continued path to recovery by instilling essential skills. Nutritional counselling aims to stabilize the patient’s nutrition before helping him develop healthy beliefs and habits concerning food. A trained professional helps each patient to develop a personalized meal plan. When necessary, patients receive nutrition prescriptions to help them balance electrolytes, stabilize weight or reverse malnutrition.
Fitness retraining programmes help eating disorder sufferers who exercise excessively, which is particularly common with anorexia nervosa. Fitness retraining assists sufferers in developing a healthy relationship with exercise. In these types of sessions, patients challenge popular media views concerning fitness and develop a healthy exercise regimen tailored to their needs.
Is a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centre Right for You?
A dual diagnosis treatment centre aims to treat both an addiction and an underlying mental illness. According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, 50 per cent of all individuals with eating disorders meet the criteria for clinical depression. An underlying mental illness is sometimes the cause of an eating disorder, but often the dual conditions simply result from the same environmental and social factors. Dual diagnosis centres commonly use therapy, behavioural management programmes and medication to treat an eating disorder and associated mental illness. A good dual diagnosis programme uses an integrated approach, developing a unique treatment regime for each individual patient.
If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, don’t wait until tomorrow to seek treatment. The American Psychological Association states that most eating disorder cases are successfully treated, although some may require long-term treatment.
Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and other eating disorders are serious, potentially fatal illnesses.
Eating disorders can affect anyone. Among men, gay men and male athletes from disciplines such as gymnastics, body building, running and swimming are at a higher risk of developing eating disorders, according to NEDA.
Despite intense social pressure for men to be incredibly fit, engaging in unhealthy eating behaviours is never the answer.
Sufferers and their families are encouraged to use any of the aforementioned treatment options to get started on the road to recovery.
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