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Anorexia Nervosa Rehab Programme
Anorexia nervosa is one of the most widely-known eating disorders, and it can become life-threatening if not adequately treated in time. We offer fully comprehensive treatment for anorexia at our UKAT sister treatment centre, Banbury Lodge.
Our rehab clinic is CQC registered and we treat other eating disorders, including bulimia and binge eating. It’s not always clear which disorder someone has until they receive a medical assessment, but you don’t have to worry, as we can clinically diagnose which eating disorder you have and tailor treatment accordingly.
We operate a full-service facility with beds for clients between the ages of 16 and 65. You’ll receive around-the-clock care while we help you to accept your anorexia through nutrition and weight gain management, personalised diet plans and talking therapies.
Symptoms of Anorexia
Anorexia includes behavioural and emotional issues involving powerful fears of becoming fat and unrealistic perceptions of body weight, as well as physical issues related to starvation. It can be a challenge to recognise the symptoms of anorexia…
Nonetheless, these are the signs to look out for:
Physical signs:
- Lack of menstruation
- Fingers having bluish discoloration
- Abdominal pain and constipation
- Dehydration
- Dizziness or fainting
- Dry or yellowish skin
- Extreme weight loss
- Fatigue
- Falling, breaking or thinning hair
- Insomnia
- Thin appearance
Behavioural symptoms:
- Bingeing and self-induced vomiting
- Covering up in layers of clothing
- Making excuses to not eat
- Exercising excessively
- Frequently checking the mirror
- Frequently refusing to eat
- Severely restricting food intake
Treatment
For us to design a personalised treatment plan for you, we’ll start by performing initial psycho-social, physical and psychiatric assessments. As treatment progresses, we may make adjustments to the original plan if necessary. We have a team of qualified experts who have experience treating various eating disorders, so rest assured you’re in good hands when you come to us.
To ensure you have the best possible chance of a full recovery, we take a holistic approach to treatment, incorporating proven techniques. As much as we work hard to improve your physical and psychological wellbeing, we believe treatment should be all-encompassing and include your spiritual wellbeing as well.
Talking Therapies
There are a number of counselling and therapy approaches which may be used, depending on the specific case we’re dealing with. Also called talking therapies, they include:
- Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Focal psychodynamic therapy (FPT)
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
Talking therapies are beneficial because they can help you recognise, rationalise, challenge and, consequently, destroy any unrealistic behaviours or patterns of thoughts which are deeply rooted in your mind. In many cases, the thought patterns that eventually lead to anorexia nervosa aren’t developed suddenly. They tend to develop over years and therapy can help you see where it all went wrong.
Nutrition and Diet Management
In many cases, anorexia is a disabling and chronic disease and is often associated with resistance to treatment and denial of illness. One of the toughest hurdles to jump is engaging the client with weight normalisation and nutritional restoration.
At our facility, treatment is carefully managed by a clinical team that has a deep understanding of the unique challenges that come with treating the condition. We understand that everyone is different, so you’ll get a personalised programme to enable your body to recover from any metabolic alterations it might have endured before you enrolled for treatment.
Family Support
We could not possibly ignore your family as you undergo treatment in our facility. We recognise the crucial role they play in the recovery process and have designed a programme to get them involved in your treatment and recovery from start to finish.
Our family support programme will help you and your family make sense of your illness and recovery, while you remain with us and when you return home to them. The therapy sessions will be aimed at healing the past as much as preparing the ground for a better, healthier future.
16 – 18 Treatment
Anorexia nervosa can affect anyone, regardless of age. However, the disorder develops in adolescence in many cases. Our facility is one of the few treatment centres in the United Kingdom to offer beds for 16 to 18-year old patients who have an eating disorder.
We understand that anorexia can be difficult to understand and deal with as a parent, but you can count on us to offer holistic treatment to ensure that your teenager recovers fully. Our fully comprehensive treatment programme helps to ensure that any medical health risks are dealt with before they become full-blown problems.
Rehab Treatment Benefits
There are several benefits to be gained by opting for treatment in a rehabilitation facility. For one, it’s a controlled environment, so you won’t be able to obsessively check your weight or induce vomiting. It also provides a highly-supportive environment where you’ll be able to receive and share encouragement and experiences with others like you.
Rehab leads to significantly improved survival rates and can help you learn the skills you need to live a long healthy life. Rehab also helps therapeutic interventions to be more effective since you’ll be able to see your counsellors and therapists every day.
Anorexia Nervosa Outpatient Programme
Not everyone will find an inpatient programme, so, where it can be managed, it’s possible to get treatment for anorexia on an outpatient basis. This would mean you won’t have to reside in the treatment centre for the duration of treatment.
There are often cases where it’s absolutely necessary to stay in the facility, for a short period of time, at least. After your stay in rehab, you can continue treatment on an outpatient basis. We offer a free aftercare programme, valid for a year or 52 sessions. We also offer regular phone catch ups and family support.
Don’t Delay Treatment, Get Help Today!
A delay can be dangerous when you’re dealing with eating disorders like anorexia. Don’t put off treatment because you’re not sure whether you or a loved one have the condition. We can help you verify via a proper diagnosis.
Your best bet for recovery is to receive treatment in a rehabilitation centre where you’re guaranteed to receive holistic treatment delivered by a team of trained and experienced professionals. If you would like to learn more about our treatment programme or NHS options, please call 0203 553 9263.