“Retrain your brain” with eating disorder treatment in California
Enlight Treatment Center is an eating disorder residential treatment facility in California. There are various treatments offered for clients who are suffering from eating disorders and associated anxiety disorders, some of which include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as well as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). CBT is the leading evidence-based treatment to help cure eating disorders. CBT is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people identify and change negative thought patterns from continuing to form. Other types of therapy, such as group therapy and family therapy, can also be beneficial when treating eating disorders.
This approach helps clients to identify and change negative thinking patterns from continuing to form by providing each client with a full understanding of the interaction between his or her thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to push for positive behavioral changes. DBT is a form of CBT that focuses on the acceptance of a specific experience and teaches clients skills to cope with and change unhealthy behaviors. DBT focuses on changing behaviors and specifically developing skills to replace unhealthy behaviors of an eating disorder.
In addition to the behavioral therapy offered, we also focus on helping our clients build mindfulness, establish communication skills, develop interpersonal relationships, regulate emotions, and tolerate distress. We use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on changing actions rather than thoughts and feelings. We want to help clients identify their core values and commit to creating goals that fulfill these values. We also help clients accept pain and anxiety as a normal part of life, which lessens the need to exert control.
Lastly, we use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for related trauma, if appropriate. This is a form of psychotherapy that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. When an eating disorder is tied to trauma, this is when EMDR will be helpful.
Eating disorders look different for every individual. Because of this, there is a variety of eating disorder treatment programs available, including intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and more. If you have questions about what type of treatment is right for you, connect with our eating disorder treatment professionals at any time.
Eating disorders are serious medical illnesses related to persistent negative eating behaviors that harm a person’s physical and mental health. People who suffer from eating disorders typically become preoccupied with food intake as it relates to their weight and/or body shape. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice, however, they are biologically influenced medical illnesses that can be treated and cured.
Eating disorders can affect people of any age, race, body weight, and gender, and although it is known that eating disorders often appear during a person’s teens/young adulthood, they also may develop during childhood or during adulthood – essentially appearing at any time. Most commonly affected are women between the ages of 12 and 35, and according to the National Library of Medicine, up to 13% of youth may experience at least one eating disorder by the time they are 20 years old.
Although overwhelmingly common, it has not yet been determined what exactly causes an eating disorder; however, some studies have been done to try and establish factors that may play a role in disordered eating. One of the theoretical causes is genetics and biology. It is said that brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine may play a role in causing eating disorders to form.
Another cause is thought to be related to a person’s personality traits, and those who are perfectionists, have low self-esteem, or are prone to impulsive behaviors may be more likely to develop an eating disorder. Other potential causes of an eating disorder include societal pressures and cultural preferences to be thin that may have been prompted by the media as well as society’s overall perception of beauty.
The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa, commonly called anorexia, is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder where people generally view themselves as overweight even if they are dangerously underweight. People suffering from anorexia tend to closely monitor their weight and severely count and limit their calories and food intake. Common symptoms of anorexia include restricted eating patterns, an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image including denial about being underweight, and a relentless, obsessive pursuit of being thin.
Bulimia nervosa, commonly known as bulimia, includes binging and purging. People suffering from bulimia tend to eat unusually large portions of food in a short period until feeling painfully full, then purging the food through methods such as forced vomiting, fasting, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise. The symptoms of bulimia are very similar to that of anorexia, however, individuals who suffer from bulimia usually maintain a normal weight or are slightly overweight instead of becoming intensely thin. Symptoms of bulimia include uncontrollable episodes of binge eating and purging, low self-esteem, and fear of gaining weight.
Binge eating disorder is when people consume large amounts of food and do not restrict calories but then do not participate in purging behaviors to compensate for their binges. Common symptoms include having no control during episodes of binge eating, feelings of shame or guilt when thinking back to the binge eating episodes, and rapidly eating large amounts of food in secret.
Eating disorders can be life-threatening and must be taken very seriously. Anorexia can be fatal – in fact, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental disorder out there. People suffering from this mental health disorder may die from medical conditions and complications surrounding starvation. For this reason, along with the many severe health detriments that develop from disordered eating, it is important to seek help for your eating disorder. Although life-threatening, eating disorders are treatable and in a lot of cases, the damage done to your body can be reversed. Our eating disorder treatment center in California offers the help you need to get better today.
Eating disorders illustrate a very close connection between physical and emotional health. To treat a person suffering from anorexia, it is not only important to help restore the individual to a normal weight, but also to address the underlying emotional problems that may have caused or contributed to the severity of the eating disorder. To mentally overcome an eating disorder, it is important to implement psychotherapy to help the individual understand how some underlying thoughts, emotions, and behaviors have contributed to their illness and how they could improve their emotional well-being as it pertains to their physical well-being. Therefore, it is important to treat both the physical and the mental side of an eating disorder to overcome it.
Our eating disorder treatment facility in California emphasizes mindfulness, communication, and the importance of building self-esteem. Clients can expect to receive individualized treatment plans based on the initial evaluation to determine the nature of the eating disorder, the severity of the disorder, and the best methodology to treat that specific person. We believe that truly effective treatment and care will take on a holistic presence in the lives of our clients, and we incorporate a wide range of therapeutic and meditative approaches to curing eating disorders. Eating disorder treatment centers offer both therapeutic and holistic methods to treat, manage and cure an eating disorder.
Enlight is a judgment-free zone! Our treatment center is filled with professionals who have been through the same process that you are currently experiencing. By knowing that you are not alone, you will have the courage to make it through and can expect compassionate, quality care without fear or shame.
Our addiction treatment program in Ventura County is also tailored to meet your individual needs, and we provide access to co-occurring disorder treatment to address medical concerns as they arise. Our team has access to the latest tools and treatment options from leading professionals in addiction medicine and care.
What makes Enlight stand out compared to other treatment centers in California? Our commitment to mental wellness! We provide a wide range of mental health services that start during the detox process. We believe mental health care should be incorporated throughout your entire time at our facility, not only when inpatient treatment begins. Patients can expect mental health support the moment they walk in the doors.
Start your recovery at Enlight Treatment Center, a top-rated network of treatment centers in the United States that specialized in evidence-based addiction treatment and mental health care. Rest assured that your communication with us is always private and confidential.
Our admissions team is available 24/7 for those in need of treatment. Even if we are not a match for you or your loved one, we are here to help. It is a cornerstone practice of Enlight Treatment Center to serve as a bridge between the community and treatment.