Five facts about innovative eating disorder treatment with Alsana

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Getting connected with a compassionate expert to treat eating disorders is the first step to successfully achieving a better life and healthier mindset. Understanding treatment options and finding one that heals the whole person makes all the difference in someone’s recovery journey.

Alsana St. Louis, an eating disorder recovery program with three local communities and others nationwide, can help people understand there’s more to the disorder that affects more than 28 million Americans in their lifetimes.

Rebekah A. Freese, MSW, LCSW, Ph.D., who recently joined Alsana as its senior regional executive director in St. Louis, offers more than two decades of professional mental and behavioral healthcare experience. Freese shares five facts about eating disorder treatment that some people might not know.

Fact No. 1: Eating disorders are not a disease impacting just one demographic.

Estimates show that 25–40 percent of people with eating disorders are male. Further statistics also show that eating disorders are more prevalent in the LGBTQ+ community than in the general population, which is evident in 38 percent of Alsana clients identifying as LGBTQ+. Unfortunately, people of color with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or receive treatment.

Fact No. 2: Almost all eating disorders occur with another mental health issue.

Someone who suffers from an eating disorder might experience other mental or physical challenges, such as anxiety and depression. These symptoms can occur around the same time or develop after the eating disorder has begun. Sadly, anxiety and depression increased by 25 percent within the first year of COVID-19. Adults who experience low self-esteem, high perfectionism, or dysfunctional mood regulation might see more severe eating disorder symptoms.

Fact No. 3: Treatment options have evolved, with individualized care.

People who suffered from an eating disorder before the 1980s were typically ignored or blamed for their behaviors. Changes since then have been revolutionary, and today, treatment at Alsana focuses on compassion-focused therapy. The Adaptive Care Model is a unique evidence-program that meets each person where they are in recovery and provides healing through therapeutic, nutritional, movement, relational, and medical care.

Fact No. 4: Virtual therapy is an effective form of treatment.

A 2021 care survey shows virtual services are just as engaging and comprehensive as in-person treatment. Alsana now offers virtual programs if someone can’t attend in-person treatment, enabling greater flexibility and accommodations. Individuals receive quality, holistic eating disorder treatment from the comfort and safety of their own home.

Fact No. 5: Successful treatment addresses more than the eating disorder.

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is an innovative, evidence-based therapeutic approach that promotes emotional and mental healing by helping people replace self-criticism and internal shame with self-compassion and acceptance. CFT also helps with better mood management and relational skills that treat eating disorders and any additional mental health challenges that may coexist.

The Academy of Eating Disorders estimates that 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States have an eating disorder, and this number is expected to increase 5 percent by 2030. No matter someone’s gender, sexual orientation, or current mental health status, Alsana’s in-person and virtual compassion-focused therapy programs provide access to individualized care for those suffering from an eating disorder to help reach an inspiring healing experience focused on total health and a better quality of life.

This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of Alsana. To learn more about the Adaptive Care Model and compassion-focused therapy, visit alsana.com.