When you begin the intake process at an alcohol rehab center in Fort Meyers, FL, a part of that process will involve evaluating your mental health. Certain conditions, such as eating issues, depression, and anxiety, can all affect your recovery. Even after you finish a treatment program, unresolved mental health issues can play a part in whether or not you’ll relapse. For some recovering addicts, their addiction was caused by a subconscious need to self-medicate for an underlying condition, so failing to treat a mental health issue can make relapse more likely.
When you have an underlying condition, it’s called a co-occurring illness because the addiction and the mental health problem occurred at the same time. In some cases, the mental health condition, such as an eating disorder, came first and prompted the substance abuse. As the individual realizes that they feel better while intoxicated, they begin to use alcohol more frequently, creating the cycle of addiction. The alcohol can also be used as a crutch to assist the eating disorder by reducing or eliminating hunger and appetite.
Why Treating Eating Disorders in a Fort Meyers Alcohol Rehab Center is Necessary
Research into the prevalence of eating disorders found that 28.8 million adults in the United States will suffer from some type of eating disorder within their lifetimes. While many of those people will successfully get treatment for their eating disorders, more than 20% will die as a result of their eating issues. This type of mental illness is very similar to alcoholism in that it’s rarely a condition that can be successfully treated without help. In most cases, an eating disorder requires the help that only a professional therapist can provide.
Even though millions of people suffer from conditions that include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, each case is unique. For that reason, treatment and therapy must be customized to each individual’s situation. This typically requires an inpatient treatment program similar to that offered in alcohol rehab facilities. As a result, treating an eating disorder alongside a rehab program is more convenient for the recovering addict.
How is an Eating Issue Treated During Alcohol Rehab?
The treatment will be customized to the recovering addict’s situation. This process begins with a healthy meal schedule that’s created by the facility’s dietitian. The dietitian will be involved in the intake process so they can make a proper assessment of the addict’s nutritional needs. The individual will be educated about proper nutrition and will be helped to understand how their eating issues have affected their overall health. In teaching the addict how and why their eating disorder developed, they can begin to learn to eat more wisely. They will also be taught to make healthy eating choices on their own, which is a skill that will benefit them long after leaving the treatment center.
Additionally, the individual will participate in private and group therapy sessions in addition to the addiction counseling they receive. The therapy sessions will help the individual confront the fears they have about food and eating, helping them understand their own psychology. Therapy will also focus on helping the individual develop a healthier relationship with food. Other issues therapy will address will include how body image and stress affects eating habits. Recovering addicts with eating disorders will also learn coping mechanisms that will help them alleviate stress without using unhealthy eating habits.
How Does Dual Diagnosis and Treatment Help?
Identifying an eating disorder upon intake and customizing a treatment that coincides with addiction treatment is beneficial to the recovering addict. Remaining clean and sober relies on your ability to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle, which includes eating healthier on a regular basis. Even those recovering addicts who don’t struggle with eating issue are helped through nutritional education because it helps them understand how stress eating and other issues affect their sobriety.
When a recovering addict finishes treatment and has received help with their eating disorder, they’re better prepared for returning to normal society. They have a better understanding of nutritional eating, which will help them enjoy life that much more. They also won’t feel the need to self-medicate, making it less likely that they will relapse. If you would like to learn more about how a rehab facility can help you deal with your eating issues, call us at 844-639-8371. Our counselors are standing by 24 hours a day to answer your questions. Once you learn about our full range of services, you’ll be better prepared to get the help you need to start living a healthier life.