Eating Disorder Intervention
What is an Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder exists when an individual avoids eating or eats in such a way as to negatively affect their emotional, mental, and physical health. They can range from being where mental anguish is concerned to ones that become life-threatening. Current statistics show that roughly 5% to 7% of all females will suffer with an eating disorder at some point during their lifetime. Additionally, 10% of the males have eating disorders that are brought to the attention of mental health professionals. If this is the case you may need an eating disorder intervention.
Another angle of eating disorders, according to Michele Siegel in her book “Surviving an Eating Disorder”, is that there are certain aspects of an individual’s life that are determined by what that person eats or doesn’t eat, or by a number on their weight scale. These aspects include:
- day-to-day activities
- emotional well being
- relationships
- school
- work
How to Recognize an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders can be deadly if they continue unchecked and untreated. If you’re concerned that a close friend, family member, or loved one has an eating disorder, or you may be worried about yourself, here are 7 key things to watch for:
- an avoidance of meals
- binging and/or purging
- extreme exercising
- food hiding or manipulating food on the plate
- weight loss
It is also recommended that whenever possible, you should try to find what websites have been recently viewed on the computer. The harsh reality is that some of these encourage behavior that equates to the promoting of eating disorders.
How can an Eating Disorder Intervention Help?
Sometimes, the prevention of, as well as the recovery from an eating disorder may hinge on conducting an eating disorder intervention early on. Recent studies have proven that this disorders may begin as early as the adolescent years, maybe even earlier. If these behavioral disorders are treated soon after there onset, there is a much better prognosis for that individual recovering. This is the primary way in which an eating disorder intervention can help.
The fact that eating disorders can have seriously damaging effects on the individual if it goes untreated is what has necessitated the creation and development of eating disorder intervention programs. Interventions can be conducted either directly or indirectly. Direct intervention typically entails a gathering (or meeting) with the individual, their family members, their friends, and a licensed interventionist.
On the other hand, indirect interventions usually involves the individual working with a family going through co-dependency treatment in order to encourage the co-dependent family to help the individual. However, indirect interventions normally occur where substance abuse and addiction are concerned. The bottom line is that an early eating disorder intervention may save the individual’s life in the long run.