Eating Disorder Treatment

Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. They involve unhealthy relationships with food, body image, and exercise. Our team offers compassionate and comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, helping individuals achieve lasting recovery overcome various aspects of the eating disorder and rediscover a healthy relationship with themselves and food.

Understanding Eating Disorders

Eating disorders go beyond simple dietary choices or lifestyle preferences. They are serious mental health conditions that can have devastating physical, emotional, and social consequences.

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Several types of eating disorders exist, each with its unique set of symptoms and challenges. Some common ones include:

  • Anorexia Nervosa: Characterized by severe restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain, weight loss, and distorted body image.
  • Bulimia Nervosa: Involves cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours like purging, use of laxatives or excessive exercise.
  • Binge Eating Disorder: Frequent episodes of uncontrolled overeating, often accompanied by feelings of guilt, disgust and shame.
  • Other Specified Feeding or eating disorder (OSFED): Encompasses a range of eating disorders that don’t fit neatly into the other categories a specific category, such as atypical anorexia and bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder of low frequency and/ or limited duration.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Eating Disorders

  • Dramatic weight loss or gain: Significant and rapid changes in weight, either up or down, can indicate an unhealthy relationship with food.
  • Preoccupation with food, calories, or body image: Constantly thinking about food, counting calories, excessive concern over nutritional value of foods, or obsessing over one’s appearance can signal disordered eating patterns.
  • Restrictive eating patterns or skipping meals: Avoiding certain food groups, severely limiting portion sizes, or skipping meals altogether can be a red flag.
  • Binge eating episodes: Consuming unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time, often accompanied by a sense of loss of control.
  • Purging behaviours (self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, excessive exercise): Engaging in unhealthy compensatory behaviours to get rid of calories or control weight.
  • Social withdrawal and isolation: Withdrawing from social activities or avoiding situations involving food.
  • Physical symptoms: Irregular or loss of menses in females, hair loss, low energy and fatigue, feeling cold all the time, dizziness, low heart rate, and low or postural drop in blood pressure.
  • Mood swings or irritability: Experiencing frequent changes in mood, including irritability, anxiety, or depression.
  • Distorted body image: Having a negative or inaccurate perception of one’s body size or shape.
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Setting Up a Treatment Plan

Eating disorder treatment is personalized to address everyone’s unique needs and often involves collaboration among therapists, psychiatrists, and dieticians. Let’s explore what outpatient treatment typically entails:

  • Initial Assessment: A comprehensive evaluation of your history, symptoms, and current challenges to understand the specific nature of your eating disorder.
  • Personalized Treatment Plan: Development of a tailored plan that may include individual therapy, group therapy, nutritional counselling, and medication management.
  • Therapy: Various therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA) or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), can help you address underlying emotional issues, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and challenge distorted thoughts and behaviours related to food and body image.
  • Nutritional Counselling: Guidance on establishing a balanced and sustainable eating plan to support physical and mental health.
  • Ongoing Support: Regular check-ins and adjustments to the treatment plan as needed to ensure progress and long-term recovery.

Frequently
Asked
Questions

While genetics can play a role in increasing susceptibility to eating disorders, they are not solely determined by genes. Environmental factors, psychological factors, and sociocultural pressures also contribute significantly to their development.

Diagnosis involves a thorough assessment by a mental health professional, considering your medical history, eating patterns, thoughts, and feelings related to food and body image.

Treatment options include outpatient therapy, inpatient programs (for severe cases), medication management, and nutritional counselling.

Recovery time varies depending on the individual and the severity of the disorder. With commitment and professional support, many individuals develop a healthier relationship with food and exercise, better physical health and improved mental well-being.

While self-help strategies can be helpful, seeking professional treatment is crucial for addressing the underlying psychological and physical aspects of eating disorders and achieving long-term recovery.

Express your concern in a compassionate and non-judgmental way, encourage them to seek professional help, and offer your support throughout their journey.

We are here to support you

Henny Tan
Henny Tan
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Pearlene Lim
Pearlene Lim
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Teo Kiok Seng
Teo Kiok Seng
Therapist & Nutritionist

Open the door to healing. Fill out our form and let's talk.

Eating disorders can feel isolating and overwhelming, but recovery is possible. Our compassionate team is here to provide the support and guidance you need to reclaim your health, happiness, and self-worth.

Take the first step towards a brighter future – contact us today.















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