Anorexia Treatment and Therapy in Summit, NJ

Anorexia

What if you can find a balance between your need for control and food? It is possible and sometimes when this mixture intensifies and takes charge, we all need extra support.  We know how difficult to find someone who can help is. The right path doesn’t feel right and sometimes we just don’t know if we can even tell a loved one or a friend.

You are not alone. When patterns of restrictive, even over exertion takes place it feels as though you can’t slow down.

WE CAN HELP.

You see, anorexia can be numbing. It creates a hollow detachment from everything. A void. People who struggle this way are not crazy. It’s a sophisticated way of coping in a world that feels out of control – a safety mechanism and one that is biologically based. This isn’t your fault and if we could snap our fingers and fix it all immediately we would.  What would it be like if this void was filled with less control and more possibility?

How do you even recognize the symptoms?

Many believe that Anorexia is simply a person that restricts their food and looks too thin. We know this isn’t always the case. There are reasons it is triggered biologically in the brain. You can be going through a difficult relationship, struggling with depression, overextended with stress, bullied. Loss can even trigger a need to take control of our feelings. But do you actually have anorexia?  That’s why working with certified eating disorder specialists is important because it can get confusing. Sometimes dissatisfaction in day to day life can cause depression and lack of eating. The signs vary and we do believe that the struggle can be lifted and recovery is possible.

Control is one of the main identifiers.

You many find you are oddly fixated on something needing to be perfect, possibly body and weight.  These thoughts don’t stop and seem to run your life, challenging everything you do. Whatever you do is not good enough. If you’re not perfect than “feeling”  happens. You may be controlling food by avoiding social events. You refuse meals because you don’t feel good enough. If you find yourself entrenched or fighting with this, it may be time to get help.

You may not communicate well.  You have difficulty asserting yourself. This creates confusion and misunderstanding. Just think, if you can’t access your emotions how do you know what to talk about?

You are great at hiding. It’s how anorexia started in the first place and keeps you safe. If you are a person who wants to get better, you may have to come out and face the truth.

Ask yourself, “What is my relationship with food?” Anorexia treatment takes this question and puts it on it head! This is just the tip of the iceberg. A simple question, it presents more complex when therapeutically discussed.  It’s one that can not be answered alone.  It takes a specialist to understand that association of food restriction, exercise, isolation, perfectionism, emotional avoidance, relationships, school, work and the management of the anorexia as the keystone to holding it all together.

Anorexia is very complex.

We know how to help.

When the issue becomes scary and you don’t know what to do breaking the cycle is key. You know better than anyone else, this is a horrible experience. You may not even want to give it up.  There’s so much holding you back and yet it’s the only thing that is keeping you strong.

But do you only focus on the anorexia treatment?  

We are trained and adept in anxiety, family issues, depression, codependency, school problems, bipolar disorder, self harm, and other mood and behavioral problems that are often co-occuring.

But why a specialist?

Treating eating disorders has its own language and its own boundaries.   One word about food can trigger a negative moment and we know how to handle this.  The are medical standards that are in place and must be known in order to treat restriction.  You want a specialist when one of the most severe and intense mental health disorders hits you.  This requires dedication, knowledge, and constant work with ethical standards set out by the Academy for Eating Disorders to make sure you get the care required for recovery. A specialist has to know how everything connects and how to handle everything. That’s the benefit. Therapists who specialize in anxiety, depression, even CBT don’t know how to truly address the intensity of eating disorders.

Can you offer skills and insight?

Yes. We will help you to develop more awareness as to why this disorder began in the first place. You can create the sense of strength and renewal you deserve. Working with our expertise and know-how will change your life.

For the perfectionist, obsessive controlled (OCD) behavior is difficult to challenge. We know how to create a wedge between your impulse and urges. We are trained in CBT and integrated psychodynamic approaches that will utilize new skills to help build awareness. You then will have the power to challenge not only your thoughts but your actions.

Anorexia often can present as a surprise to family and even you! You may have a perfect life. Work hard to achieve your goals, always be happy and never cause a problem. Sometimes this can cause rigid obsessions. You may pride yourself on being a perfectionist, often not causing any commotion. If you are a parent you may find yourself saying, “..but we’ve never had a problem with our child. This doesn’t add up..”

Further signs and symptoms of anorexia include:

• extreme weight loss
• thin appearance
• abnormal blood counts
• elevated liver enzymes
• fatigue
• dizziness or fainting
• seizure
• brittle nails
• hair that thins, breaks or falls out
• absence of menstruation (amenorrhea)
• development of fine hair on the extremities (lanugo)
• constipation
• dry skin
• intolerance of cold
• irregular heart rhythms
• low blood pressure
• dehydration
• osteoporosis, the loss of bone calcium, which may result in broken bones

There are ways to prevent it from getting worse and stop it before control takes over.