What Is A Residential Treatment Center?

People with an eating disorder are faced with an extremely tough journey to recovery. There are times when an eating disorder can make someone so ill, it can wind up requiring the person to go into inpatient care or a residential treatment center.

Residential Treatment Center

Eating disorders require specialized treatment that’s family focused and individualized, because only through a combination of the two can someone truly heal. Residential care means a person will be required to enter a hospital-like setting in order to be monitored, receive therapy, and discover the core issue of why the eating disorder developed.
Through specialized treatment, a person will receive hands-on therapy with therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Services at a Residential Treatment Center

When a person goes into an eating disorder treatment center, there are many services offered. Generally, men and women are kept separate during eating disorder treatment and there are also facilities which specialize in treating young children and teens.

Most often treating an eating disorder begins with therapy both individual and with family. Another component of treating an eating disorder is group therapy, which is facilitated by a trained mental health specialist and attended by others in treatment.

The goal of receiving so many types of therapy is to ensure the patient has a strong support network while in and out of treatment. Family involvement and education is a very strong part of treating an eating disorder and without it, many programs fail.

In addition to various types of therapy, a patient is likely to receive counseling and nutritional education. Counseling is done in order to help a person uncover the reasons behind their eating disorder and to bring the family and patient some healing. Through providing nutritional counseling and working with a registered dietician, a patient can learn about the importance of healthy eating habits and develop a balanced dietary plan.
A residential or inpatient treatment program provides someone with an eating disorder, a safe and supportive place in which to recover. Inpatient treatment programs use a variety of proven methods to help a person deal with the emotional and psychological issues that can influence an eating disorder. Some of the factors that can influence an eating disorder include; low self-esteem, inability to cope with problems, feelings of inferiority and feeling no control over one’s life.

A residential treatment center provides an ideal setting for a person to relearn healthy habits and change their outlook on food. Through having access to supportive and caring eating disorder specialists and medical professionals, a patient can focus on breaking the unhealthy cycle of an eating disorder and start to lead a healthier life.

Prognosis After Treatment

With time and the proper treatment, a person suffering from an eating disorder can recover. However, because eating disorders are complicated and complex, it’s not at all unusual for a person to require repeat treatment before finally sustaining recovery. A residential treatment center is a place where a person can conquer their eating disorder and finally receive the strength and knowledge needed to adopt a better life.