Eating disorders can be masked as "successful dieting"

Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in psychopharmacology and addictions. He founded Fairwinds Treatment Center more than 25 years ago to help patients heal from addictive behaviors using his pioneering dual diagnosis treatment method. Dr. Pauline Powers leads the eating disorders program at Fairwinds and is also a nationally renowned physician who has taught and conducted research for years.

The dual diagnosis method, which all the professionals at Fairwinds employ, treats both the physical symptoms of eating disorders and the underlying psychological and emotional reasons motivating the disorder. Too many eating disorder treatment centers focus only on getting the patients back to healthy weights. This, however, is only half the battle. For really effective long-term recovery, patients must work through therapeutic counseling for both mental and physical health.

What makes some eating disorders difficult to diagnose is that many people define a disorder only by its symptoms. However, individuals don't have to appear emaciated to be suffering from a harmful, sometimes crippling disease. Many people are successful at masking their eating disorders by claiming that their diets have simply been successful, even though they are actually suffering from anorexia or bulimia. It's important that parents, especially, take notice if their children display extreme food awareness or sudden dietary restrictions.

If you or a family member or loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, contact Fairwinds, one of the top eating disorder treatment centers in the entire nation. It's crucial for patients to receive the proper psychological care, so that they can return to a healthy and happy lifestyle that includes both physical and emotional health.