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Eating Disorder Treatment in Sacramento, California

Disordered eating is dangerous – it increases anxiety and depression, creates obsessive thoughts about weight and food, and leads to shame, secrecy, and isolation. At our clinic, you can undergo eating disorder treatment in Northern California – we are a pet-friendly facility, we work with adult men and women, and we arrange same-day admissions when the patient’s condition warrants it.

Get in touch with Northern California Mental Health by visiting our Contact Us page or calling (916) 545-6541 – comprehensive and compassionate care is just one conversation away.

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What Is an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition defined by persistent thoughts and repetitive behaviors around food, body shape, and weight. Whether the person stops eating to lose weight in an unhealthy way, feels unable to eat most of the food due to being disgusted by it for random reasons, or cannot stop overeating even if it impacts their well-being, disordered eating results in malnutrition, heart problems, and other medical complications.

Eating disorders affect your mental and physical health, make you avoid meals with family and friends, strain existing relationships, prevent you from establishing new ones, and create problems at work since it is difficult to concentrate when you have not eaten enough, or you keep thinking about food all the time. Thankfully, even the most debilitating symptoms of eating disorders can be targeted with talk therapy, prescription medication, and lifestyle changes. The recovery might be complicated if you have co-occurring conditions, but we can target them too – learn more on our What We Treat page.
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Eating Disorder Symptoms

Only a mental health professional can tell you whether you have an eating disorder or not – still, be mindful of the following signs if you believe that you may suffer from this condition:

Restriction of Food Intake or Overeating
Fear of Gaining Weight
Compulsive Exercise
Distorted Body Image
Feelings of Shame and Guilt After Eating
Mood Shifts and Irritability

How to Diagnose an Eating Disorder?

When you arrive at our clinic for your initial evaluation and the Admissions Process begins, we need to confirm you have an eating disorder – here is what will happen:

What Can Cause an Eating Disorder?

Studies have shown that eating disorders develop from a combination of genetic, biological, psychological, and environmental variables. If your close family members have suffered from eating disorders, there are differences in your brain chemistry due to neurotransmitter imbalance, you are a sensitive person with low self-esteem, and you have lived through or witnessed something traumatic like assault or abuse, it is more likely that you will be diagnosed with an eating disorder at some point in your life.

Cultural and social influences should not be discounted as well – damaging beauty standards, diet culture, social media pressure, bullying over weight and appearance, and exposure to sports and activities that require you to have a certain weight, such as gymnastics or modeling, also intensify body dissatisfaction and result in disordered eating.
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What Does Eating Disorder Treatment Involve?

Eating disorder treatment in Sacramento depends on what the patient currently requires – most individuals get better thanks to traditional methods of treatment and complementary therapies:

If you want to read more about the therapeutic approaches we utilize at Northern California Mental Health, visit our Therapy Options page.

Anorexia Nervosa

This eating disorder is characterized by severe restriction of food intake – the person may be obsessed with calorie counting or stop eating just to prevent weight gain at any cost.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia manifests as recurrent binge eating episodes that are followed by attempts to avoid weight gain whether the person is vomiting, using laxatives, or exercising too much.

Binge-Eating Disorder (BED)

This condition involves eating unusually large amounts of food – the individual feels out of control, tries to hide their behaviors, and experiences shame and disgust after binging.

What to Expect at Your First Appointment

Your first appointment with our team is supposed to focus on the diagnostic process and a treatment recommendation – when you arrive at our center for the first time, you will be greeted by our staff and guided through a streamlined intake process. You will speak with a mental health specialist who will learn more about your symptom history, the impact of an eating disorder on your life, and the goals you are hoping to accomplish with our assistance. We will offer you eating disorder recovery programs in Northern California that are going to help you achieve your objectives. The initial appointment usually does not exceed sixty or ninety minutes – you will have enough time to ask questions and leave our facility knowing your path forward.

How Long Does Eating Disorder Treatment Take?

The duration of eating disorder therapy in Sacramento can be hard to predict – different conditions have a different effect on an individual’s well-being, and it is difficult to say how a patient will resonate with therapy modalities chosen for them.

Severity Level General Timeline
Mild Eating Disorder It is possible to see improvement after two to three months of regular counseling.
Moderate Eating Disorder An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a recommended course of action - dedicate three to six months to therapy and take medication if it is necessary to overcome your symptoms.
Severe Eating Disorder You may need to spend around six months in therapy and then maintain your gains with long-term maintenance care.

When to Seek Help for an Eating Disorder?

Early intervention and timely treatment can make all the difference for a person with an eating disorder – if you notice rapid weight fluctuations, you feel depressed or anxious thinking about your next meal or the things you have to do to keep yourself thinner, and you are obsessively thinking about calories and exercise, it may be time to take care of yourself and speak to a therapist. Note that if your eating disorder makes you think of harming yourself physically or you experience suicidal ideation, you should get professional help as soon as possible – our clinic is ready to provide you with 24/7 confidential assistance.

Why Choose Northern California Mental Health for Eating Disorder Treatment?

Tailored Approach

Instead of using the same practices and strategies over and over again, we will come up with a unique treatment plan that suits you and your therapy objectives.

Expert Clinical Team

You will work with mental health professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to treat a wide spectrum of mental health needs.

Holistic Support Services

We can enhance the effectiveness of evidence-validated methods of treatment with art therapy and yoga therapy.

Affordable Treatment Options

Our center accommodates its clients – we accept most major insurance plans and discuss alternative financial options if it is required.

Eating Disorder Treatment Near Me

The location of a mental health clinic is a crucial factor – a patient with an eating disorder should not have to travel far to access the treatment they need. If you live in the greater Sacramento region and want to work with eating disorder specialists in Northern California, our facility is at your service. The map below will show you how to get to Northern California Mental Health, and a Virtual Tour will let you explore our amenities ahead of your visit.

How to Start Eating Disorder Treatment in Sacramento?

Despite all the challenges an eating disorder forces you to navigate, you can heal from it and once again enjoy a healthy relationship with food, your own body, and your self-esteem. At our facility, you can benefit from comprehensive eating disorder care in Sacramento – we will handle all the logistics while you focus on your recovery.

Call Northern California Mental Health at (916) 545-6541 or refer to our Contact Us page – let us help you build a happy and healthy future without disordered eating.

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