Contact Information: Contact: Shannon Fern Office: 303-433-7020 Cell: 303-667-3553
According to Eating Recovery Center, Delaying Eating Disorder Treatment Can Be a Fatal Decision
Premier Treatment Center for Eating Recovery Offers Five Reasons Not to Put Off Treatment
| Source: Eating Recovery Center
DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - May 1, 2009) - Financial woes, family denial and fear are all
factors that people with eating disorders and their loved ones may cite
when avoiding treatment for their illness. According to the Eating
Recovery Center (www.eatingrecoveryinfo.com), the premier treatment center
for eating recovery, recent anecdotal evidence has shown that people with
eating disorders are waiting longer to enter treatment, and are entering
significantly sicker.
"Waiting to seek treatment for an eating disorder can be a fatal decision,"
said Dr. Kenneth L. Weiner, founder and medical director of the Eating
Recovery Center. "As an eating disorder progresses, the likelihood that it
will lead to serious medical problems grows exponentially. It's important
that anyone with an eating disorder seek help as soon as symptoms arise."
Eating disorder treatment
is not the only medical area that has fallen victim to the recent economic
decline; a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly
half of Americans say someone in their family has skipped pills or
postponed medical care because of the cost. According to Weiner, an
individual's fear of gaining weight or reluctance to come to terms with the
underlying roots of the disease may also play a part in a decision to ward
off treatment. Weiner has also witnessed many instances where families
delay treatment because they deny the gravity of their loved one's disease
or they feel frustration with their long recovery timeframe.
According to Weiner, eating disorders are serious and complex illnesses
that require the attention of trained professionals. Although those with
the disease may have the desire, it is almost impossible for "self
treatment" to be effective; in fact, trying to go it alone will likely
result in repeated failures. The Eating Recovery Center offers these top
five reasons why anyone touched by an eating disorder should not put off
treatment.
1. Eating disorders are the deadliest mental illness with mortality rates
12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all causes of death among
females ages 15-24 in the general population. Death is most commonly due
to heart failure, suicide or other complications associated with the eating
disorder.
2. Eating disorders can lead to significant health issues. When left
unchecked, anorexia nervosa will starve the body of essential nutrients and
can cause liver or kidney failure, heart problems and osteoporosis. Bulimia
nervosa can do significant damage to the mouth, stomach and esophagus and
can lead to tooth decay, peptic ulcers or gastric and esophageal ruptures.
3. Starvation can affect the brain's ability to recover from the disease.
Poor nutrition negatively impacts brain chemistry and functionality,
leaving anyone at a very low weight less responsive to cognitive therapy or
many pharmaceuticals. This can extend the life of a mental illness.
4. Eating recovery is a
long-term process, not a quick fix. A prior visit to treatment is not a
reason to avoid going again. Anorexia and bulimia are complicated,
multi-faceted diseases that have a high rate of relapse, at 30 to 50
percent. Individuals with eating disorders may require ongoing treatment
to truly experience a long-term recovery.
5. Eating recovery is an individualized process. Finding the best
treatment option uniquely suited to each individual person may be a
time-intensive process. The sooner this process begins, the better the
outcome will be for the individual with the eating disorder.
"I was given a death sentence when my eating disorder caused an infection
that doctors couldn't initially identify," said Toni Saiber, anorexia
survivor and founder of the Eating Disorder Foundation. "I was lucky.
Thousands of people every year are not. It's vital that people dealing
with these terrible diseases seek the appropriate treatment for their
situation as soon as they can."
Early detection and intervention has been proven to increase the chance of
full recovery. It is essential for the person with the illness to get a
professional assessment first, from a practitioner trained in eating
recovery. For more information, please call 877.825.8584 or visit
http://www.eatingrecoveryinfo.com.
Editor: Renowned eating disorders experts and founding partners of the
Eating Recovery Center Drs. Ken Weiner and Emmett Bishop, current and
former patients, and families of individuals who have waited too long for
treatment are available for interviews. Contact Shannon Fern at
303.433.7020 or sfern@csg-pr.com to arrange an interview.
About the Eating Recovery Center
Located in the heart of Denver's medical district, the Eating Recovery
Center is the only facility in the Rocky Mountain region that offers adults
a full spectrum of eating recovery treatment options. From inpatient,
residential, partial hospitalization and outpatient programs to meet each
patient's unique needs, the Eating Recovery Center combines highly-trained
medical staff with a unique integrated treatment philosophy to make each
patient's successful recovery a life-restoring event. For more
information, visit http://www.eatingrecoveryinfo.com/.