Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Programs for Veterans

If you are a veteran whose relationship with food feels uncontrollable or causes undue anxiety, body image issues, or weight changes, you may have an eating disorder. To get the help you need to recover, consider enrolling in an inpatient eating disorder treatment program at Heroes’ Mile.

Active service members and military veterans are particularly at risk of developing eating disorders. Most professionals and researchers believe the reason for this involves veterans’ increased likelihood of living through traumatic experiences.

After all, eating disorders are often the result of such traumatic events. For example, combat exposure, food insecurity, military sexual trauma, and fitness requirements can all contribute to veterans’ eating disorders. To recover from conditions like these, many veterans are referred to inpatient eating disorder treatment programs.

Types of Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is a mental health condition that disrupts someone’s relationship with food. For instance, it can warp their thoughts, change their behaviors, and cause their body image to spiral. Without proper care, eating disorders can leave permanent physical and mental damage.

Inpatient eating disorder treatment has proven to be effective for several different types of eating disorders. Each presents its own unique challenges, but with the flexibility of a thorough treatment program, they can all be successfully treated.

Some of the most common types of eating disorders include:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating disorder
• Purging disorder
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

If you have any of the above conditions, you could likely benefit from inpatient eating disorder treatment at Heroes’ Mile. Below, we will discuss what you can expect from our treatment programs.

Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Program

Why should someone choose an inpatient eating disorder treatment program? Also known as residential rehab programs, inpatient treatment provides the highest possible level of care for individuals battling eating disorders.

For the duration of treatment, patients move into an on-site suite designed with the comforts of home in mind. Rather than use stuffy, highly clinical facilities, Heroes’ Mile finds it important to offer patients a space in which they can relax.

By staying in a peaceful, supportive environment, individuals can focus all of their energy on recovery. Inpatient eating disorder treatment also accomplishes this through removing external stressors. During day-to-day life at our treatment center, we want patients to feel at ease and focused solely on improving their mental health.

Treatment Options for Eating Disorders

During an inpatient eating disorder treatment program, patients participate in a wide variety of evidence-based treatment options. A multifaceted approach ensures that they receive a full continuum of care that works to resolve all of their issues.

Heroes’ Mile takes flexibility a step further. A treatment team of professionals helps determine the unique needs of every individual. Together, they develop a treatment plan tailored to each patient based on factors like their type of eating disorder and the severity of their symptoms.

This means that not everyone will always participate in the same activities. Two patients may have different schedules depending on their individual strengths and problem areas.

To illustrate this, some of the treatment modalities explored in the inpatient eating disorder treatment program at Heroes’ Mile include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Group therapy
• Art therapy
• Nutrition education
• Physical fitness

Typically, psychotherapy (or talk therapy) is a very popular method used in the treatment of eating disorders. Heroes’ Mile utilizes numerous types of talk therapy in our inpatient eating disorder treatment program.

Different psychotherapeutic activities help patients normalize their eating patterns, identify trigger foods, improve their relationships with others, and more. They tend to focus on teaching healthy habits, ranging from those directly involved in eating to general life skills.

When patients combine all the coping skills they learn during residential eating disorder treatment, they develop a much better understanding of how to move forward from their condition. Heroes’ Mile prioritizes safe, successful recoveries and provides several therapeutic options for our patients to achieve exactly that.

Other Eating Disorder Treatment Programs

Inpatient treatment is not always the best choice for everyone. For example, some people with eating disorders don’t require such intensive levels of care. Others have certain life responsibilities that they cannot put on hold to enroll in a residential treatment program.

Fortunately, several alternatives to inpatient eating disorder treatment programs exist. For instance, two types of programs that offer less intense levels of care include partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

In many ways, a partial hospitalization program (PHP) serves as the bridge between outpatient and inpatient eating disorder treatment. It is a more intensive option than outpatient treatment, but it also does not require the same level of time commitment as an inpatient program.

Instead, PHP patients visit eating disorder treatment centers for several hours each week. Some partial hospitalization programs are likened to full-time jobs, in that they offer daily structure while still allowing patients to return home at night.

PHPs work well for individuals with strong support systems at home. It is highly rewarding to work hard during the day to learn new coping skills and then go home to celebrate your progress with those closest to you.

Intensive Outpatient Programs

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) primarily serves those who are relatively stable but could still benefit from participating in some therapeutic activities. Compared to inpatient eating disorder treatment programs, IOPs are considerably less intensive. Patients may only participate in therapy sessions a few times a week.

For veterans in particular, IOPs provide an additional benefit. This is because transitioning back to civilian life after spending time in the military can be challenging. And IOPs ease the process of returning to everyday life by offering structure and links to external resources.

Much like PHPs, IOPs work best for those whose home lives are stable and encouraging. Since IOP patients are able to spend a lot of time at home if they wish, it is important for that environment to promote the recovery practices learned during treatment.

Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment for Veterans

Heroes’ Mile is a veterans’ rehab center designed to support the mental health of service members and their families. Whether someone needs inpatient eating disorder treatment, addiction recovery services, or PTSD treatment, we can help.

Our veteran exclusivity allows our patients to surround themselves with fellow veterans who empathize with what they went through. If you developed an eating disorder as a result of military-related trauma, you can find fellowship and understanding at Heroes’ Mile.

To learn more about our inpatient eating disorder treatment programs, call us at 888-838-6692 or submit a confidential contact form today. You don’t have to fight your eating disorder alone. Your battle is real, and we possess the tools to help. At Heroes’ Mile, you can repair your relationship with food and return to normal day-to-day life.

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Original Author: Heroes’ Mile