What Does an Eating Disorder Assessment Look Like?
The iconic 20th-century poet Ralph Waldo Emmerson once said, "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." In life, individualism is crucial. It lets us know who we are and guides our path. It's what makes us unique. Because this individualism is so important, it should also apply to the parts of our life when we need help. No individual is the same; thus, no treatment should be either. The same goes for engaging in an eating disorder assessment.
Every individual struggling with an eating disorder has unique issues and complications that they are dealing with. While many symptoms and consequences of eating disorders often overlap for people, they are never identical. For this reason, finding a recovery center that focuses on the individual over the disorder is crucial.
A proper, professional, and positive eating disorder assessment should start by getting to know an individual's story. Next, there should be an initial intake appointment to assess an individual's eating struggles. Then it should conclude with a "coordination of care" process in which a customized plan is made and implemented. For struggling individuals, a good eating disorder assessment can be the beginning of the end of that struggle.
The Warning Signs and Symptoms of a Potential Eating Disorder
Before an eating disorder assessment can occur, one must first determine the need. Now, this in no way means that an individual should diagnose themself or be diagnosed by anyone other than a medical professional or eating disorder specialist. It does mean that spotting the signs of an eating disorder is crucial for taking the next step.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers an expansive definition of an eating disorder. The NIMH defines eating disorders as "serious and often fatal illnesses associated with severe disturbances in people's eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions." They also point out that "Preoccupation with food, body weight, and shape may also signal an eating disorder."
The NIMH also offers some warning signs and symptoms to watch out for if an eating disorder is suspected. These include, but are not limited to:
A noticeable change in eating, specifically extremely restrictive eating
Extreme weight loss without any medical or biological reasons
Expressing a distorted body image and low self-esteem and self-confidence due to their perception of their physical appearance
A constant feeling of fatigue or weakness
Having brittle and dry hair, nails, and skin
Experiencing gastrointestinal problems that other medical reasons, including extreme constipation, cramping, and abdominal pain, cannot explain
A feeling of being cold all of the time
Over-exercising to compensate for calorie consumption
Using substances to maintain low body weight, such as laxatives and weight loss pills
If any of these symptoms are present or begin to appear, it is recommended that professional help is sought immediately. An untreated eating disorder can lead to brain damage, damage to the heart, organ failure, and even death. This is the dangerous reality of eating disorders, but there is help available.
Getting the Right Eating Disorder Assessment
The first step in getting help for an eating disorder is reaching out for help. This does not mean that the first recovery, medical, or treatment center that is contacted is the right one. However, it does mean that the vital step of starting the recovery process has begun.
Three qualities are critical when seeking a recovery center for an eating disorder assessment. First, how do they respond after being contacted? Are they prompt and knowledgeable? Second, what is their intake process like? Do they share the same values? Are they comprehensive? Third, what is their plan for long-term recovery? Do they offer a sustainable plan of recovery? Do they offer a plan that focuses on the "continuum of care" model? These are all crucial factors in choosing the right recovery center.
A Customized Plan for Long-Term Eating Recovery
When someone reaches out for help, they deserve to be treated as an individual on the other end. A positive start to an eating disorder assessment will begin with someone getting to know more about an individual's story and details about their struggles so they can set up a quality and comprehensive intake appointment.
An eating disorder intake appointment should be personalized and customized toward the individual. It should also be performed by a medical or nutritional professional who can best assess what type of eating disorder the individual may be struggling with and what the next steps should be.
The last assessment step should also be the first step in implementing a long-term recovery plan. Loaded with all of the knowledge of the previous two assessment portions, a quality recovery center will set up a transitional" ("continuum of care") plan that will slowly and safely transition the individual away from their active eating disorder and back into their lives healthily and positively.
Emerson also famously said, "Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." Once an individual decides to get help for their eating disorder, the right recovery center will "conspire to make that happen."
Getting the right care for an eating disorder begins with getting a precise and comprehensive eating disorder assessment. This assessment should always be managed and conducted by qualified and accredited recovery professionals. A proper eating disorder assessment can ensure a customized recovery plan is created for each individual because a personalized recovery plan is the most assured way to receive the exact care that one may need. No one is the same, and they shouldn't be treated the same. If you feel like you, or someone you love, may be struggling with an eating disorder, you are not alone. We can help. For more information on eating disorder assessments and long-term eating recovery, call be Collaborative Care at (401) 262-0842.
