The range of services offered by Blue Skies is not limited only to drugs and alcohol. We also provide recovery services for multiple eating disorders as well. Eating disorders can affect anyone regardless of sex, age, or economic status. For example, anorexia is one of the more common eating disorders we deal with. It affects approximately one out of every 250 teenage and adult females.

The most important thing we want you to understand about eating disorders is that they are very difficult to conquer without professional help. The kind of help we offer enables clients to truly understand the root causes of a disorder so that effective strategies can be implemented to overcome it. At Blue Skies, our eating disorder patients are not treated as freaks or abnormalities; they are regular people who just need some help overcoming a challenging problem.

We help patients work through a variety of eating disorders at our Surrey location. Some of the more common disorders we treat include the following:

• Anorexia Anorexia is characterised by an unnatural obsession with one’s weight. Anorexia patients go to great lengths to keep their weight as low as possible, including denying themselves even the smallest amounts of food. Even a dangerously underweight individual with anorexia can perceive herself as being overweight.
• Bulimia This disorder is characterised by a combination of binge eating and purging. The patient will overeat and then purge by either taking laxatives or purposely inducing vomiting. The back-and-forth cycle is very dangerous to one’s physical and mental health.
• Binge Eating Disorder Also known as BED, this disorder is easily recognised by frequent episodes of binge eating. It is similar to bulimia in that sense, but someone suffering from BED does not attempt to purge after binge eating.
• Compulsive Overeating Some people compulsively eat too much. Compulsive overeating is not as easy to recognise as the other three disorders listed here, yet it can be just as bad for one’s health. It can lead to morbid obesity as well as a host of other health problems.

It is important to understand that many eating disorders began during the pre-teen and teen years. However, an individual can develop an eating disorder at any age. Most eating disorders are the result of underlying mental or emotional issues that cause the patient to have an unrealistic view of him or herself in relation to the world in general. Finding the underlying cause of those mental or emotional issues is the key to successful treatment.

How an eating disorder is treated varies from one patient to the next. Treatment plans are developed based on an individual’s overall health and a doctor’s assessment of what appears to be at the root of the disorder. For example, there may be cases where an underlying mental issue is the primary driving force behind the eating disorder. Such a case would require that underlying issue to be addressed simultaneously with the disorder.

Therapists and counsellors have a long list of treatment tools at their disposal. Some of the more successful treatments include individual counselling, family counselling, and medication-based therapies. At Blue Skies, we customise treatment for eating disorders to each patient. We believe this is the best way to give our clients the best chances of successful and permanent recovery.

If you or a loved one suffers from any eating disorder, please do not ignore it. Eating disorders can lead to serious physical and emotional problems that can eventually become debilitating or even deadly. Please be encouraged that help is available. Eating disorders are very treatable with the right combination of therapy and support. You can overcome; you can transition into a healthy and happier life free of your disorder.