Eating disorder clinics, at least according to their websites, all provide the same things: Caring philosophies, qualified staff, and (often) beautiful settings. How do you decide whether an eating disorder clinic is right for you?
Ask questions. Here are some starters:
Is the Eating Disorder Clinic Inpatient, Residential, or Outpatient?
Depending on the severity of the eating disorder, the best clinic may be any of these. Inpatient clinics are for the most severe cases requiring constant or near-constant supervision. Residential facilities allow more freedom but usually include some monitoring. Outpatient clinics work best for those who are very motivated to change and can carry out personal change on their own after getting some personal direction.
What Services Does the Eating Disorder Clinic Provide?
Because eating disorders have mental and physical components, any clinic must offer counseling (psychotherapists), medical support (doctors, nurse practitioners), and dietary support (registered or certified dietitians). These are necessities. Medical support may include physical monitoring, and diagnosis and treatment of additional illnesses that complicate eating disorders. In addition, a psychiatrist may be present to prescribe medications for psychiatric symptoms related to eating disorders. In addition, some clinics will offer non-traditional services such as equine therapy.
- Four-part treatment approach
- Questions for individual eating disorder clinicians
- Benefits of equine therapy
How Much Will Eating Disorder Treatment at This Clinic Cost?
This question is closely tied to the availability of insurance for you (discussed below). If you're paying a significant chunk of the cost, you definitely want to know the clinic's rates. Make sure that the costs are itemized for you. If you want to add a few extra sessions with a doctor, or a therapist, or a dietitian, you want to know exactly what it will cost you.
Then, how much of this must be paid up front? Are there payment plans? Scholarships? Don't rule out a good clinic until you've explored the options at your disposal.
Working With Insurance
How does this eating disorder clinic handle billing and insurance processing? You could be getting bills from the clinic while the insurance company is billed simultaneously for other costs. A key task here is to make sure that you don't get billed for something that insurance is already covering. If treatment occurs in a hospital setting, remember that some clinicians' bills are separate from the hospital's. Find out beforehand to avoid surprises.
What's the Eating Disorder Clinic's Recovery Rate?
It's important to know the clinic's recovery rate for your specific eating disorder. Don't be satisfied with an overall rate: Treating anorexia, for example, is different than treating bulimia.
How Does the Clinic Define Recovery?
I strongly suggest that you ask this question, because there isn't consensus within the eating disorder community about what eating disorder recovery really is. For example: If you report with anorexia nervosa and then gain just enough weight to regain the menstrual cycle, you don't meet the criteria for a diagnosis of anorexia anymore. Some clinics will count you toward their success rate. But are you done recovering? What does the clinic do once you've reached this point?
In the case of bulimia, what if you aren't purging but you're still binging? Or you're doing neither, but your anxiety has gone way up as a result? These are questions to ask up front. Essentially, you need to find out whether this facility can help you recover enough to diminish the chance of relapse. The best scenario: You find an eating disorder clinic that has a stricter definition of recovery than you do.
What's My Probable Length of Stay?
How long you stay in an eating disorder clinic depends on many factors -- financial, physical, and psychological, among others. But the facility should provide an estimate. Be wary if this estimate is too vague (e.g., "between three weeks and six months") or too exact ("our program lasts 28 days"). At the same time, keep in mind that recovery is quicker when you're invested in it.
How Will Parents and Siblings Be Involved?
Many eating disorder clinics include a family component in the treatment plan. Parents and siblings may be asked to be present for family therapy sessions, and there may also be educational sessions for families to increase awareness about what's helpful in recovery and what isn't.
Preparing for Success
Even if you don't find that an eating disorder clinic meets all your hopes, it's better to know exactly what you'll be getting. This can lower anxiety and pave the way for better treatment outcomes. Ask your questions up front, and don't be shy: You'll find yourself in the best position to reclaim your life.
