Eating Disorder Center-Missouri

Anorexia Nervosa or Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by self starvation, restriction of food intake, or calories, and sometimes excessive weight loss. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. It is a refusal to maintain a normal body weight for ones height. It is an intense fear of gaining weight or being fat, despites sometimes significant weight loss. Some women cease to have menstrual cycles. Often there is an extreme concern with body weight shape a size. The person with anorexia may initially begin dieting to lose weight. Over time, the weight loss becomes an illusion of mastery and control. It can become an obsession and is similar to drug addiction. The anorexic loses perspective of their appearance because they have distorted opinions about their self image. No amount of dieting or starvation can satisfy their desire to be thin.

Clients who are admitted to our IOP program are thoroughly evaluated for anxiety disorders and their treatment is tailored accordingly. One of the reason that many client’s will relapse in a lower level of care like IOP is because their anxiety levels increase as they face life and relationship stressors. The Eating Disorder Center of Missouri treats each client holistically with the goal of reducing the relapse rates due to untreated anxiety co-morbidity or other co-morbid disorders (i.e. depression, chemical dependency).