July 2007

In this newsletter:
1) Fast Help: Eating Disorders
2) Therapist Q&A: Medication?
3) Clinic Announcements

Each year, millions of Americans are afflicted with eating disorders. Eating disorders are disturbances in one's eating behavior. A person afflicted with an eating disorder often uses eating to try to gain a sense of control in that person's life, as a means of dealing with other complicated problems that the person feels he/she doesn't have control over. The problem is that the person isn't aware that their eating habits are dysfunctional ways to try to cope with their problems, and the behavior is detrimental and can be life-threatening.

1) The three most common eating disorders are:

• Anorexia Nervosa: People afflicted with anorexia essentially starve themselves. Anorexia is characterized by a refusal to maintain a normal, health body weight, and sufferers have an intense fear of gaining weight.

• Bulimia Nervosa: Bulimia sufferers will binge on food and then purge the food in order to prevent themselves from gaining weight. People suffering from Bulimia will frequently use diuretics and/or exercise excessively in order to shed additional body weight.

• Binge-eating Disorder: Binge-eating is characterized by episodes of eating large amounts of food but, unlike bulimia nervosa, the victim does not purge following the episode.

Associated symptoms common in eating disorders include depression, fatigue, irregular heart function, feelings of guilt/shame, and lack of control. Eating disorders commonly exist along with other psychological disorders such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, sexual abuse, or bipolar disorder. Eating disorders can develop at any age, however, teenagers (particularly females) are a high-risk age group for developing eating disorders. This is partially due to media influence and the tendency to want to model oneself after media idols. Family dynamics can also be a contributing factor. Experts are still researching the role of genetics as a possible risk factor as well.

There is help for those struggling with eating disorders. It is recommended a patient with an eating disorder will undergo psychotherapy, family counseling, medication management and consultation with a dietician. Severe cases usually require hospitalization. It is important to recognize the presence of symptoms as early as possible. It is also important to pay attention to other conditions a loved one might be experiencing (such as those listed above) and get help as soon as possible to prevent the onset of an eating disorder.

Below is a link to a self-quiz that might be helpful in determining whether you or a loved one may be struggling with an eating disorder:
http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/eat.htm

Family members should always refrain from diagnosing loved ones, but rather seek professional help if you have concerns. If you or a loved one feel you may be struggling with an eating disorder, call today so that we may assist you in developing a treatment plan that is right for you. Remember, treatment is available. An individualized treatment program can be developed to meet your loved one's needs.

2) Therapist Q&A
When is it a good time to seek a medication evaluation and who can prescribe medication? This is a very important question. It can be confusing for anyone who hasn't sought out mental health treatment. Psychotropic medication can assist with the treatment of many psychological issues/disorders. Medication can be used solely to treat some disorders or can be helpful in "taking the edge off" and make it easier to function when dealing with difficult issues. Medical doctors (M.D.s, D.O.s) are physicians who are authorized to prescribe medication.

A family doctor can prescribe such medication. However, if a client is looking for a more specialized approach and is facing a complicated mental health issue, it is sometimes recommended to consider a referral to a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists are also physicians but specialize in mental health disorders. Oftentimes, psychiatrists and family doctors are hesitant to treat mental health disorders with medication alone and thus recommend psychotherapy.

Sometimes it is recommended that clients consider medication. However, medication and therapy together oftentimes is the best prescription to treat many psychological disorders. If you are considering a medication evaluation, we would be happy to talk with you about your options and be able to offer you a referral resource. We are also available to consult with your physician as to be able to approach your treatment as team to be able to provide you with the best care.

3) Clinic News
We are pleased to announce that we've added the ability for clients to contact our billing consultant, Eva Almamelleky, via voicemail with any questions regarding their statement. She can be reached by dialing (262)251-1112, and pressing option 9. Alternately, she can also be reached via e-mail. We are also pleased to announce that we now accept Visa and Mastercard as payment options. We are confident that these changes will provide an added convenience for our clients.