Treatment

[Rach878]

I was wondering if your going into a treatment center, how do you know if you need residental care verse a day program?

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

Residential care is when individuals need 24/7 structure to manage their eating disorder symptoms.  Some reasons individuals may enter residential:  1) unable to succeed in a day program; 2) binge-purging numerous times daily and into evening; 3) unable to cease excessive exercise; 4) day treatment is far from home; 5) alcohol/drugs and eating disorder behaviors, and 6) <85% body weight and is medically stable.  If the motivation is good; able to eat, yet needs structure to do so; binge/purging 1-4x per day; preoccupation of food, weight and appearance is <6 hours per day; strong family support are some reasons for day treatment/partial hospitalization.  Transitional Living and Extended Care are levels of cares inbetween residential and day program.  To learn more about eating disorders and levels of care, visit the bella vita website.  Best, Dr Patricia Pitts

[Rach878]

i know, and the commute really was ridicioulus last year...but we'll see. I have family theripiy on Thursday so we're going to talk more about residentil then. i've made my intake appointment for the program on June 22 at 9 am. So when i go there going to show me what residential is like, to help me decide, and then i will hopefully start either program on June 23.

[pink2385]

Well if your therapist is recommending residential, that's what i would go to. A 4-5 r commute EVERY day seems ridiculous for a day program. As for your mom, try to reason her into it. Make a pro-con list, and show her the results. If she really does want the best for you, she should go with whatever is best for you.

[Rach878]

Well, i don't know if i need 24/7 care or not. I'm schedualed for an intake appoitment at Cambridge Eating Disorder Center on June 22end, but i'm not sure what level of care i need. My theripst thinks that i need residental care, but the idea scares me. I've done day treatment before and i thought that went ok, but it is a 4-5 hr commute everyday, so does it make more sense to go inpatient, and then how do i tell my mom? She's ok with the idea of day program, but she's not with residentail. I'm just not sure what the right decision is.