Eating Disorder Treatment in Louisiana

Binge eating disorder (BED), anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and other eating disorders are devastating and dangerous conditions, with detrimental consequences on the mind, body, and spirit.

If you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, it’s important to seek out help. Thankfully, if you live in Louisiana, there are a number of resources, programs, and treatment options you can utilize to get on the road to recovery.

Types of Eating Disorder Treatment in Louisiana

Eating disorders of all types are dangerous conditions, but some cases are more severe than others. To help address the varying needs of patients, there are different levels of eating disorder care.

Virtual Treatment

Advances in technology have ushered in new options for mental health treatment, including virtual care for eating disorders. This option allows patients to receive care without leaving home, making it particularly beneficial for those who don’t live near an in-person treatment center, those with challenges around transportation or mobility, or those with particularly difficult schedules.

And research has shown that virtual treatment can be just as effective as in-person care in many cases. [2] Though, it’s important to note that the route may not be for everyone, particularly those with severe eating disorder symptoms.

Inpatient and Residential Treatment

Once someone is considered physically stable, they can move on to residential care. Many patients also start their recovery journey here.

Inpatient care is for the most severe cases of eating disorders. This service helps those with extreme complications from eating disorders, including those who are at high risk for hospitalization or medical complications if they don’t receive treatment.

Inpatient care is a highly specialized type of treatment, taking place in a hospital setting, with 24-hour access to care and generally including around-the-clock medical monitoring. This intensive form of care typically only lasts up to a few weeks until someone is considered medically stable.

Residential facilities are more home-like environments, with patients living there full-time. This immersive form of care allows them to follow rigorous schedules, which can include individual therapy, group psychotherapy, meal monitoring, nutritional counseling, and other types of care. Someone will usually stay in a program until they start gaining a better understanding of, and control over, their eating disorder symptoms, which generally takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are the middle-ground of eating disorder treatment in Louisiana. During this level of care, patients live and sleep at home while commuting to treatment during the day.

Schedules remain vigorous during this time, taking place up to 5 days a week and lasting up to 8 hours a day. Though, as patients continue to make progress toward recovery, their schedules are usually reduced over time. [1]

The overall idea of a PHP is to continue offering a patient a solid sense of support while giving them the autonomy to begin making food-based decisions and practicing new coping skills outside of a treatment setting.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient treatment is also administered on a spectrum in Louisiana.

Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) may benefit patients who are stepping down from more intensive forms of care. In these courses of treatment, patients live at home and have time in their schedule to resume more social responsibilities, such as work or school. But they may still attend therapy sessions several times a week, or go to sessions that are more intensive or longer than those offered through standard outpatient clinics.

Standard outpatient care is generally the first or last level of care someone recovering from an eating disorder participates in. A patient will keep regular appointments with a therapist or another member of their treatment team, but these appointments are primarily to help them keep up their healthier routines or stay aware and ahead of potential triggers.

Additional Louisiana Eating Disorder Resources

Aside from programs designed specifically to help with eating disorder treatment, there are some resources available to Louisiana residents that may help you find additional information or support, including:

• The Louisiana Center for Disordered Eating (LCDE), which has a library of information about eating disorders.
• A support group database, available here, can help put you in touch with those going through similar situations, and help you build a sense of community and support around this difficult topic.

It may be possible to find additional help and resources through an online search. Many eating disorder support groups, especially, can be found on a local level.

What to Look for In A Louisiana Eating Disorder Treatment Program

Aside from determining the best level of care for you or your loved one, there are a number of other considerations to keep in mind when choosing the best possible eating disorder treatment program in Louisiana.

Licensing and Accreditation

While Louisiana and national laws require practitioners to attain appropriate licenses in order to care for patients, it may be helpful to check up on the specific types of treatment doctors at the center you’re interested in are licensed in. This can point to areas of expertise the doctor or center may be known for.

Accreditation is not required by law, but can offer an additional level of assurance that a center meets industry standards for safety and quality of care. Accreditation by the Joint Commission or CARF International are particularly beneficial for eating disorder programs.

Treatment Methods

There are multiple treatments and therapies for eating disorders, which may be more helpful for people with certain medical histories, beliefs, or other needs. Some of the most common types of treatment for eating disorders include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Family based treatment (FBT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Group therapy
• Art therapy

Your doctor will talk to you about the different types of eating disorder treatments that are available and help you determine which one would be best for your success.

Cost and Insurance Options

Most Louisiana eating disorder treatment centers take insurance, and most insurance providers cover them. However, because this field is still relatively new, there are some nuances to be aware of. For example, some providers only cover certain types of therapy or certain lengths of stay at a center.

Because of this, it’s important to make sure the center you consider is in your network before you start your journey toward recovery. However, even if your treatment center is not in your network, some centers may also offer financial aid or sliding scale fees.

Be sure to check with your insurance provider or the center itself before enrolling in a program, in order to best avoid future frustrations or financial concerns.

Additional Concerns

Finding Help for an Eating Disorder

If you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, it’s important to seek out help.

Louisiana has many resources for helping residents overcome these debilitating conditions. But if you’re unsure where to start, you can speak with your primary care physician, therapist, or another trusted medical professional. These experts are generally versed in eating disorders and may be able to point you toward a successful program or help you determine your next best steps.

A number of mental health and eating disorder hotlines can also help. These services are generally run anonymously, allowing callers to more comfortably ask any sensitive questions they may have, while offering additional information and resources on these conditions and potential treatment options.

Regardless of where you decide to start, making that decision at all is the most important step. Recovering from an eating disorder may seem difficult, but the help available in Louisiana can help make it possible.

State Resources

• Louisiana Department of Health
• Louisiana Mental Health Advocacy Services