Expert eating disorders treatment in the Twin Cities

An eating disorder is a mental health condition that significantly impacts food decisions, self-image and everyday activities. If you have an eating disorder, you’re not alone. They can affect anyone of any age and any gender. Millions of Americans are diagnosed with an eating disorder each year. In fact, half of Americans personally know someone who has struggled with an eating disorder.

Melrose Center has over 35 years of experience in eating disorder treatment, research and community education. We know that the most successful eating disorder treatments strive to heal the mind and body. No matter how long you’ve struggled with an eating disorder, it’s never too early or too late to get help.

At Melrose Center, our team of experts works with you to create an individualized treatment program that addresses the unique causes and symptoms of all types of eating disorders.

An eating disorder is a mental health condition where people experience severe or significant disturbances in their eating behaviors, thoughts about eating and emotions around eating. Unhealthy changes in what we eat, how much we eat or how much we exercise can make it difficult to get the proper nutrition our bodies need. Over time, these changes can add up to serious complications that affect the heart, brain, digestive system, bones and other parts of the body.

There are several types of eating disorders, and each eating disorder comes with its own distinct symptoms and corresponding behaviors. At Melrose Center, we provide comprehensive treatment for all eating disorders, including:

• Anorexia nervosa – A condition where you restrict the amount of food you eat to control your weight and body shape. It can cause malnourishment and other severe health conditions. Common symptoms include extreme weight loss, frequently skipping meals and a preoccupation with food.
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) – A condition that causes you to excessively limit the types of food you’ll eat. It’s common for people with ARFID to have a lack of interest in eating, avoid foods based on their sensory characteristics, or have a severe fear of choking or vomiting. This can lead to malnourishment and other health concerns.
• Binge eating disorder – An eating disorder where you eat unusually large amounts of food and feel unable to control how much you eat. Binges are followed by feelings of guilt or shame. People with binge eating disorder usually eat until they’re uncomfortably full, eat alone or eat in secret.
• Bulimia nervosa – A condition where you eat large amounts of food, then purge the food in order to get rid of excess calories through vomiting, exercise, abuse of laxatives or diuretics, or food restriction. Common symptoms include noticeable weight changes, dental concerns, eating in secret and using the bathroom immediately after eating.
• Other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) – When your symptoms don’t match the symptoms of other eating disorder diagnoses, you might be experiencing OSFED. This is the most commonly diagnosed eating disorder. People with OSFED struggle with unhealthy eating behaviors and distorted body images that may cause emotional or mental distress and severe health concerns.

We know that other health conditions can increase the risk of developing an eating disorder, or make recovery more challenging. That's why we provide specialized care for people struggling with eating disorders and substance use disorders or eating disorders and type 1 diabetes.

We take a team-based approach to treating eating disorders so we can offer comprehensive care no matter what you’re experiencing. Our care team is made up of licensed psychologists, dietitians, medical doctors, psychiatrists, care managers and other experts.

If you have an eating disorder, we’ll work with you to create an individualized treatment plan to help you recover. We might recommend:

• Outpatient treatment
• Day program (partial hospitalization)
• Residential treatment
  

We also provide specialized treatment for children and teens with eating disorders.

Getting started with treatment begins with an initial assessment. To set up an initial assessment, please call 952-993-6200 to speak with one of our compassionate team members.