According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 1.0 percent of young women and 0.1 percent of young men meet the criteria for being diagnosed with bulimia nervosa and may need bulimia therapy. People with this frightening disorder enter treatment programs almost on a daily basis, but just as many likely seek alternative forms of therapy. Take a look at some of the alternative forms of therapy that can be beneficial for treating bulimia nervosa, some of which can be included in a bulimia treatment plan.
Meditation Therapy
For centuries, meditation has been thought to help people achieve a calmer state of being in which they can achieve mental clarity, find renewed energy, and focus on overcoming personal emotional obstacles. Meditation as part of bulimia therapy is beneficial because individuals often struggle with overcoming feelings of anxiety and stress that can trigger their eating disorder behaviors.
Body Awareness Therapy
Body awareness therapy can come in many different forms, and some form of this therapy type is usually used as a bulimia treatment option. Body awareness therapy is designed with a focus around recognizing the bodies feelings and movements. Studies of body awareness therapy suggest that using this as a therapeutic tool during treatment for eating disorders could help people establish a more realistic body image, which is something that people in bulimia treatment centers tend to struggle with the most. Negative portrayals of the self-image in the mind can drive bulimic behaviors and thoughts, so through body awareness therapy, individuals are better capable of seeing their own bodies in a clear way.
Yoga Therapy
Yoga is a form of physical exercise, but it involves slow and calculated movements, focused breathing, and absolute concentration on the body's movements. Therefore, yoga as part of a bulimia treatment plan can be a highly useful tool. Bulimia treatment centers like Monte Nido have daily yoga sessions as bulimia treatment options for clients because the yoga can be so beneficial to the recovery process.
In a study of how yoga affected women, the participants saw changes and improvements in:
- having a positive body image
- making better dietary choices
- having a positive sense of well-being
All of these ideas are things that people in bulimia treatment centers tend to struggle with most. Therefore, yoga could be a powerful tool to help people overcome some of their struggles during treatment.
Massage Therapy
There is no question why massage is beneficial for the body; it helps to relax the various parts of the musculoskeletal system. However, massage therapy can also be beneficial for the mind, so it is also a useful tool in a bulimia treatment plan. Massage can be used as part of bulimia therapy because it induces a calmer state, helps to override anxious thoughts, and encourages relaxation. Massage therapy has the ability to do things like lower stress hormones and increase dopamine levels, which can help an individual feel better on an emotional level and focus on getting well.
Overall, bulimia therapy should include a vast array of different bulimia treatment options and methods, and the best treatment centers work to incorporate many alternative and traditional treatments in their plans. Monte Nido uses all of these therapy types in their facilities in different ways, in addition to a number of other methods to create the most comprehensive recovery plan possible. If you would like to know more about Monte Nido's treatment options for bulimia nervosa recovery, reach out to us for more information.
