PHOENIX - July 2, 2009 -- As many as five to ten million males in the U.S. struggle quietly with an eating disorder because they're ashamed to admit they have the illness, reports Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders (www.remudaranch.com). Healthcare professionals, family members and close friends often are unaware of the high-risk behaviors in males that may signify an eating disorder. Therefore, effective intervention is often not available to the male population.
"It is a reality that boys and men do have eating disorders and ignoring the problem may only allow it to get to a life threatening state," said Sam Lample, therapist and assistant clinical director of ReddStone, A Remuda Program for Boys. "Early and proper diagnosis from healthcare providers could be a powerful force in preventing male eating disorders from becoming as common as they have become in females."
Reddstone (www.remudaranch.com/reddstone/index.php) is an inpatient program that treats boys 17 and under who are struggling with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder. It follows the Remuda Model of Treatment that is based on a bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework. The program doesn't just treat the disorder; it treats the entire patient and offers them the best possible chance for complete and lasting recovery from eating disorders.
Research suggests that at least 1 in 4 pre-teen cases of anorexia are male. There are thousands of males with eating disorders in our society. Historically, it was thought that the ratio of boys to girls with eating disorders was 1:10, but more recent research indicates that it may be closer
to 1:3.
"Over the past 10 years, the male body has come under much scrutiny, much like the female body has for decades," adds Lample. "Boys see images in the media and are inundated with the message that they need to look that way or they're inadequate."
At ReddStone, Boys remain in treatment for 60 days -- the minimum amount of time required for eating disorder behaviors to stop and new skills to be acquired. Each boy has a team of professionals, who not only treat the eating disorder, but address co-occurring issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and trauma.
Since 1990, Remuda has provided care to nearly 9,000 patients with eating disorders. Ninety-five percent of Remuda's patients are in good recoveryone, five and ten years after leaving the program. They no longer have a diagnosable eating disorder, their personal relationships have improved and they're functioning more effectively in school and work.
About Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders Remuda Ranch offers Christian inpatient and residential programs for individuals of all faiths suffering from eating or anxiety disorders. Each patient is treated by a multi-disciplinary team including a Psychiatric and a Primary Care Provider, Registered Dietitian, Masters Level therapist, Psychologist and Registered Nurse. The professional staff equips each patient with the right tools to live a healthy, productive life. For more information, call 1-800-445-1900 or visit www.remudaranch.com.
