Two new resources are now available for counselors as a way to help make finding treatment a little easier for clients suffering from drug abuse or eating disorders.
As a way to raise awareness for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which runs Feb. 26 through March 3, the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness (AEDA) has distributed copies of its U.S Eating Disorders Treatment Referral Guide to the directors of counseling centers at every college and university in the country.
The organization is providing the guide free of cost in an effort to reach the most amount of people; according to a press release, the scope of reach with this project is upwards of 18 million college students. The guide is also available to download online for free on AEDA’s website.
“We are so thrilled to be able to provide this important resource to colleges and universities across the country,” said Johanna Kandel, founder and CEO of AEDA in a press release. “We need to spread the message that help [and recovery are] available, and this guide is one more important step in the awareness process.”
According to Princeton University Health Systems, 30 percent of college students experience eating disorder symptoms during their time at school.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has also created a free guide to help counselors and patients find treatment, called Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask.
Each person’s journey through drug abuse treatment is unique, according to NIDA, and finding the perfect treatment can sometimes be a difficult process. NIDA’s free guide centers around five questions you should ask when searching for a treatment program:
1. Does the program use treatments backed by scientific evidence?
2. Does the program tailor treatment to the needs of each patient?
3. Does the program adapt treatment as the patient’s needs change?
4. Is the duration of treatment sufficient?
5. How do 12-step or similar recovery programs fit into drug addiction treatment?
The guide is available on NIDA’s website, along with additional resources.
Heather Rudow is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Email her at hrudow@counseling.org.
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