Students: forget that summer internship -- now is the time to recover!

The Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders (ACE) is making a special appeal to teachers, parents and those students who may be battling food and body image issues. The main message at this time of year is to encourage making recovery a top priority.

Many students picked up or slipped into unhealthy habits and thought patterns concerning food and body image during the past school year. A recent study by the National Institute of Health found that 25% of college students struggle with an eating disorder. A University of Michigan campus survey on attitudes and behaviors around eating learned that students diet regularly, dislike their bodies, fear gaining weight and seldom seek help for eating disorders. The researchers also found that six out of ten undergraduates had become more concerned about their bodies after starting school, and that ten percent were purging in some way (vomiting and/or using laxatives, diuretics or diet pills).

In late summer, students often contact ACE in a panic, saying, “I have two weeks until school starts again. Can you help me recover before then?” Unfortunately, that is not enough time to get much solid recovery underway.

The summer break can be an ideal time to learn or refresh those essential recovery skills that can keep these young people safe and healthy moving forward. ACE is offering a Jump Start Recovery Program for students who want to strengthen or recommit to their recovery plan.

This 20-Session Jump Start package is considered in-network for most insurance carriers and includes:

• Individualized treatment through a concise, comprehensive, recovery curriculum.

• Daily e-mails of recovery tools and worksheets, inspirations and encouragements.

• Frequent individual therapy sessions and nutrition consultation.

• Recovery groups and meal groups, up to eight hours a day if necessary.

• Family therapy to coach relatives how to help without becoming “food police.”

The experienced team of professionals at the Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders provides a comprehensive variety of therapy groups and programs ranging from eight hours a day to outpatient individual, family or nutrition therapy. ACE locations include Dunwoody, Alpharetta and Decatur.

For more information, call Janice at 770.458.8711, ext. 0 or email gethelp@eatingdisorders.cc.

Dr. Rick Kilmer

770.458.8711, ext. 203

drkilmer@eatingdisorders.cc