Eating Disorders Among Older Women - a New Mid-Life Crisis?

Eating disorders are usually associated with teenage girls, however, there is a new generation that is beginning to suffer with this disease. And it is not the twenty-something's - it's women that are in their thirties, forties or fifties. There is a new epidemic, in a completely new age range, that is affecting millions of middle-aged women. Doctors are finding themselves diagnosing more and more older women with various eating disorders. This makes one begin to think, "Could this be a horrible outbreak of a mass midlife crisis." However, it makes since. In the media, we are bombarded with pictures and videos of rail-thin women, who are in their thirties and forties, walking around and "living" a grand life. As we have noticed, the presence of pop-culture has deeply affected the youth of America, however, we are now seeing that the constant pressure to stay thin is beginning to effect an older generation.

But why are so many "educated" women beginning to delve into the dark world of eating disorders? As a society, many people do no view an eating disorder as a disease. They tend to think that by practicing anorexia or bulimia does not lead to a psychological problem, and if they need help than it is easily treatable. However, there are many different form of eating disorders that have made them seem, "safe." We no longer are seeing women, or men, simply stop eating, it is very common to find many people over-exercising or using laxatives.

However, women who are in their thirties or forties, usually aren't fighting this symptom for the first time. Nearly all of the women that are going in for eating disorder treatments have suffered with the disease at least once prior. However, most of the time it wasn't diagnosed or treated, and this lack of treatment when these women were younger have kept the mental thoughts and possibilities of using an eating disorder to loose weight alive.

Although the above may be the case, there are other doctors that believe the cause of this epidemic is due to hormonal fluctuations that occur near menopause. However, this isn't the only reason. An eating disorder could be triggered by mid-life changes, such as divorce or the sending off of grown children. It is very common that as family changes, usually at a very rapid pace, many women find themselves longing for some type of control or stability -- and it so happens that eating disorders give the person a vast amount of control and "stability." Because if you can't control what is going on outside of your body, you can at least control what is going in.

But there is a serious problem occurring. There is literally no focus on older women and eating disorders. All of the energy within this field is going towards younger women, and there are very few treatments of older women. They are literally being ignored. This was the same problem that men found several years ago -- because this notion of mid-life crisis eating disorders has not surfaced to the "mainstream", thus there aren't very many treatments that cater to the older female.

If you have found yourself in this place within your own life, I have listed several treatment facilities that can help you. They are listed by state:

ARIZONA:

The Mandel Center
11811 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste 3031
Phoenix, AZ
480-734-1199

Mirasol
The Arizona Center for Eating Disorders Recovery
5366 N. Camino de la Culebra
Tucson, AZ 85750
1-888-520-1700

Remuda Ranch
Center for Anorexia and Bulimia
One E. Apache
Wickenburg, AZ 85358
1-800-445-1900

Rosewood
36075 South Rincon Road
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-845-2211

Sierra Tucson
39580 S. Lago del Oro Parkway
Tucson, AZ 85739
1-800-842-4487

CALIFORNIA:

Balanza
1761 Hotel Circle South
San Diego, CA 92108
619-297-4499

The Bella Vita
BHC Alhambra Hospital
Pasadena, CA
800-235-5570

Casa de Lago
22590 Canyon Lake Drive South
Canyon Lake, CA 92587
1-800-824-4936

Casa Palmera
14750 El Camino Real
Del Mar, CA 92014
1-888-481-4481
info@casapalmera.com


Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change
Downey Facility
9844 Pangborn Avenue
Downey, California USA 90240
800-760-3934

Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change
Lakewood Facility
4136 Ann Arbor Road
Lakewood, CA 90712
800-760-3934

Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change
Menlo Park Facility
1895 Altschul Avenue
Menlo Park, California USA 94025
800-760-3934

Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change
Whittier Facility
11911 Washington Boulevard
Whittier, California USA 90606
800-760-3934

CRC Health Group
20400 Stevens Creek Blvd.
6th Floor
Cupertino, Ca. 95014
(866)549-5034

Del Amo Hospital Eating Disorders Program
23700 Camino Del Sol
Torrance, CA 90505
800-533-5266

Harmony Grove:
Supportive Living for Eating Wellness
San Diego, CA 92130
(858)342-1514


Healthy Within
4510 Executive Dr. 103
San Diego, CA 92121
(858)622-0221

Loma Linda University Behavioral Med. Center
Redlands, CA
1-800-752-5999

Mandometer Treatment for Eating Disorders
11777 Bernardo Plaza Court, Suite 208
San Diego, CA 92128
858-451-1008

Montecatini
2524 La Costa Ave.
Rancho La Costa, CA 92009
760-436-8930

Monte Nido
27162 Sea Vista Dr.
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-9958

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
14542 Ventura Blvd. Suite 211
Sherman Oaks, Ca 91403
818-377-4442

Oak Knoll Family Therapy Center
12307 Oak Knoll Road Suite O
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 748-4323

Oceanaire
30175 Avenida Tranquila
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
310-377-3200

Ohlhoff Eating Disorders Outpatient Program
2418 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-221.3354

Puente de Vida
La Jolla, CA
1-877-995-4337

Rader Programs
Nationwide Locations Including CA
1-800-841-1515

Rebecca's House
23861 El Toro Road, Suite 700
Lake Forest, CA 92630
800-711-2062
info@rebeccashouse.org

Satori House
Shoreline Center for Eating Disorder Treatment
Long Beach, CA
(562) 434-6007

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital
7850 Vista Hill Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 694-8434

South Coast Medical Center
Eating Disorders Treatment
31872 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 499-7504

Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program
601 University Ave, Ste. 225
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-920-5276

The Victorian of Newport Beach
505 29th Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663
800-647-0042

COLORADO:

Children's Hospital of Denver, CO
1056 E. 19th Av.
Denver, CO 80218
1-800-458-6500

Denver Health A.C.U.T.E Medical Center
777 Bannock Street
Denver, CO 80204-4507
877-228-8348

Eating Disorder Center of Denver
950 South Cherry St., Suite 300
Denver, CO 80246
1-303-771-0861

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
2121 S. Oneida #412
Denver, Co 80224
303-694-7484

CONNECTICUT:

The Institute of Living
400 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06106
1-800-673-2411

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Northern New Jersey; Southern Connecticut
1-800-RENFREW

Wellspring
21 Arch Bridge Rd.
Bethlehem, CT 06751
203-266-8000

FLORIDA:

The Boswell Center
6817 Southpoint Parkway, Suite 904
Jacksonville, FL 32216
904-332-9100

Canopy Cove
2300 Killearn Center Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32308
1-800-236-7524

Center for Eating and Weight Disorders
Assessment and Psychotherapy Services, Inc.
2155 Main Street
Sarasota, Florida 34237
(941) 365-2962

Fairwinds Treatment Center
1569 South Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida 33756
1-800-226-0301

Milestones at High Point
5960 Southwest 106th Ave
Cooper City, FL 33328
800-347-2364

Rader Programs
Los Angeles, CA
Tulsa, OK
1-800-841-1515

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Northern New Jersey; Southern Connecticut
1-800-RENFREW

Turning Point of Tampa, Inc.
6227 Sheldon Rd.
Tampa, FL 33615
800-397-3006

The Willough at Naples
9001 Tamianm Trail East
Naples, FL 34113
1-800-722-0100

GEORGIA:

Ridgeview Institute
3995 South Cobb Dr.
Smyrna, GA
1-800-329-9775

Peachford Hospital
2151 Peachford Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30338
770-455-3200

HAWAII:

Aloha Healing Retreats
P.O. 1850
Pahoa, Hawaii 96778
1-888-967-8622

Anorexia and Bulimia Center of Hawaii
Kailua, Oahu, Maui, HI
1-808-262-0398

ILLINOIS:

Alexian Brothers Medical Center, IL
1650 Moon Lake Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60194
1-800-432-5005

Timberline Knolls
40 Timberline Dr.
Lemont, IL 60439
630-343-2346

INDIANA:

Eating Disorders Center of Indiana
3945 Eagle Creek Parkway
Suite C
Indianapolis IN 46254
317-329-7071

KANSAS:

Menninger Clinic
Topeka, KS
1-800-351-9058

Kentucky:

Adventurehaven Center for Eating Disorders Education and Recovery
3031 Dixie Hwy. Suite 100A
Edgewood, KY 41017
1-859-578-9899

Louisiana:

Depaul Tulane Behavioral Health Center's Eating Disorders Program
1040 Calhoun Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
1-800-548-4183

River Oaks Hospital
Eating Disorder Treatment Center
1525 River Oaks Road West
New Orleans, LA 70123
1-800-366-1740

Maine:

Arbour Hospital
49 Robinwood Ave
Boston, MA 02130-2156
(617)522-4400

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
1-617-762-7764 x488
1-800-22-ACCES

Maryland:
Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital
6501 N. Charles Street Unit B-5
Baltimore, MD 21204
Phone: 410-938-5252

Massachusetts:

Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
3 Bow Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
main: 617-547-2255
residential program: 617-661-0841

Laurel Hill Inn
P. O. Box 368
Medford MA 02155-0004
781-391-1116

The Klarman Eating Disorders Center
at McLean Hospital
115 Mill St.
Belmont, MA 02478
email: klarmancenter@mclean.org
(617)855-3410

Michigan:

Forest View Psychiatric Hospital
1055 Medical Park Drive S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
1-800-949-8439
Four Seasons Treatment Center
1176 S. Main St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
(734) 416-3341

Minnesota:

The Emily Program
2550 University Avenue West, Suite 314N
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 645-5323

Methodist Hospital
Eating Disorders Institute
6490 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
(952) 993-6200

Mississippi:

Pine Grove Women's Center
3875 Veteran's Memorial Drive
Hattiesburg, MS 39403
1-888-574-HOPE
info@pinegrove-treatment.com


Missouri:

Castlewood Treatment Center for Eating Disorders
800 Holland Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63021
636-386-6611

Eating Disorder Recovery Center
1034 S. Brentwood Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314)721-5514
McCallum Place on the Park
100 S. Brentwood #350
Clayton, MO 63105
1-800-828-8158

Montana:

Rimrock Foundation
1231 N. 29th St.
PO Box 30374
Billings, MT 59107
1-406-248-3175
1- 800-227-3953

Nebraska:

Children's Hospital of Omaha, NE
8200 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68114
402-955-6190

Nevada:

Center for Hope of the Sierras
1453 Pass Drive
Reno, Nevada 89511
1-775-828-4949

New Hampshire:

Hampstead Hospital
218 East Rd
Hampstead, NH 03841
1-800-600-5311

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
Information: (617) 762-7764 x488
Admissions: 1-800-22-ACCES

New Jersey:

Medical Center at Princeton
253 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
1-877-932-8935

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Northern New Jersey; Southern Connecticut
1-800-RENFREW

New Mexico:
The Life Healing Center of Santa Fe
25 Vista Point Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87508
(877)907-6237

New York:

Avalon Eating Disorder Center
346 Harris Hill Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
(716) 839-0999

The Eating Disorder Resource Center
24 East 12th St. Suite 505
New York, NY 10003
(212) 989-3987

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Buck's County, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; Miami, Florida: New York City; Northern New Jersey; Southern Connecticut
1-800-RENFREW

North Carolina:

Carolina House
176 Lassiter Homestead Road
Durham, North Carolina 27713
866-540-5240

Structure House
Durham, NC
1-800-553-0052

North Dakota:

Eating Disorder Institute
Meritcare South University
1720 S. University Dr.
Fargo, ND 58122
800-437-4010 x 4111
701-234-4111


Ohio:

Laurelwood Eating Disorders Program
35900 Euclid Ave.
Willoughby, OH 44094
1-800-438-4673

River Centre Clinic
5465 Main St.
Sylvania, OH 43560
1-419-885-8800

Oklahoma:
Laureate
A division of Saint Francis Health System
Tulsa, OK
1-800-322-5173

Rader Programs
Nationwide Locations Including CA
1-800-841-1515


Oregon:

A Better Way Counseling Center
818 NW 17th Av.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 226-9061

Kartini Clinic
2800 N. Vancouver, Suite 118
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 249 8851

Pennsylvania:

Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment
4200 Monument Road
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 456-8000

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Eating Disorders Program
905 W. Governor Road Suite 250
Hershey, PA 17033
717-531-2099

UPMC
Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic (WPIC)
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593
877-624-4100

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Northern New Jersey; Southern Connecticut
1-800-RENFREW

Rhode Island:

South Carolina:

Hilton Head Health Institute
14 Valencia Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
1-800-292-2440

South Dakota:

Tennessee:

The Ranch
P.O. Box 38
Nunnelly, TN 37137
1-800-849-5969


Texas:

La Que Sabe ED Clinic
4103 Marathon Blvd.
Austin, TX 78756
512-478-9240

Menninger Clinic
Houston, TX
1-800-351-9058

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-411-7081

Sante Center For Healing
914 Country Club Rd.
Argyle, TX 76226
1-800-258-4250

Shades of Hope Treatment Center
P.O. Box 639
Buffalo Gap, TX 75908
1-800-588-HOPE

Cadwalder Behavioral Clinics
30903 Quinn Road
Tomball, TX 77375
281-351-6644
866-351-6644 (toll free)

Utah:
Avalon Hills
7852 West 600 North
Petersboro, UT 84325
(800) 330-0490
info@avalonhills.org

Center for Change
1790 North State Street
Orem, UT 84057
1-801-224-8255

New Life Center
1255 E. 3900 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
(888) 281-3353

Vermont:

Brattleboro Retreat
75 Linden Street
P.O. Box 803
Brattleboro, VT 05302
1-800-738-7328

Green Mountain at Fox Run
Fox Lane, Box 164
Ludlow, VT 05149
(802) 228-8885

Virginia:

Washington:

A Place of Hope
The Center for Counseling & Health Resources, Inc.
547 Dayton
Edmonds, WA 98020
1-888-771-5166

Moore Center, The
1601 114th Av. SE, #180
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 451-1134

Washington, DC:

West Virginia:

Wisconsin:

Rogers Memorial Hospital ED Center
34700 Valley Road
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
1-800-767-4411

Wyoming:

CANADA:

The Last Resort
c/o McCarroll & Associates Inc.
Seefried Plaza, Suite 208
6036 - 3 St. SW
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2H 0H9
1-403-209-0224

Marnies Place
Brantford, Ontario
CANADA
519-752-5468

New Realities Eating Disorders Recovery Centre
62 Charles Street East, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1T1
Toronto: 416 921-9670
Thornhill: 905 763-0660

Sacred Eating Disorders
P.O. Box 82067
Yellowbird RPO
Edmonton, AB Canada, T6J 7E6
(780) 423-5508

Westwind Eating Disorder Recovery Centre
458 14th St. Brandon
Manitoba, CANADA R7A 4T3
1-888-353-3372

MEXICO:

Comenzar de Nuevo, AC
Association for the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of ED
Avenida Humberto Lobo No. 240 Local 8
Colonia Del Valle
San Pedro Garza Garcia, NL 66252 Mexico
Phone: (52) (81) 81 29 46 83
(52) (81) 81 29 46 84

ECUADOR:

The Center, A Place of Hope, Ecuador S.A.
La Cumbre N34-110 entre Carlos Montúfar y Quiteño Libre
Quito, Ecuador.
Phones: (593 2) 224 8442 and (593 2) 227 5575