The Eating and Nutrition Disorders (DNA) are characterized by behaviors that alter food consumption or absorption, compromising physical health and psychosocial well-being.

They have different names (such as Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating) and different symptoms, but share a high risk to health.

• The mood becomes unstable, frequent crying, heightened anger, increased family tension, and communication becomes problematic;

• Disturbed nighttime rest with true insomnia;

• Suicidal thoughts, demonstrative acts, or self-harming behaviors, such as inflicting wounds or burns, but more often scratches, abrasions, burns, and similar;

• Heart arrhythmias or chest pain, severe abdominal pain;

• Loss of consciousness, fainting;

• Breathing difficulties, fatigue;

• Swelling in the legs (edema), sensations of tingling (paresthesia).

The role of the family is fundamental.

If you suspect that a family member may be suffering from an eating disorder, it is important to report it to the doctor and subsequently collaborate with the care team.

The Family Doctor or Pediatrician can act as an intermediary with the services of the regional DNA network.

In DNAs, it is not about willingness to heal, but about illness: there are subjective times in the care process.

It is necessary to seek help in specialized centers for the treatment and care of nutrition and eating disorders. Specialized services address therapy on various fronts: psychological, psychiatric, nutritional, and rehabilitative, aspects that must necessarily integrate for healing.

To treat nutritional and eating disorders, assistance is divided into:

Outpatient Clinic for Eating Disorders

Public facility for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of citizens with eating disorders.

It deals with:

• first access to the system;

• welcome and initiation of the therapeutic relationship with patients;

• diagnostic and therapeutic indications.

  
  

In these outpatient clinics, psychotherapeutic intervention is of fundamental importance.

Residential or Day Center for Eating Disorders

Center intended for patients who have difficulty changing their eating habits with standard outpatient therapy but have a supportive family environment.

It deals with:

• underweight patients who cannot gain weight;

• non-underweight patients with a high frequency of binge eating and self-induced vomiting;

• patients with long-term eating disorders who do not respond to normal treatments in dedicated outpatient clinics.

The residential structure compiles the Personalized Therapeutic Rehabilitation Project (PTRP) for each patient, taking into account the Individual Treatment Plan (PTI) prepared by the patient's reference outpatient clinic.

Residential Structure for Eating Disorders

Center for longer and continuous stays for five specific situations:

1. Patients who do not respond to outpatient treatment;

2. Physical risk arising from specific behaviors, making outpatient/semi-residential/Day Hospital treatment inappropriate;

3. Psychiatric risk, making outpatient/semi-residential/Day Hospital treatment inappropriate;

4. Psychosocial difficulties, making outpatient/semi-residential/Day Hospital treatment inappropriate;

5. Continuation of rehabilitative treatment after a hospital stay, if outpatient/semi-residential/Day Hospital treatments are still premature.

Hospital

Hospital admission depends on:

• severity level of symptoms;

• psychiatric or internist/nutritional prevalence of symptoms;

• phase of the illness.

Treatment pathways are different to be as effective as possible for each patient.

For patients at life risk from an organic or psychiatric perspective, intensive interventions are required. For patients who need it, Day Hospitals can be activated.

These treatment pathways may require:

1. admission in an internist/nutritional or pediatric environment or in dedicated beds for eating disorders, with sub-intensive nutritional rehabilitation “rescue” (for adults and minors);

2. admission in a psychiatric/child neuropsychiatric environment, in dedicated beds;

3. admission in a dedicated Day Hospital for eating disorders (for adults or minors).

To identify the services in the Lazio region, you can consult:

1. DNA Clinics Lazio Region;

2. Table of accredited Semi-Residential Services by the Lazio Region;

3. Table of accredited Residential Services by the Lazio Region.

To identify services throughout the national territory, consult the MAP of the Higher Institute of Health.