Alsana St. Louis Now Offers Treatment for Individuals with Eating Disorders and Co-Occurring Type 1 Diabetes

Diabulimia is a dangerous condition involving the intentional restriction of insulin for weight loss.

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alsana St. Louis has announced the launch of its diabulimia treatment program, a life-saving resource for individuals struggling with disordered eating and type 1 diabetes. This specialized care has been offered by Alsana’s residential program in Westlake Village, Calif. since 2020.

Diabulimia is a non-clinical term for when individuals with type 1 diabetes restrict insulin to lose weight. Research shows that people with type 1 diabetes may be more susceptible to disordered eating behaviors than those without diabetes. The mortality rate from diabulimia is exceptionally high, at 34.8% per year. For comparison, the mortality rates from anorexia and diabetes are 6.5 and 2.5%, respectively.

“Individuals with type 1 diabetes are at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder – diabulimia is often underdiagnosed,” said Ali Beckman, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-S, National Clinical Educator with Alsana. “Eating disorders are as unique as each of us – that’s why holistic, evidence-based eating disorder treatment programs, specifically for those with diabetes, are important to achieving a healthy recovery.”

People with diabulimia often suffer from self-criticism and feel shame from the misconception they made unhealthy food and lifestyle choices that led to their diagnoses. At Alsana St. Louis, clients benefit from individualized, compassion-focused therapy (CFT) provided by a multidisciplinary team of medical, nursing, nutrition and certified diabetic care and education professionals who specialize in diabulimia. Compassion focused skills and strategies assist clients in learning how to reduce shame, build self-compassion and receive it from others during recovery.

About Alsana

Alsana is an eating recovery community with in-person Residential and PHP/IOP programs in Alabama, California, and Missouri, Virtual PHP/IOP offerings across the United States. Their approach to eating disorder treatment is compassionate, evidence-based, and designed in alignment with the Adaptive Care Model®. This holistic method addresses healing in all areas of clients’ lives by integrating medical, nutritional, and therapeutic care with movement and relational therapies. Alsana serves adult clients of all genders and sexual identities struggling with a broad spectrum of eating, feeding, and co-occurring disorders. Alsana’s programs accommodate the unique needs of vegan clients and clients struggling with ED-DMT1, also known as “diabulimia.” For additional information, visit www.alsana.com.