JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new option is available for people struggling with what's reportedly one of the deadliest mental illnesses.
Koru Spring Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Jacksonville is accepting women patients and saving lives. More than 10,000 people die from eating disorders every year, according to the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders.
"It can feel very alone," said Koru Spring Clinical Director Heidi Graber about struggling with an eating disorder. "I think that's one of the things that we really recognize is that nobody should go through this alone."
Nearly 30 million Americans struggle with eating disorders, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. They report more than a quarter of them attempt suicide.
Koru Spring Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lantie Jorandby says years ago, women would have to be extremely ill to be accepted for treatment at a center, but that's not the case now, especially at Koru Spring.
"Standardly, the cultural idea of eating disorders has been that teenage girl that's struggling with body image," said Jorandby. "But, what we're learning and what we know is that it persists throughout life. It can be a lifelong struggle."
Koru Spring is the newest branch of the drug and alcohol addiction treatment center Lakeview Health. The center has 26 beds and one-third were filled shortly after opening. Jorandby says it's important to recognize signs of an eating disorder.
"Generally, if they become very fixated on their body image, that's a big part of it," she said. "They may be fixated on what they eat and they're very careful about calories. Compulsive exercise is another warning sign, where they're spending one to two hours exercising a day."
Jorandby encourages you or someone you're concerned may have an eating disorder, talk to a primary care physician if you don't have a mental health counselor.
Fewer than 6 percent of people with eating disorders are medically underweight, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.