Fairwinds Treatment Center Prepares for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week with Dr. Vicki Berkus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clearwater, Florida, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) February 10, 2011 --

Clearwater, FL (February 10, 2010)— February 20-26 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. This year the theme is “It’s Time to Talk about It”, promoting if everyone can do…”just one thing” together we’ll have a huge impact. It is estimated that nearly 11 million men, women and children suffer from anorexia and bulimia; 25 million more from binge eating disorders. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Without treatment up to 20% of people with serious eating disorders will die. With the right treatment program, that number falls to 2-3%. Individuals with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorder all have unique symptoms that can allow the disorder to be identified so treatment and healing may begin. It is the mission of Fairwinds Treatment Center, along with Dr. Vicki Berkus, to help increase awareness of the warning signs associated with these serious disorders.

Vicki Berkus M.D.,Ph.D., CEDS has recently joined Fairwinds Treatment Center as Medical Director of their Eating Disorders Program. Dr. Berkus specializes in adolescent and adult psychiatry, eating disorders full spectrum and sports psychiatry. She has served as president of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP), holds eating disorders certification (CEDS) through IAEDP and is a current board member and head of the IAEDP education committee. Dr. Berkus is active in promoting certification and education in the field of eating disorders. Her memberships include the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), The American Society of Bariatric Medicine (ASBP) and the International Society for Sports Psychiatry (ISSP). She has authored numerous articles as well as the highly acclaimed book “10 Commitments to Mental Fitness”.

Dr. Berkus is Board Certified in Psychiatry and from specializing in eating disorders and addictions for many years; sees patients from both an in-patient and out-patient perspective with all types of mental health issues. In a number of cases all the individual needed was the appropriate treatment intervention and guidance to change the beliefs that kept them acting in unhealthy ways.

Dr. Berkus is available to talk about the damaging effects of eating disorders. To schedule a call or meeting please call Sam Teresi at 727-449-0300 or email fairwinds@fairwindstreatment.com.

About Fairwinds Treatment Center:
For nearly 20 years, families have trusted Fairwinds Treatment Center to help their loves ones through their highly effective treatment programs for eating disorders and drug rehab. As one of only a few dually licensed psychiatric and substance abuse centers in the nation to earn accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Fairwinds Treatment Center is here to provide the quality care your family needs to achieve a lasting recovery.
www.fairwindstreatment.com

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