 
Males
While the overwhelming majority of individuals who suffer from eating disorders are female, males account for a growing number of this population. At Fairwinds, we treat both female and male clients. In fact, the presence of male clients in a therapeutic environment can add a dimension of gender divergence with male issues of etiology, sexuality and social roles that need to be addressed. It is valuable for female clients to learn to relate to male clients in a therapeutic context, especially if gender relations were troubled prior to admission.
Males who suffer from eating disorders exhibit some similar behaviors as females; these may include rigid exercise routines, food restrictions and binge and purge behaviors. The desire to be thin or highly developed and attaining the perfect body is a constant preoccupation with many male and female eating disorders clients.
Underlying issues within eating disorders also remain very similar for male clients, which may include high perfection and control tendencies with extreme anxiety and stress issues. Significant depression and obsessive-compulsive behaviors also contribute to these life-threatening disorders.
Fairwinds has discovered that males respond well to treatment; in many cases, males gain weight at an accelerated rate compared to females. This positive outcome for males also contributes in a positive manner for many of our female clients who unconsciously improve in weight gain and desire for recovery.
Fairwinds generally has one to two males in our program at any given time.
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