There’s no sugarcoating this reality: people struggling with eating disorders don’t have adequate resources to support them.

In recent years, eating disorder rates have surged, but there hasn’t been an equal increase in eating disorder treatment programs. Thousands of people live many miles from the nearest treatment center, and even those who have one nearby may face long waitlists or prohibitive financial costs. Others simply don’t have the option to press pause on all of their responsibilities to enter treatment. When the resources available are not accessible, it’s just as frustrating as if they don’t exist.

Virtual treatment doesn’t get rid of all these problems, but it offers a promising opportunity for addressing them. 

Today, virtual services let people get support from anywhere. At Equip, patients have access to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program that comes to them, that fits into their existing lives. At ANAD, virtual groups provide deeply needed community and support to the countless people who can’t drive an hour to in-person meetings. People join groups or provider appointments in between classes or after they get the kids to bed; people who don’t drive or can’t afford gas aren’t limited by transportation barriers; people who can’t take a leave from school or work are given the chance at lasting recovery. 

The virtual nature of our services doesn’t make them “less than.” People can use services like ANAD and Equip because they are virtual. It’s only because they are easy to access that people are able to find recovery.

Removing the need to travel to treatment makes recovery possible for so many people. As more patients, families, and eating disorder professionals come to accept this form of treatment, we’re hopeful that we’ll begin to close the immense gap between the number of people struggling with eating disorders and those who are able to get treatment.