The Facts About Eating Disorders and Addiction

It’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (#NEDAwareness) and so what better time to talk about eating disorders and their link to addiction. This is especially relevant since this year’s theme is “It’s Time to Talk About It,” and the organization is encouraging everyone struggling with food or exercise behaviors to start by taking its free, confidential online screening. 

Many people don’t realize that there's a significant overlap between eating disorders and drug addiction. In fact, food and body image struggles often surface after the substance abuse has ceased. 

Some more facts about eating disorders and addiction:

• Nearly 50% of individuals with an eating disorder (ED) are also abusing drugs and/or alcohol -- a rate fives times greater than the general population. 
• These co-occurring disorders affects both men and women, with up to 57% of males with binge eating disorder (BED) experiencing lifelong substance abuse problems. 
• Multiple shared neurotransmitters are thought to be involved in both eating and substance use disorders.
• Individuals with eating disorders also abuse prescription (steroids, insulin, thyroid medications and psychostimulants) and over-the-counter drugs (diet pills, laxatives, diuretics, weight loss supplements).
• Research suggests a strong genetic component to both. Other common risk factors: personality traits such as impulsivity; social pressures; family dynamics; environmental triggers; and emotional trauma. 
• Eating disorders and addiction frequently develop during stressful times in an effort to cope with emotions or to self-medicate underlying mental health issues.
• Both are chronic diseases with resistance to treatment and high relapse rates, requiring intensive, long-term therapy.
• A large body of research shows that for complete recovery, both disorders must be screened for and treated simultaneously.

Dual-Diagnosis Treatment for Young Adults

If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder and substance use disorder, we can help. As one of few CA addiction treatment centers equipped to treat dual-diagnosis patients, Hope Academy works with outside physicians and practitioners to ensure that patients receive the best possible care. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

A Deadly Mix: Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse

Once again, the death of a celebrity has focused attention on the link between eating disorders, substance abuse, and death. The British documentary, Amy: The Girl Behind the Name, won an Oscar for Best Documentary at last week’s Academy Awards and restarted the buzz about singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse’s tragic death in 2011. Officially, the cause of death has been ruled accidental alcohol poisoning, but friends and family members point out that her long-time bulimia also played a part.

Self-Prescribed Solutions
Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia are mental illnesses that often go undiagnosed until serious physical damage has resulted from them. While our cultural obsession with a thin body type is often blamed for these disorders, the frequency at which they are found in conjunction with alcohol or drug use suggests that other factors are in play. The National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University lists these characteristics that can be attributed to both eating disorders and substance abuse:

• Common risk factors like family history, imbalances in brain chemistry, stress & childhood abuse
• Intensification during stressful life changes
• Low self-esteem, anxiety & depression
• Pattern of compulsive behaviors
• Preoccupation with a substance or activity
• Chronic with possibly fatal consequences 

In addition, both may result from an attempt to “self-medicate.” Substance abuse often begins as a means to dull the pain caused by emotional trauma and feelings of inadequacy. Eating disorders may be perceived as a way to effectively control undesirable eating patterns, an imperfect body type, or unwanted sexual attention.

Effective Treatment Depends on Dual Diagnosis
Fortunately, when both substance abuse and eating disorders are recognized as co-occurring conditions, they can be treated at the same time, resulting in a good chance for successful recovery. The two conditions respond to some of the same therapies:

• Individual psychotherapy, behavior modification & group therapy
• Holistic modalities like meditation, acupuncture & yoga
• Stress & anxiety management
• Nutritional therapy
• Family counseling

Eating Disorder Treatment for Young Adults 
When disordered eating occurs in young adults who are addicted to alcohol or drugs, the combination can be deadly. If you suspect that a loved one is engaged in these self-destructive behaviors, don’t hesitate to call for help. Hope Academy’s credentialed addiction specialists will walk you through the admissions process, from intervention to rehab. Call 866.930.4673 to start your young adult on the road to a sober life with greater confidence and self-esteem.