Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous, life-threatening eating disorder in which a person intentionally deprives themselves of food and can literally starve to death in an attempt to be what they consider "thin." The disorder involves extreme weight loss—at least 15 percent below the individual's "ideal" weight-and a refusal to maintain body weight that is even minimally normal for their age and height. Even if they become extremely emaciated, an anorexic person's distorted body image convinces them they are "fat." The self-esteem of individuals with this disorder is directly dependent on their body shape and weight. Weight loss for them is viewed as an impressive achievement and an indication of extraordinary self-discipline, whereas weight is concerned.

Binge-Eating
The essential features of binge-eating disorder are recurrent, out-of-control episodes of consuming abnormally large amounts of food. People with this disorder eat whether they are hungry or not and continue eating well past being uncomfortably full. If left untreated, the consequences of binge-eating can be severe. The disorder often leads to obesity, which is responsible for as many as 300,000 deaths a year, or other serious and often life-threatening eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Those who suffer from binge-eating disorder are also at high risk of substance-related disorders and serious psychiatric conditions, including depression, panic disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.

Compulsive Eating Disorder
Compulsive eaters feel incapable of controlling how much or how often they eat. They may feel unable to stop eating, eat very fast, eat when they're not hungry, eat when they're only alone, or eat nearly non-stop throughout the day. Compulsive eaters often over-indulge in sugary foods and use them in an attempt to elevate their mood. When they don't eat the foods they crave, they often experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

Bulimia
People who have bulimia routinely "binge," consuming large amounts of food in a very short period of time, and immediately "purge," ridding their bodies of the just-eaten food by self-inducing vomiting, taking enemas, or abusing laxatives or other medications. If left untreated, bulimia can lead to serious and even life-threatening problems, such as depression, anxiety disorders, heart damage, kidney damage, injury to all parts of the digestive system, and severe dental damage. Those with bulimia are at risk for dangerous impulsive, self-destructive behaviors, such as sexual promiscuity, kleptomania, self-mutilation, and alcohol and/or drug abuse.

Obesity
The consequences of obesity can be severe. If left untreated, an obese person is at pronounced risk of developing serious mental disorders, such as depression, personality disorders, or anxiety disorders as a direct consequence of their obesity. For many, obesity leads to chronic and often life-threatening eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa. People who are obese are also at much greater risk of developing a variety of serious medical conditions including high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, gallbladder disease, upper respiratory problems, arthritis, skin disorders, menstrual irregularities, ovarian abnormalities, and complications of pregnancy. Obesity is one of our nation's most critical health problems and is directly responsible for as many as 300,000 deaths each year.

The Link between Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse
Pain and suffering manifest in diverse ways. Some people steal, some people shop compulsively, some refuse to engage with the rest of the world. Many develop drug or alcohol addictions, gambling problems, or eating disorders (or a combination of the above) in an attempt to escape or control the pain.

Although all of these coping mechanisms share some commonalities, experts have found that eating disorders and substance abuse have a particularly strong association. Some of these characteristics include obsessive preoccupation, craving, compulsive behavior, secretiveness, and rituals; experience mood-altering effects, social isolation; difficult to treat, and life-threatening; chronic diseases with high relapse rates; and require intensive therapy.

What is commonly seen in the treatment community is that when an individual gives up one addiction, they take on another. Whether it is laxative abuse, sex addiction, unhealthy relationships, shopping, gambling, or some other destructive behavior, cross-addiction is a serious concern during treatment. Eating disorders and addiction have a similar genesis. Both tend to stem from low self-esteem or issues surrounding power and control, and both behaviors are used to cope with difficult emotions and experiences. Eating disorders and addictions are, at base, variations on the effort to find happiness.”

Treating Addiction and Eating Disorders Concurrently
Despite these shared characteristics, recovery from drug or alcohol addiction is markedly different from recovery from an eating disorder. For one, the goal of addiction treatment is abstinence from the substance, whereas eating disorder sufferers cannot abstain from food. Instead, those suffering from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating must learn to develop a healthy relationship with food and abstain from behaviors like rigid dieting, excessive exercise, compulsive overeating, and purging.

In the past, experts recommended that individuals seek treatment for their substance abuse problem first, and then seek treatment for the eating disorder. However, the latest research has shown that the more effective approach is to treat the two simultaneously. When the two are not treated simultaneously, what frequently happens is that one condition gets worse while the other improves.

Women who receive treatment for addiction work through their chemical dependency issues during drug rehab, but when they get back to the stresses and pressures of regular life, it is common for another addiction to rear its head. It’s like moving food across the plate – you can move it from one side to the other, but it’s still the same plate.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Most treatment is centered on the 12 Step approach, combined with Overeater’s Anonymous (OA) meetings, Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous (ABA) meetings, and AA/NA meetings. Through cognitive-behavioral therapy, and other therapeutic approaches, individuals learn to identify and communicate their feelings and cope more healthfully with daily stressors.