Understanding Anxiety’s Effect on Eating Disorders

How Anxiety Impacts Eating Disorders: A Cycle

According to the team at Rosewood Ranch,

“about half of individuals with eating disorders also have an anxiety disorder⁵ and most of the time, the anxiety disorder began prior to the eating disorder.”

These behaviors may form as coping mechanisms, albeit dysfunctional ones. Some people use eating as a distraction from anxious thoughts,⁶ or to feel a sense of control. But when you rely on harmful tactics to deal with your emotions, it gets harder to learn healthy ones. This creates a cycle that’s hard to break. And that cycle can be seen in people with any type of anxiety disorder.

Social Anxiety

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines social anxiety⁷ as a “disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations.” And that self-consciousness can turn into anxiety about your appearance. This opens the door to eating disorders. In fact, the fear of being negatively judged is linked to a desire for thinness.⁸

These social fears are valid—but restricting your diet won’t necessarily make them go away. Studies reveal that levels of social anxiety are similar across all eating disorder diagnoses.⁹

When you recognize how your anxiety impacts your eating habits, you can start developing healthier behaviors.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by anxiety and intrusive thoughts. Because of this, repetitive, self-destructive behaviors are a common symptom. Disordered eating can sometimes be one of those behaviors.

An article from Timberline Knolls says that for both OCD and eating disorders, the goal of the behavior “is to reduce levels of apprehension, anxiety and overall negative effect.”¹⁰ For example, you might binge a large amount of food in an attempt to self-soothe during a panic attack. These behaviors can snowball and worsen your anxiety, and keep you from learning how to handle it differently. You may need professional support to interrupt this behavioral loop.

Breaking the Cycle With Treatment

Research shows that it’s important to treat eating disorders and anxiety together.⁹ Because of the overlap between these issues, you might want to attend a rehab that treats co-occurring disorders.

The good news is, therapy for either of these conditions may help you recover from both. For instance, experts agree that anxiety lessens when people get treatment for anorexia.⁹ When you’re ready to heal, several types of therapy can help.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)¹¹ is a type of therapy that teaches you how to interrupt negative thoughts. It’s also the most recognized method for treating eating disorders.¹² Most inpatient treatment programs offer some version of this therapy.

Holistic Therapies

Alternative therapies are an increasingly common way to treat mental health issues. These modalities encourage patients to heal their mind, body, spirit as one. In rehab, you might have access to a variety of holistic therapies. For instance, studies show that mindfulness is a powerful way to treat eating disorders.¹³

Medication

Evidence shows that medication can treat eating disorders.¹² This treatment is normally combined with talk therapy. The combination can be hugely effective. But like any treatment, it’s not right for everyone. If you have any physical health issues due to an eating disorder, talk to your doctor (or treatment team in rehab) about your concerns.

Recovery From Eating Disorders and Anxiety

Whatever types of therapy you pursue, there’s good news: eating disorders and anxiety disorders are very treatable.⁹ With proper care, these conditions have high recovery success rates. And if you’re living with both diagnoses, many rehabs offer specialized care.

Connect with a rehab that treats eating disorders to learn more about the therapies they offer, housing options, and recovery from co-occurring disorders.

Reviewed by Rajnandini Rathod

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