The Tie Between Eating Disorders and Other Mental Illnesses
Are eating disorders classified as mental illnesses?
Yes, according to many eating disorder specialists, eating disorders are classified as mental illnesses. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), a mental disorder is “...characterized by clinically significant disturbances in a person’s behavior, emotion regulation or cognition that reflects a dysfunction in the developmental, biological or psychological processes fundamental to mental functioning.” Eating disorders are classified as the deadliest mental illnesses. Additionally, the DSM-V describes eating disorders as causing significant impairment or distress in occupational, social, or other areas important to normal functioning.” (Monte Nido). Therefore, an eating disorder is a mental illness and can be compared and contrasted with other mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, etc.
How does an eating disorder relate to other mental illnesses?
Eating disorders can lead to the development of mental illnesses, and vice versa: they can coexist, most often with “...mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and alcohol and substance use disorders.” (psychiatry.org).
Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression can arise due to disordered eating habits such as restriction, binging, and purging. One “...study of over 2,400 females in inpatient treatment for eating disorders found that 94% of patients evidenced comorbid mood disorders, largely unipolar depression.” (Lcsw 2022)
What are the most common mental illnesses that sprout from an eating disorder?
Some of the more common mental illnesses that sprout from an eating disorder include anxiety and depression, as mentioned previously. Anxiety can be categorized into OCD, SAD, GAD, and PTSD, and about 50% of people with eating disorders also have anxiety (Spann 2023). Also, “...according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Over the course of their lives, about 70.7% of adults who have bulimia nervosa, 46.4% of adults who have binge-eating disorder, and 42.1% of adults who have anorexia nervosa will also struggle with depression” (Center 2023).
You are not alone
If you feel that you, or a loved one, are struggling with an eating disorder, please consult a professional or visit the sites below. Asking for help is not easy, but you are not alone, making that first will help you so much in the long run. Happiness and health are worth much more than societal standards.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/eating-disorder-treatment-and-recovery.htm
Works Cited
Nido, M. (n.d.). Why Eating Disorders Remain Socially Unaccepted as a Mental Illness. Monte Nido. https://www.montenido.com/eating-disorders-remain-socially-unaccepted-mental-illness/
Delaware, S. O. (n.d.). DHSS - 404 page not found - Delaware Health and Social Services - State of Delaware. https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dsamh/files/si2013_dsm5foraddictionsmhandcriminaljustice
What are Eating Disorders? (n.d.). https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders#:~:text=Eating%20disorders%20often%20co%2Doccur,alcohol%20and%20substance%20use%20disorders.
Lcsw, K. H. (2022, September 16). Anorexia and Depression. psycom.net. https://www.psycom.net/eating-disorders/anorexia/anorexia-and-depression
Spann, M. (2023, December 7). The connection between anxiety and eating disorders. Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders. https://www.rosewoodranch.com/the-connection-between-anxiety-and-eating-disorders/
Center, T. K. R. T., Mamorrow, & Mamorrow. (2023, February 17). Can depression lead to an eating disorder? Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center https://timberlineknolls.com/about/blog/can-depression-lead-to-an-eating-disorder/
