Posts Tagged “Co-Occurring Disorders”

Episode description:

In this episode of Peace Meal, we hear from Jami Schadler, a mom of four and passionate eating disorder advocate from Dyersville, Iowa. Jami opens up about her 25-year struggle with an eating disorder, how unresolved childhood trauma played a role, and the turning point that sparked her recovery.

Now in recovery, Jami is dedicated to helping others find hope and healing. She shares how her advocacy began with a single social media post and grew into something much larger: facilitating a support group with NAMI Dubuque, working as an Ambassador with the Eating Disorders Coalition, and even spearheading a proclamation to recognize National Eating Disorders Awareness Week in her community.

Throughout the conversation, Jami emphasizes the importance of education, connection, and advocacy in breaking down stigma. She offers heartfelt advice to families, encouragement for those who feel isolated, and reflections on what recovery has brought to her life and her children’s lives.

The connection between alcohol use and eating disorders is more common—and more complex—than many people realize.

Research shows that up to half of those with an eating disorder have also struggled with substance use. And for people with a history of substance use challenges, the likelihood of also experiencing an eating disorder is approximately 11 times higher than in the general population.

While every story is different, eating disorders and substance use disorders can share common threads, such as emotional pain, histories of trauma, or traits like impulsivity and perfectionism. Disordered eating and substance use behaviors may look different on the outside, but both can serve as ways to cope with overwhelming thoughts or feelings.

You look in the mirror for what feels like all hours of the day. You cannot stop fixating on your perceived “flaws,” frequently examining your face for blemishes and picking at your skin to try to make it look “smooth.” These near-constant thoughts about your appearance are taking over your life, affecting your relationships, passions, school, and work. 

You may be experiencing more than commonplace appearance insecurities. Symptoms like yours could indicate an eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or both. There are ways in which BDD and eating disorders overlap, but they are two distinct mental health conditions. 

One of the most challenging center situations faced by a medical provider can be discerning when an eating disorder is present if accompanied by a co-morbid psychiatric disorder.

At times, clients will struggle overtly with weight or eating issues in the face of known mental illnesses including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and substance use. In fact, diagnostic criteria for depression include changes in appetite, eating, and weight. Individuals with OCD or anxiety may limit their food intake or binge eat in response to their emotional and physiologic states. Substance use can also alter appetite leading to changes in eating and weight. When first getting to know a client, symptom overlap may make it difficult for a medical practitioner to ascertain if changes in weight or issues with eating are secondary to such psychiatric diagnoses, or if the client has a primary eating disorder with comorbid diagnoses.

Eating disorders are complex illnesses for both the individuals who experience them and the professionals who seek to treat them. Among the complicating factors is that they seldom exist in isolation. Many people suffering from anorexia, bulimia, BED, and other eating disorders also experience other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, or a history of trauma.

The high prevalence of anxiety and depression among those with eating disorders hints at a biological connection between these conditions. Further research is needed to fully understand this relationship—to discern whether anxiety and depression are distinct diagnoses independent of eating disorders or if they are intricately intertwined outcomes of the same underlying biological factors. It’s also possible that these conditions are correlated to the change in brain chemistry that occurs with starvation, bingeing, purging, and/or other eating disorder behaviors.

Note: In this blog, we use identity-first language (e.g., “an autistic individual”) to reflect those who embrace autism as an identity category – a diverse way of perceiving and interacting with the world (Taboas et al., 2022; Bury et al., 2020).  However, we recognize that this language choice may not be suitable for everyone in the community. Whenever possible, please ask individuals about the language appropriate for them. 

Living with and treating an eating disorder may be complicated by the presence of a co-occurring condition, particularly when the condition shares characteristics with an eating disorder. One such condition that shares some psychopathology with a disordered eating mindset—and is frequently seen alongside an eating disorder diagnosis—is autism spectrum disorder.

There are a number of factors that increase the risk of disordered eating or an eating disorder in an autistic individual. By looking at the nature of both eating disorders and autism spectrum disorders, we can better understand their relationship and improve the detection, care, and treatment of both conditions.

Eating disorders impact about 30 million people in the United States. They are associated with high levels of premature mortality, including an increased risk for suicide. Without treatment, up to 20 percent of people with a serious eating disorder will die. Much like eating disorders, suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or any other demographic categorization. 

As providers, there are certain warning signs of suicidal thinking that you should be looking out for, as well as an appropriate way to approach someone when you spot these warning signs.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, but they are still often misunderstood. As with eating disorders, the seriousness of anxiety is often dismissed. When a disorder affects so many people, the behaviors and symptoms can become normalized in our culture, but those suffering deserve help just as much as anyone else. Just like eating disorders are often misunderstood as something that people can just “get over,” many people think anxiety is something that you should be able to move past easily, which is not realistic in either case. In this article, we will cover the definition of anxiety disorder, five common myths, and how eating disorders and anxiety are intertwined.