A lot of people in the medical circles have been highlighting that eating disorders resemble substance abuse. There is actual science behind it. But before we explain that science answers a question like, “Is An Eating Disorder An Addiction?”, we are going to discuss the basics first, so we can have an overall overview of the context and link between eating disorders and addiction. After we are done explaining, we are going to suggest the Inland Empire Behavioral Group’s mental wellness services that are related to eating disorders and addiction. Let’s begin from the ground up and build up on the topic:

What is an Eating Disorder?

Before we answer everything related to, “Is An Eating Disorder An Addiction?”, we should know what an eating disorder actually is. Eating disorders are characterized by coping mechanisms that involve food for negative thoughts and problematic behavior. There are different types of eating disorders but some of these are more common than most as mentioned below. Knowing about some of these might help with differentiating the best treatment for food addiction and will also give answers to questions like, is binge eating an addiction?:

Anorexia Nervosa

When someone is suffering from Anorexia Nervosa, then they probably fear gaining weight, and to get rid of that thought they avoid eating food, and if they do, they do it selectively. This leads to problems like malnutrition and extreme loss in weight. Sufferers fear gaining weight because of body dysmorphia. Anorexia itself can be divided into two different subtypes: The restrictive subtype and the binge-eating subtype.

Restrictive Subtype

The restrictive subtype of anorexia is defined by weight-loss behavior that involves fasting, dieting, and participating in excessive exercise.

Binge-eating Subtype

This is the subtype of anorexia, where the behavior is bearing witness to intermittent bouts of overeating so much that one might consider therapy for food addiction and the sudden rush to get rid of the extra calories that were ingested as part of the binge eating episode through things like vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, or exercising excessively.

Bulimia Nervosa

It is something that can make us ask questions like, “Is An Eating Disorder An Addiction?”. In Bulimia Nervosa, a person acts similarly to someone who might be suffering from the binge-eating subtype of Anorexia. But the periods of binge-eating episodes in this one don’t subside until one is full. During one of these episodes, the affected individual feels they are unable to stop and continue to eat food in just a limited period of time. Affected individuals end up eating the food that they usually avoid. Then they try to get rid of the food fast, through various methods like:

• Forced Vomiting
• Using Enemas
• High-Intensity Exercise
• Using Laxatives or diuretics
• Fasting

Binge-eating Disorder (BED):

Characteristics-wise, BED is similar to other binging disorders but has one specific difference. Sufferers never feel a smidge of hunger. And they would still overeat to the extent that they feel full enough to vomit. Unlike other binge-eating disorders though, individuals suffering from BED, do not feel a need to purge the food they have eaten. People suffering from BED predominantly eat ultra-processed food rather than whole foods.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

Is an eating disorder an addiction? An eating disorder like ARFID might make us believe. Individuals suffering from ARFID have a complete disinterest in eating food and even hate characteristics about it, for example, smells, tastes, colors, textures, or temperatures. There are certain ways they can go about doing that:

• Avoiding social occasions and opportunities, so they can avoid eating food in a social context
• Stunted growth due to nutritional deficiencies
• Avoiding food to the extent that required calories are not taken
• Tube feeding

So, Is An Eating Disorder An Addiction?

The physiological processes that we go through for an eating disorder are the same as someone who has a substance abuse addiction. Individuals who binge-eat are also highly vulnerable to eating processed food, which is extremely unhealthy and can lead to something like heart disease and addiction. This is evidenced in the neurobiological findings of the studies done on both the variables, eating disorders, and addiction. This type of mental illness cannot be cured but can be treated via certain treatments, so individuals have to learn to accept it and adjust accordingly.

The Similarities Between Eating Disorders and Addiction

There are a lot of similarities between eating disorders and addiction. Both of the symptoms overlap with each other. But to give you better context on the question, “Is an eating disorder an addiction?”. Some of these are listed below:

• An urgent craving to dwell in addictive behavior
• Repeated failures at resistance
• Addictive behavior persists even after negative effects
• Coping mechanisms
• Concerns about the behavior
• Loss of control and brittle egos

Differences Between Eating Disorders and Addiction

While similarities abound between eating disorders and addictions, there are also a lot of addictions that bring us closer to the answer to a question like this: “Is an eating disorder an addiction.” The major difference is that unlike addiction when you are addicted to something during an eating disorder, it does not have to be specific. You can get addicted to fizzy drinks, pizza, or even cheese or eggs but you cannot get addicted to just one thing like when one does when suffering from addiction. In addition to that, people who suffer from binge-eating episodes will always try to avoid them, in contrast to addicts who will actively try to find their next rush. Moreover, people who have healed from eating disorders will not replace their addiction to food with substances like alcohol or recreational drugs. Hopefully, this answers a lot of questions like, “Is binge eating an addiction.”

Learn More: Types of Eating Disorders That Are More About Feelings Than Food

Common Myths Relating to Eating Disorders and Addiction

There are a lot of myths surrounding eating disorders and addiction. People would rather make things up than go to therapy for food addiction:

Myth 1 Eating disorders cause addiction

Many believe that eating disorders can cause addiction or vice versa. There is no link between them to behave like this. Eating disorders though can co-occur with addiction and the other way around.

Myth 2 Hit Two Targets With One Arrow

People think once either the eating disorder or the addiction is cured the other one will do too. That is wrong. While some of their symptoms are similar, they also different a lot from each other, making it paramount to get therapy that focuses on both ailments.

Myth 3 Recovery from either of these is not possible

It has been said again and again that while many mental conditions are impossible to cure, they are always treatable. In that same vein, both addiction and eating disorders can be treated seamlessly.

Hopefully, this myth-busting will also help in abating the curiosity surrounding questions like, “Is an eating disorder an addiction.” You cannot say something like that you are looking for food addiction therapy because food and addiction are correlated a bit but do not have a cause-and-effect relationship. You will essentially say that you are looking for a treatment that treats both ailments simultaneously.

Treatment

Treatment of eating disorders and addiction is not exactly the same. Below are the ways they can be treated properly:

For eating disorders, a combination of talk therapy like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), medication, and certain lifestyle changes can help in abating its symptoms. In CBT a mental health professional will help you find solutions to the negative thought processes that lead to problematic behavior, which in this case are the coping mechanisms that use food, along with medication like antidepressants being the most effective and changes in your routine, for example, better sleep, can all contribute to the treatment for eating disorders or perhaps can be said is the best treatment for food addiction.

For addiction, there is a specific medication including therapy called MAT, which stands for Medication Assisted Therapy, which is a type of treatment that combines different types of alternative counseling practices, state-of-the-art therapies, and medication management for substance abuse. This way, a “whole patient” treatment is provided to patients suffering from substance abuse as a mental health professional will review and monitor the ongoing progression of the treatment and adjust the treatment accordingly.

Concluding Words

If you are asking questions like, “I have an addiction to food?”, “Is binge eating an addiction?” or if you are trying to find an eating addiction therapy, then we are the people you need to contact. We at Inland Empire Behavioral Group have experts who are adept at treating both addiction-related problems and eating disorders. If you are still asking, “Is An Eating Disorder an Addiction?” Then again we have to say: You have come to the right place to find all your answers not just for addiction but for other mental conditions like Anxiety and OCD.