How Substance Abuse Can Fuel Food Disorders?

Substance abuse and eating disorders can be complicated and deceitful partners in crime. Researches indicate that nearly half of the people under the influence of food disorders invariably take to abusing on drugs or alcohol. Also, studies have revealed that more than 35% of the people with substance addiction also occupy themselves with habits of overeating disorder. These distinct patterns take a few different shapes and often feed off one another, thereby generating a vicious cycle of alcohol, drugs, weight loss and emotional pain.

It’s been observed that drug abuse, alcohol addiction and food disorders frequently originate from the same underlying problems. Because of this, more often, they are found to affect people at the same time. Some of these basic issues include.

1. Impulsive behavior

Researchers hypothesize that impulsive conducts often give rise to concurrent substance abuse and eating disorders. Problems related to impulsivity engender when individuals exhibit an inability to grapple with self-inflicted actions which are harmful to their health, relationships, careers or finances. Aspects of food disorders like binging and characteristics of drug or alcohol abuse, in many instances, are intensified by an uncontrollable impulse that eventually leads people to end up with dire consequences.

2. Coinciding genetics

A recent report by the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs discerned that a few similar genetic traits that make individuals susceptible to developing addiction can likewise put them at the risk of disordered eating. Data collected from just about 6,000 twins demonstrated that the genetic qualities which increased the dangers of alcohol addiction also make people vulnerable to food disorders like binging and followed by purging.

3. Daunting circumstances

At our RiverMend inpatient eating disorder treatment centers, we often come across patients who’re predisposed to co-occurring substance abuse and food disorders that are sparked off by challenging situations in their lives. These include unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships, erratic rage and indignation, traumatic incidents and attachment problems, for example, a careless, oppressive or excessively involved parent. They bring about depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder which in turn contribute to substance abuse and disordered eating.

4. Self-medicating behavior

A lot of patients who enroll for our RiverMend eating disorder recovery program are found to have stricken with disorderly eating behaviors or substance abuse caused by self-medication. They don’t exhibit healthy coping skills to address suppressed issues like trauma and mental health disorders. They take recourse to alcohol and drugs to cope. In like manner, food disorders like binging and purging, restricted eating and over-exercising serve a similar purpose.

5. Mental health disorders

Numerous studies reveal that food disorders and substance abuse co-exist with kindred underlying mental health conditions, particularly personality disorders and mood disorders. If psychiatric problems go unnoticed and are left untreated, people develop the urge for binge eating and drugs or alcohol abuse in order to alleviate some of their symptoms. These activities can make individuals who are deficient in dopamine and alternative feel-good neurotransmitters and battling with emotional well-being issues have a feeling of a temporary respite

Stify George is a professional Medical Practitioner, Addiction Experts at https://www.rivermendhealth.com/. She is also a Traveller and Avid reader.