WHAT WE TREAT
Co-morbidity, the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition, is quite common in individuals with eating disorders. Here are some mental health conditions that often co-occur with eating disorders, along with their emotional experiences and outward behaviors that may serve as red flags:
The vast majority (97%) of people hospitalized for an eating disorder have a co-occurring health condition. Mood disorders, like major depression, are the primary underlying condition followed by anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorder.
An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older (about 1 in 4 adults) suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with substance use and anxiety disorders.
What it can feel like: Feelings of persistent sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, feelings of worthlessness, and a pervasive sense of despair. It can also become increasingly challenging to show up for any duties or obligations, or feeling too exhausted to get out of bed every day.
What is can look like: Withdrawal from social activities or responsibilities, changes in sleep patterns (either insomnia or hypersomnia), significant weight changes, decreased energy, and in some cases, expressions of suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
What it can feel like: Excessive worry, feelings of nervousness, restlessness, and a sense of impending doom or danger. Fear that is out of proportion to the actual situation.
What it can look like: Avoidance of certain situations, compulsive behaviors, difficulty concentrating, physical symptoms like increased heart rate, trembling, sweating, gastrointestinal issues, or panic attacks.
What it can look like: Flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event. May include feelings of guilt, loneliness, or detachment from others.
What it can feel like: Avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma, sudden angry outbursts, being easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge,” difficulty sleeping, and self-destructive behavior.
What it can feel like: Dependence on substances to cope with negative emotions or to feel normal, feelings of guilt or shame about substance use, inability to control or stop substance use despite the desire to do so.
What it can look like: Changes in friend groups, secretive behavior, neglecting responsibilities, needing more of the substance to get the same effect, withdrawal symptoms when not using, pupils appearing either too large or too small for the environment.
What it can feel like: In manic phases, individuals may experience feelings of euphoria, irritability, or grandiosity. In depressive phases, they may exhibit symptoms similar to major depressive disorder.
What it can look like: During manic phases, increased activity levels, reduced need for sleep, rapid speech, impulsivity, risky behavior. During depressive phases, symptoms similar to major depression.
What it can feel like: vivid hallucinations, intense paranoia/delusions, struggling with decision making and daily tasks, feeling numb or disconnected from your emotions, constant worry due to unpredictable symptoms, isolating like no one understands what you are experiencing or believes you.
What it can look like: incoherent conversation, illogical task completion, unusual behavior or remaining motionless, responding to unseen stimuli, talking to imaginary entities, expressing irrational fears or beliefs, preference for isolation, appearing emotionally flat or unresponsive.
What It Can Feel Like: Having a hard time distinguishing between what is real and what is imagined, experiencing big emotional extremes high (mania) and lows (depression), persistent fear and anxiety, isolation and feeling loneliness, problems with memory, concentration, decision making, feeling overwhelmed.
What is can look like: Disorganized thinking, hallucinations, delusions, episodes of mania, depression, unpredictable behavior, difficulty in social situations, impaired functioning, fluctuating emotions that seem out of context.
What it can feel like: Persistent distraction, difficulty focusing, feeling overwhelmed. Internal restlessness, urge to move, discomfort in stillness. Lack of control over actions, spontaneous decisions or comments. Heightened emotions, quick temper, easily upset. Skewed perception of time, constant stress about being behind. Difficulty organizing thoughts and tasks.
What it can look like: Difficulty sustaining attention, not following instructions, forgetfulness. Excessive fidgeting, restlessness, wearing others out with activity. Interrupting others, blurting out answers, difficulty waiting turns. Disproportionate emotional reactions, sudden anger or laughter. Tardiness, missed deadlines, rushing tasks. Messy work area, losing important items, general chaos.
All Rights Reserved 2024
