Anorexia Nervosa

Addiction

Strong arguments suggest that anorexia nervosa is a form of addiction. Those afflicted with anorexia are commonly characterized as perfectionists and over-achievers who appear to be in control. This delusion of self-mastery, perfection, and control associated with anxiety and depression are common personality traits that predispose an individual to developing addictive behaviors.

Clinically, supportive arguments affirming that anorexia is an addiction suggest that anorexia and substance abuse behaviors share similar pathology. Both forms of addiction have the potential to progressively become compulsive behaviors. To further demonstrate this point, consider the situation of an anorexic that began a diet to just lose a few pounds and an alcoholic who began using alcohol for recreational purposes only. Both individuals were engaged in what could be considered healthy or harmless activities that eventually developed into destructive, compulsive, and obsessive life-threatening behaviors. Biologically, the victims of anorexia and alcohol need continual and increasing stimuli to achieve the same effect they experienced when they first began their behavior. Therefore, a tolerance is formed: The anorexic must restrict more food and increase exercise to produce the sensations of accomplishment or control just as the alcoholic must consume higher amounts of alcohol to receive the same euphoric effect. Also, behaviors of the alcoholic and anorexic mutually show a strong compulsion to continue the behavior despite the developing destructive medical condition.

The relationship between anorexia and other addictions also share the habitual nature of the attitudes and behaviors, such as frequent episodes, repeated unsuccessful efforts to stop, change of lifestyle, an increase in the severity of symptoms over time, inability to adjust to normative social changes as a result of symptoms associated with the disorder, relapse following treatment, and an increased urge to continue the addiction over time. Addictive psychological and behavioral coping patterns may leave the individual vulnerable to developing other addictions.

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