A person with bulimia commonly displays impulsive behaviors in their eating, such as binging on abnormally large amounts of food, engaging in purging behaviors, etc. Common Personality Traits: ImpulsivityĪ common personality trait seen in individuals who develop bulimia is impulsivity. Some research has speculated that individuals who develop bulimia and alcoholism, or other substance abuse disorders, have underlying personality traits that are unique to the types of behaviors that are commonly observed in these disorders. When comparing bulimia and alcoholism, there may be similarities between these two disorders that can give clues as to why these co-occurring disorders can develop together. What are the connections between substance abuse and eating disorders? More specifically, what are the similarities between bulimia and alcoholism that make individuals more likely to develop a co-occurring relationship? With growing rates of substance abuse and eating disorders, increasing awareness and understanding can ultimately lead to improved treatment efforts for those who are suffering and the community at large. The converse relationship has been observed as well, where up to 35 percent of individuals dependent on drugs or alcohol develop eating disorders, compared to 3 percent of the general population 1. Some studies have observed that up to 50 percent of people with eating disorders abuse illicit drugs or alcohol compared to approximately 9 percent of the general population 1. Research has demonstrated that individuals with eating disorders were up to 5 times as likely as those without eating disorders to abuse illicit drugs or alcohol 1.
The relationship also works the other way, where people who struggle with substance abuse have a higher chance of developing a mental illness, like an eating disorder. The connection between eating disorders and substance abuse is undeniable, and many individuals who suffer with a mental illness, such as an eating disorder, are more likely to develop substance abuse.
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