In recent years, there has been a huge push to support people with mental health issues and diagnoses, which is amazing!  We now have 988 for anyone to dial in case of a mental health emergency, which is similar to 911. Everyone matters; everyone should get the care and compassion they need, especially in this odd time we seem to be in.  In my opinion, it doesn’t even need to be a licensed therapist or counselor.  Most people just want to feel heard, and a friend, loved one, or heck, even someone on social media can listen.  Maybe they have even went through the same thing.

Are you familiar with, or just know of, the DSM-5 TR?  It’s the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, by the American Psychiatric Association.  It is the most comprehensive, current, and critical resource for clinical practice available to mental health clinicians and researchers.  It’s over 1100 pages long!

Almost 2 months ago, I began a new job with Gateway Foundation, who provides treatment for substance use disorder, which is in the DSM-5 TR.  While I am not sure exactly when they were added, eating disorders are included.  I always suspected some similarities between healing and recovery from addiction and eating disorders, but once I began reading some of the training material at work, I was blown away.  Some basics include:  in many cases, mental health goes hand-in-hand with both; willpower works for neither one; you hide it from others with both; you will lose friends upon recovery with both.  Many of the same things help heal both:  positive self-talk, self-care, finding interests, patience, spirituality, embracing your imperfections. Individuals with an eating disorder are more likely to use substances (sometimes to manage weight, but not always.) 

According to a class on reliaslearning.com,  feeding and eating disorders are among the most common psychiatric problems.  They are often difficult to diagnose and many cases go undetected (no one knew about mine unless I told them, which I didn’t until I recovered fully.)  They are associated with severe medical and psychological consequences including growth/developmental delays, osteoporosis, death.  The mortality rate of eating disorders are among the highest of all mental health conditions, and both anorexia and bulimia have a high suicide rate.

As an eating disorders survivor, rather than a clinician, I have opinions and my own first-hand knowledge. I also have opinions on some reasons why we are in the mental health crisis we are in, but that is a separate topic for another time.

In my opinion and first-hand experience, I feel it can largely depend on the individual, but I’d say it’s an approximate 50/50.  Meaning, approximately 50% mental health-related, and approximately 50% other factors.  These other factors may include things such as:  lack of adequate daily nutrition and caloric intake, societal “norms” and pressures, dieting culture and mentality.  And I think at any given time, the ratio could ebb and flow.  I also feel anorexia nervosa, once it gets past a certain point, is mostly a mental health issue rather than the other factors.  While my first-hand experience is not mainly in anorexia, I have this opinion because once an individual gets deprived of nutrition long enough (and as a by-product gets thin enough), their brain could begin to function differently.  And function less-than-optimally since the brain relies on adequate nutrition just like the rest of your body, which would definitely play into a mental health disorder/diagnosis.

The other side of this coin are the examples of bulimia nervosa, exercise bulimia, binge eating disorder (BED), and even orthorexia.  I have experience with all of these except straight-up bulimia.  From my personal experience, these do not begin as a mental health disorder, but rather a “diet,” a concern about personal health, or a cave to the societal pressure to look a specific way.  I began exercising, which sped up my metabolism, which made me hungrier, but since I was “dieting” I withheld food.  What happens next is your body fighting back because hunger and eating = primal survival instinct.  So I’d binge then over-exercise the next day.  Repeat endless cycle.  Orthorexia is a newer diagnosis.  For me, it began as a desire to eat healthy AND remove toxins/unnecessary food additives.  But it quickly become a problem for me when I took in so much conflicting health research that I was afraid to even eat a banana (due to “sugar content”). 

As a side note, I am unsure if these are in the DSM-5 TR, but I have also struggled with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and perfectionism.  Perfectionism almost since birth!  The #1 trait shared by most eating disorder sufferers is perfectionism, and personally I could envision that being a mental health problem, especially if it’s taken too far or it interferes with one’s daily living.

I share all this because, as I stated earlier, people matter!  Happiness and mental health matters.  Our compassion should not have “limits” imposed on it.  Judgement should NOT be at play if someone is struggling.  Or opens up about past struggles in order to possibly reach someone that needs help.  If you knew someone was depressed, or even suicidal, would you think it’s appropriate to brush them off, or say something like, “stop doing X or Y and it’ll stop.”  If you knew someone was a recovering substance abuser, would you brush them off, or offer them an alcoholic beverage?  Or congratulate them?  Or if you knew someone had an eating disorder, would you think it’s appropriate to say something like, “you just need to eat/stop eating X or X “diet” will cure you.”  Lastly, if you found out any of your friends (in-person or social media friends) suffered or were survivors of, mental health issues, addiction, or eating disorders would you stop being friends with them?  Or mock and laugh at them? From personal experience, you might be surprised at the answers to some of these questions.  Those that know me, know I love asking questions that get you to THINK! 😊

 

Mental health issues, substance abuse, and eating disorders have a mortality rate.  Let’s all take some time to do some soul searching.  How compassionate are you?  How connected do you feel to others?  How connected do you see the world?  Do you appreciate when others show compassion towards you?

 

I would love to see this world become a more compassion place, even if, for you, that means saying nothing at all instead of something unkind.  Who’s with me?

https://www.relias.com/clients