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Eating disorders frequently co-occur with drug and alcohol abuse. Either condition can be devastating on its own; when they occur together, the combination can seem insurmountable.
Even though your dual condition can feel hopeless, it’s not. With the right help and resources, you can overcome your eating disorder and your substance abuse disorder. Our addiction recovery program will equip you with healthy coping tools and a compassionate support network to manage your dual diagnosis safely.
With research-backed therapies tailored to your unique needs, our dual diagnosis treatment program can help relieve symptoms, improve coping abilities, and restore quality of life.
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that involve extreme, unhealthy eating behaviors. They come in different forms, but all eat away at health, happiness, and self-esteem.
There are several types of eating disorders:
Eating disorders affect aspects of both physical and mental health. The behaviors lead to symptoms that can persist for months or years if left untreated. The most common signs of an eating disorder are:
Eating disorders are influenced by genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors. Common risk factors include:
If you’re struggling, specialized support is available—our caring team of mental health professionals at Ardu understands these complex illnesses and how to address them.
Young women between the ages of 13 and 20 have the highest incidence rates of eating disorders. 13% of female teenagers and young adults are expected to receive a diagnosis at some point during their early life. Epidemiological research continues to demonstrate that anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are more prevalent among females than males.
Women are nearly three times as likely to develop clinically diagnosable eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder compared to men. An ongoing study in Minnesota revealed that the incidence of anorexia has been increasing over the last 50 years, specifically in females aged 15 to 24.
We understand the immense pressure young women face that amplifies eating disorder risk. Ardu Recovery Center provides a safe, judgment-free haven for ladies of all ages to heal. Our women’s rehab program nurtures self-love and inner peace through evidence-based therapies, holistic services, and a community-driven approach tailored to women of all ages.
Though traditionally misunderstood, male eating disorders also deeply damage health and self-esteem. Ardu’s men’s treatment program offers vital help to promote self-care and body acceptance.
Research indicates that up to 50% of people with an eating disorder will abuse alcohol or illegal substances. Many people with eating disorders may turn to alcohol or drugs as coping mechanisms in response to trauma, anxiety, or low self-esteem. Substance use can serve as a way to numb emotions or cope with negative feelings associated with the eating disorder. This reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms can exacerbate the challenges of recovery and increase the risk of relapse for both disorders.
Alcohol addiction and eating disorders have similar effects on the brain, namely the disruption of dopamine signaling in the brain’s reward pathway. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that registers experiences as pleasurable, reinforcing those behaviors. Over time, alcohol and disordered eating patterns numb dopamine response circuits through repeated overstimulation.
This numbing effect perpetuates reliance on alcohol or eating behaviors as people try to achieve the same level of dopamine reward, worsening addiction and disease progression.
A 2010 study on substance use in women with anorexia nervosa found that alcohol and cannabis were the most commonly abused illicit substances. The study also revealed that:
Ardu provides comprehensive support for alcohol rehabilitation and detox. Our medically supervised detox program safely cleanses toxins from your body to minimize distressing withdrawal symptoms. Once detox is over, we’ll help you develop long-term habits and lifestyle changes that will ensure sustained sobriety.
Dual diagnosis is the presence of two or more co-existing mental health conditions such as an eating disorder and addiction. If a person is struggling with two co-occurring disorders, the best way to approach and treat them is through integrated dual-diagnosis care.
Here are some key benefits of an integrated dual diagnosis treatment approach to treat eating disorders and co-occurring addiction:
Ardu’s staff includes eating disorder specialists, compassionate therapists, and dual diagnosis case coordinators who collaborate closely to support your recovery journey. These issues are intensely personal at their core. We will be a caring companion through vulnerable healing work to empower your growth and resilience one step at a time.
Contact Ardu and get the personalized treatment you need to embark on your recovery journey.
Co-occurring disorders can feel like a lonely, uphill battle. At Ardu, you can expect integrated dual diagnosis support to help you prevail. Our evidence-based therapies aim for whole-health healing by addressing the interconnectedness of addiction and disordered eating.
The first step is to assess your dual diagnosis. We begin care with comprehensive evaluations of addiction severity and eating disorder symptoms from top specialists in both fields. They work with you to identify unique triggers, thought patterns, and goals so that they can develop a customized treatment plan catering to your needs through every phase of recovery.
Another important first step is to determine if detox is needed. Detox safely cleanses substances from your body under 24/7 medical supervision, easing withdrawal. Once assessments and detox are complete, your integrated treatment plan launches into action.
You’ll have access to individual and group psychotherapy sessions using modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing. These help foster self-awareness, develop healthy coping mechanisms, understand the interconnectedness of your disorders, and build motivation for change.
If needed, our psychiatrists may prescribe medications to stabilize mood and anxiety and supplement the psychotherapy process. Our registered dietitians also provide nutrition optimization guidance catered to your physical and mental health needs.
We provide a comfortable, homelike environment to make you feel safe as you work through challenges big and small. Yoga, art therapy, music therapy, outdoor recreation, and other forms of holistic treatments give outlets to de-stress.
We continually monitor your progress in managing substance use urges and disordered eating patterns, making adjustments as needed to stabilize symptoms. Every customized treatment step promotes a better understanding of your co-occurring disorders and creates a clearer path to recovery.
At our addiction treatment facility, we believe in a multifaceted approach to healing. That’s why we customize treatment plans with diverse therapies for sustainable success in recovery.
Some of the therapies we offer include:
Addiction and eating disorders often critically impact family systems. Our family therapy program helps repair damaged relationships, educates loved ones on compassionately supporting recovery, and fosters open communication to facilitate healing for everyone involved.
Individual and group counseling sessions incorporate leading therapies for treating addiction, eating disorders, and mental health issues concurrently. For example, motivational enhancement, CBT, and DBT help clients manage cravings, regulate emotions, improve body image, and overcome self-harm impulses stemming from or exacerbating co-occurring disorders.
Psychiatrists prescribe medications to alleviate withdrawal, prevent relapse, stabilize mood swings, regulate sleep and appetite, and reduce agitation and depression, alongside therapy.
Through experiential modalities, clients express themselves in empowering ways, process trauma, reduce anxiety and depression, and build self-awareness around the root causes fueling co-occurring addiction and eating disorders. We employ art, music, yoga, and recreational activities to help them develop healthy coping skills for ongoing relapse prevention.
In recovery, lapses are an expected part of the journey. It’s not easy to change deep-rooted behaviors overnight. Ardu Recovery Center teaches that brief setbacks don’t erase all progress or make someone a failure after working hard in treatment. Our relapse prevention planning involves identifying personal triggers, learning coping strategies, and creating crisis intervention plans to get back on track.
We know recovering from co-occurring disorders requires ongoing support even after intensive treatment. Our attentive aftercare team designs a transition plan suited to your needs, arranging outpatient counseling, peer support communities, and sober housing to create a smooth transition back into the real world.
Ardu is proud to be a source of motivation, treatment, and resources for maintaining holistic wellness and a fulfilling life long after you return home.
The professionals at Ardu have experience dealing with even the most extreme cases of drug addiction. Our drug addiction program offers a full suite of inpatient and outpatient services . We understand the challenges that people face in overcoming addiction, and we provide comprehensive support to make the recovery process as comfortable as possible.
In addition to drug addiction treatment, we also offer treatment for alcohol use disorders, as well as alcohol detox.
To enroll in an Ardu program, contact us online or via phone (801-872-8480). We will work with you to find a recovery path that works for you during detox and beyond.
If you want to verify your insurance coverage and gather more payment information, see our insurance verification page.
The most common co-occurring mental health condition paired with an eating disorder diagnosis is a mood disorder such as major depressive disorder or one of the many types of anxiety disorders. Data illustrates over 50% of those struggling with disordered eating patterns and a distorted relationship with food and body image also fulfill diagnostic criteria for additional comorbid psychiatric issues such as:
Mood disorders frequently emerge before the eating illness, but research recognizes the bidirectional influence each disorder has in potentially triggering and amplifying the other. The most common causes for this are the interconnected biological pathways and unhealthy attempts at managing negative emotions.
Aside from mood disorders, other psychiatric illnesses often comorbid with eating disorders involve substance use, self-harm behaviors, and cluster B personality disorders like borderline personality (BPD). The harsh physical and emotional impacts of an eating disorder tend to predispose sufferers to multiple complex mental health issues over time if the co-occurring eating disorder persists untreated.
The dual pathway model proposes two central risk trajectories:
Those predisposed towards either distorted body perception or difficulty constructively managing negative emotions are most vulnerable to developing disturbed eating habits in an attempt to numb distress.
While anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder all severely degrade health, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate. Extreme malnutrition and the compensatory purging often associated with anorexia contribute to organ failure, permanent medical damage, infertility, and up to a 20% death risk if the eating disorder persists untreated.
The psychosomatic theory of eating disorders proposes that unresolved trauma and psychological stress manifest through physical symptoms, expressed in part through severely disrupted eating habits. Binging, purging, starvation and overexercise provide outlets for the inner emotional turmoil that subconsciously surfaces through these maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Cognitive theory posits that dysfunctional thought patterns fixated on being thin, perfectionism, and fear of weight gain can initiate and fuel recurrent cycles of eating disorders. Addressing the cognitive distortions behind disordered eating through behavioral interventions is an integral element of multifaceted, evidence-based eating disorder treatment and recovery.
The more currently accepted term relative to dual diagnosis is “co-occurring disorders”–the presence of multiple comorbid mental health diagnoses. This language describes when someone simultaneously meets the criteria for two or more psychiatric illnesses, such as having an eating disorder diagnosis alongside a co-occurring mood disorder.
The language emphasizes assessment and integrated treatment should originate from both eating disorder and substance abuse treatment specialists in addition to psychological and medical professionals. An evidence-backed multi-level care approach addresses both the emotional trauma, lack of control around food intake, and social anxiety tied to body image issues that commonly influence disordered eating patterns and addictive disorders.
While rapid “cures” for complex co-occurring conditions do not yet exist, research proves meeting criteria for two or more illnesses concurrently means an integrated treatment approach addressing both has the highest efficacy. By treating interconnected emotional and biological drivers behind disordered eating and substance abuse, for example, through a mix of therapies, med management, and teaching healthy coping mechanisms, sustained remission is possible by lifting debilitating symptoms.
The initial step upon suspecting potential co-occurrence of an eating disorder with additional psychiatric issues like trauma or OCD is a thorough assessment determining factors contributing to each illness. Then, an evidence-based integrated treatment plan led by a collaborative specialty team to stabilize dangerous or impairing conditions through methods like medical care and counseling. Custom-tailored simultaneous treatment for co-occurring disorders increases the odds of long-term recovery.
Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy on March 21, 2024
Issue 58 I The Link Between Drugs, Alcohol and Eating Disorders. (n.d.). https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorder-resources/find-resources/show/issue-58-i-the-link-between-drugs-alcohol-and-eating-disorders
Root, T., Pinheiro, A. P., Thornton, L., Strober, M., Fernandez-Aranda, F., Brandt, H., Crawford, S., Fichter, M. M., Halmi, K. A., Johnson, C., Kaplan, A. S., Klump, K. L., Via, M. L., Mitchell, J., Woodside, D. B., Rotondo, A., Berrettini, W. H., Kaye, W. H., & Bulik, C. M. (2009). Substance Use Disorders in Women with Anorexia Nervosa. The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 43(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.20670
Statistics & Research on Eating Disorders – National Eating Disorders Association. (2018, February 19). National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/statistics-research-eating-disorders/
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