Emotional Effects Of Eating Disorders: How An Eating Disorder Impacts You

Medically reviewed by Andrea Brant, LMHC
Updated November 4, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team
Please be advised, the below article might mention trauma-related topics that include suicide, substance use, or abuse which could be triggering to the reader.
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Eating disorders can impact more than eating habits and behaviors. These mental health conditions can significantly impact someone’s emotional well-being, as well. Understanding the emotional impacts of an eating disorder may help you notice the mental signs of these conditions and receive early intervention before physical impacts are noticed. 

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What are eating disorders? 

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), eating disorders are characterized by “a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behavior that results in the altered consumption or absorption of a food and that significantly impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning.” An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition that can lead to significant emotional and physical impacts.

A number of factors may cause eating disorders. Diet culture, unrealistic beauty standards, the presence of other mental health conditions, and experiencing childhood trauma like physical or sexual abuse can all heighten the risk of a person developing an eating disorder. Eating disorders can often be treated with the intervention of a mental health professional. 

Common eating disorders: Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder

The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder (BED). However, other conditions may also be diagnosed, such as rarer eating disorders like pica and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). 

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa, often referred to as anorexia, is a mental health condition in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight. They may severely restrict their food intake and engage in excessive exercise or other unhealthy behaviors to promote weight loss. People with anorexia typically have a warped sense of body image in which they believe they are overweight no matter how much weight they lose. This belief causes some people with anorexia to maintain weight levels significantly lower than what would be considered a medically normal weight for their age, height, and gender. 

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa, typically abbreviated to bulimia, is another eating disorder that is usually driven by body image concerns. However, the distortion in perceived weight may not be as extreme as with anorexia. As opposed to food restriction, bulimia involves binging, eating large amounts of food in a short period, and purging, engaging in compensatory behaviors like forcing oneself to vomit or using laxatives. Bulimia can have severe physical health impacts from the constant disruption of a person’s digestive cycle. 

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder may not be associated with body image concerns in the same way that anorexia and bulimia are. Binge eating disorders often develop as maladaptive coping mechanisms for processing negative emotions. Binge eating disorder involves the same binging patterns as bulimia but no compensatory purging. People with binge eating disorder may believe they are out of control during their binges and experience extreme shame or guilt. 

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What are the emotional effects of eating disorders?

Eating disorders can have a range of emotional impacts on people experiencing them, including:

  • High levels of shame, guilt, and embarrassment
  • A sense of hopelessness
  • A sense of being constantly “on edge” and anticipating future catastrophes
  • Low self-esteem 
  • Loneliness, often resulting from intentional isolation from friends, family members, and other loved ones to hide one’s disordered eating behavior and worsening emotional state
  • Self-loathing
  • High levels of stress and anxiety and a sense that one is under a lot of pressure and constantly overwhelmed
  • Thoughts of perpetual inadequacy
  • Intense fear of weight gain
  • Mood swings
  • Irritability

Other impacts of eating disorders

Eating disorders can have many physical, emotional, and mental impacts. Below are a few of these. 

Physical effects of eating disorders

The most common physical signs or symptoms of eating disorders include the following: 

  • Extreme, life-threatening levels of weight loss
  • Malnutrition
  • A compromised immune system
  • Brittle nails and hair
  • Dry skin
  • Lanugo, or a fine coating of hair all over the body to promote warmth due to unhealthy depletion of fat stores
  • Osteoporosis
  • Muscle loss
  • Heart irregularities and palpitations
  • Cardiovascular concerns
  • Electrolyte imbalances from excessive binging and purging
  • Tooth decay from high levels of exposure to stomach acid in vomit
  • Diabetes
  • Joint pain
  • Sleep apnea
  • Mobility issues
  • Dehydration
  • Loss of libido
  • Persistent sore throat and difficulty swallowing
  • Organ failure (in severe cases)

Mental effects of eating disorders

Common mental impacts of eating disorders include the following: 

  • Believing one is “worthless”
  • A preoccupation with food consumption, dieting, exercise schedules, fasting, body image and shape, weighing oneself, weight loss trends, etc. 
  • Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities or any activity that does not involve monitoring one’s food intake or planning binges and purges
  • Difficulties with concentrating, paying attention, focusing, and remembering 
  • Higher levels of impulsivity
  • Brain fog
  • A distorted sense of body image
  • Development of other mental disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders

Mental health support for addressing an eating disorder

The unhealthy thought patterns and disordered eating behaviors associated with eating disorders are typically beyond the ability of a client to address on their own. Working with a licensed mental health professional on eating disorder symptoms may be helpful.  

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Accessible therapy for eating disorders

Because one of the emotional effects of an eating disorder is intense feelings of shame and guilt about disordered eating behaviors, authentically engaging in therapy can be challenging. Online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp could be one method of mitigating this situation, as people may find the distance provided by an online conversation could encourage them to open up. In addition, online platforms allow greater control over how one receives support, allowing them to choose between phone, video, or live chat sessions. 

Research has found that online therapeutic intervention may be as effective as traditional in-person therapy at addressing symptoms of several mental health conditions, including eating disorders. One group of researchers conducted a study examining the efficacy of online therapy in treating bulimia and found that clients who participated in online therapy had similar positive outcomes to those who participated in therapy sessions in person. 

Takeaway

Eating disorders can have a range of emotional effects, including symptoms of anxiety and depression, heightened levels of stress, and a diminished sense of self-esteem and self-worth. These impacts may be mitigated with the help of a therapist, whether online or in your area.
Healing from eating disorders is possible
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