Personality Disorders Linked with Eating Disorders
One of the difficulties in treating eating disorders is the initial diagnosis. Many who suffer from eating disorders hide their struggles in shame and often wait years before admitting they have a problem and asking for help. By the time they seek out a doctor or counselor for help, their disease is so advanced that they may have secondary health problems.
A new study has shown that there may be a new indicator for risk among women regarding eating disorders. The findings of the study indicate that there may be warning signs that can help target young women at risk for eating disorders with education and prevention strategies.
The study, conducted at the Universitat Jaume I, showed that among young women diagnosed with eating disorders, specifically anorexia or bulimia, almost half also suffered from a personality disorder. The study identified 48.5 percent of the women with eating disorders as also having a personality disorder, leading the authors to conclude that there is a link between eating disorders and certain personality traits.
The results of the study are critical because though treatment for eating disorders is effective, the rate of relapse needs to be improved. By understanding the underlying personality traits that affect eating disorders, healthcare professionals may be able to help patients avoid relapse.
The study involved 150 participants with an average age of 24, recruited by the researchers at the Department of Basic and Clinic Psychology and Psychobiology. The young women were distributed into three different groups. The first group included women with purging-type bulimia and purging-type anorexia. The second group was not diagnosed but showed restrictive eating behaviors, and the third group was the control group.
Lead author Azucena Garcia Palacios said that the most common pathological personality patterns were related to avoidant and self-destructive types. These personality disorders can accentuate the symptoms of eating disorders and make recovery very difficult.
The results of the study indicate the need for programs that include strategies for treating personality pathologies that may be affecting eating disorders. If the personality disorders are treated in addition to the eating disorders, the young woman can maximize her chances for success in recovery.
Eating disorders are difficult to treat because they are often very advanced by the time an individual seeks help. By continuing to identify the environmental and biological risk factors for eating disorders, healthcare providers can become more skilled at targeting young women at risk to help them avoid serious health consequences.
