Many individuals with disordered eating also suffer from anxiety
Eating Disorders are scary things: it takes an enormous amount of effort and energy for someone to willingly starve themselves and obsess about their appearance in such an extreme way. Along with those worries comes the anxiety that they aren’t succeeding well enough.
Anxiety disorders are often related to eating disorders. They’re when people feel frightened and angst-ridden for no apparent reason. Little things may trigger an anxiety attack that can seem totally out of the blue.
They also affect sleep, the ability to function, physical pains and discomfort, dizziness, abdominal pain, numbness in parts of the body, and hot/cold sensations. These symptoms are also common in eating disorders, making these a hazardous mix.
Individuals with eating disorders are also prone to be perfectionists, which make their anxiety levels skyrocket. They worry about what others think about them, they obsess about seemingly unimportant things, all leading to more anxiety and the possibility of an anxiety attack.
To help alleviate anxiety, Doctors recommend doing relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and tai chi, while taking the time to breathe deeply. Clearing the mind before an anxiety attack can lessen the impact and frequency of them.
Living with an eating disorder is stressful enough, but adding an anxiety disorder makes it unbearable. Please seek treatment from a professional if you are experiencing either of these disorders.
