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Bulimia and Street Drugs
Contributor: Leigh Bell, BA, writer for Eating Disorder Hope]
People with bulimia are far more likely to do drugs than the general population, and even more likely than people with restrictive types of eating disorders. The research consistently shows bulimia is highly comorbid with substance abuse, but nobody knows exactly why.
Addictions and Bulimia
Although both drug addiction and bulimia share common traits and are treated similarly, people can’t agree to classify bulimia as addiction1.
Women with bulimia use streets drugs more often than women with anorexia. One study shows more females with bulimia used amphetamines (18%), barbiturates (10%), marijuana (24.7%), and cocaine (12.5%) than with anorexia (3%, 2.2%, 5.2%, and 1.5%, respectively)2.
Another study analyzed over five years 2,436 female inpatients with DSM-IV diagnoses of anorexia, bulimia, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS)3. Of the patients with bulimia, 34% had a substance disorder, which was decidedly more than the other patients: anorexia binge-purge subtype (20%), EDNOS (20%), and anorexia restricting type (5%).
A Connection Between Eating Disorder and Drugs
Research finds the reverse was also true. About 35% of people who abused drugs have had eating disorders, compared to 3% of the general population, according to a report from the National Center of Addition and Substance Abuse (CASA)4.
We don’t yet know exactly why individuals often share a vulnerability for both bulimia and drug abuse, but it could be handful of factors, including depression, impulsivity, and traumatic histories.
Depression, symptoms of depression, and a family history of depression commonly exist both in those with eating disorders and drug abuse, according to the CASA report. So do impulsive personality traits, which may be unique to a subset of so-called multi-impulsive bulimics.
Higher Risks
“These women engage in other impulsive behaviors, such as gambling, shoplifting, promiscuity, and substance use, in addition to their impulsive eating-disorder behaviors.”5
Additionally, women with bulimia have significantly higher rates of sexual and aggravated assault than women without the illness, and the victimization could very well cause or help maintain the bulimia6.
A study of 3,006 women showed almost 26% of women with bulimia had experienced forcible rape compared to 13% of women without bulimia. Aggravated assault was also significantly more prevalent in women with bulimia (27%), as was post-traumatic stress disorder (37%). People who experienced trauma in the past have higher rates of substance abuse.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
Have you or someone you loved suffered from bulimia and street drug abuse? What advice do you have to share for someone newly into their recovery?
About the Author:
Leigh Bell holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Creative Writing and French from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a published author, journalist with 15 years of experience, and a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Leigh is recovered from a near-fatal, decade-long battle with anorexia and the mother of three young, rambunctious children.
References
- Hadad, N., & Knackstedt, L. (2014). Addicted to palatable foods: Comparing the neurobiology of Bulimia Nervosa to that of drug addiction. Psychopharmacology, 231, 1897-1912.
- Wiederman M., Pryor, T. (1996). Substance use among women with eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 20(2), 163-8.
- Blinder, B., Cumella, E., Sanathara V. (2006). Psychiatric comorbidities of female inpatients with eating disorders. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 454-462.
- Wiseman, C., Sunday, S., Halligan, P. Korn, S., Broan, C., & Halmi, K. In: National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. (2003). Food for thought: substance abuse and eating disorders. National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.
- Woodside, D.B. (2008). Substance abuse in women with bulimia nervosa. Psychiatric Times.
- Dansky, B National Women’s Study: Relationship of victimization and post-traumatic stress disorder to bulimia nervosa.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on May 28th, 2015
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
