OCD & Binge Eating: Are They Connected?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and binge eating disorder (BED) are two different mental health conditions.

‍Fewer than 3% of adults in the United States. will experience OCD or BED in their lifetimes, but research suggests that 41% of people with an eating disorder also have OCD. 

OCD and BED share similar symptoms including those related to impulse and control.

Some research also suggests that people with each condition may have neurobiological similarities.

Thankfully, the same treatment methods can work to treat both BED and OCD.

But understanding where the two overlap and where they differ can help guide the recovery process.

Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between OCD and binge eating and how a dietitian could help. 

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What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

OCD is a mental health condition marked by a cycle of unwanted and uncontrollable obsessions and compulsions. 

People with OCD feel inundated with specific obsessions throughout the day.

These obsessions can include intrusive thoughts and images or urges that bring up upsetting or distressing emotions, like extreme anxiety. 

In an attempt to soothe anxiety and get rid of these obsessions, people with OCD engage in compulsions, or behaviors, that are repeated over and over again. 

Unlike everyday thoughts and urges that come and go, an OCD cycle of obsession and compulsion takes up a significant amount of time and negatively affects a person’s quality of life.

It’s also important to note that while people with OCD engage in compulsive behaviors, these acts can be a significant burden on their lives.

People with OCD can feel “trapped” by their behaviors without knowing how to let them go. 

Symptoms

The main characteristic of OCD is an unwanted cycle of obsession and compulsion.

However, these obsessions and compulsions can look different across individuals with the condition.

Examples of common obsessions in people with OCD include:

• Contamination obsessions, or an obsession with coming into contact with a contaminant, like a virus, chemical, bodily fluids, or dirt. 
• Violent obsessions, including a fear of harming oneself or others or an excessive concern with violent images.
• Sexual obsessions, or fears related to sexual impulses or activity.
• Religious or moral obsessions, including fears of offending a higher power or being perceived as right or wrong morally.
• Perfectionism obsessions, including obsessions with performing tasks “perfectly”.

Examples of common compulsions in people with OCD include:

• Excessively washing and cleaning household items or one’s hands. 
• Checking that the door is locked, the stove is turned off, that you didn’t make a mistake, or that something terrible hasn’t happened.
• Repeating certain activities, like closing or opening doors or tapping/touching objects.
• Mental compulsions, like counting while performing a task or perpetually mentally reviewing events.
• Arranging objects until they feel “perfect.”
• Telling or asking for reassurance.
• Avoiding situations that you believe will trigger your obsessions.

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the United States.

People with BED experience episodes of binge eating, or periods of eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time. 

There are several factors that can contribute to the development of BED, including a history of family conflict, a history of abuse, restricting food intake throughout the day, and distorted body image. 

Unlike bulimia, people with BED do not follow episodes of binging with excessive purging or eliminating food.

Symptoms

Symptoms of BED include:

• Eating large amounts of food in a short period of time.
• Eating large amounts of food even when you’re feeling full.
• Feeling uncomfortably full after eating.
• Eating quickly while binging.
• Eating alone or in secret.
• Feeling ashamed, depressed, or embarrassed about your eating habits.
• Frequently dieting.  

Are OCD and Binge Eating Connected?

People with OCD engage in behaviors that can help them feel more in control of their unwanted obsessions and anxiety, even though these behaviors don’t work to resolve obsessions in the long term. 

Similarly, people with BED can binge eat in an attempt to control their emotions, including those related to a history of trauma, abuse, or their feelings about their body.

Both OCD and BED are marked by feelings of losing control and impulses that aim to regain that control. 

What the Research Says

Research connecting OCD and BED is limited.

However, scientists have been investigating the relationship between OCD and eating disorders in general as early as the 1930s. 

According to a study from 2004, an estimated 64% of people with an eating disorder also have at least one anxiety disorder.

The same study suggests that 41% of people with an eating disorder have OCD specifically.  

A different 2013 study suggests that over 73% of people with BED will have another mental health disorder over the course of their lifetime and that over 2% of people with OCD also have BED.

Findings from a small comparative study looking at the neuropsychological functioning in people with OCD and anorexia suggest that people with OCD and eating disorders may share common neurobiological dysfunctions.

How OCD May Contribute to Binge Eating

Learning about the similarities between OCD and binge eating, it’s easy to speculate how one condition may impact the development of the other.

A study from 2019 suggests that women with OCD were more likely to engage in disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating. 

The Impact of Binge Eating on OCD

Despite the evidence of co-occurrence between BED and OCD, there is limited research to explain how one disorder can impact the development of the other.

Some existing research suggests that the neuroticism and perfectionism associated with both BED and OCD disorder can impact the other.

But more research is needed to determine exactly how binge eating can impact the development or severity of OCD. 

Effects of OCD and Binge Eating on Mental and Physical Health

OCD and BED can have a negative impact on a person’s mental and physical health.

These conditions can affect a person’s quality of life, including their ability to socialize with friends, to perform work duties effectively, and to have a healthy sense of self.   

Treatment Options

Advancements have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of OCD and BED as separate conditions as well as their co-occurrence.

In many cases, common treatment methods can work to treat the overlapping conditions.

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Therapy

Therapy is a first-line treatment for both OCD and eating disorders, including BED. Different types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy, can work to treat both conditions.

In some cases, you may have to try out different forms of therapy in order to find the one that works best for you.

Medication

Medication is another common treatment option used to treat OCD and BED.

Different types of medications can work to treat either condition, but some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like fluoxetine, sertraline, and escitalopram, can treat both.

Finding Support for OCD and Binge Eating

If you’re suffering from both OCD and BED, it’s important to seek support from your community, including healthcare professionals.

Licensed therapists and counselors can help you to understand the connection between your disordered eating behaviors and your obsessive-compulsive cycles.

Keep in mind that it can take some time to find the right mental health support for you, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t out there. 

Additional resources that can aid your recovery and treatment journey include reaching out to a trusted friend or family member, trying group therapy, and working with a registered dietitian to reclaim your relationship with food. 

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Takeaway

OCD and BED can take a toll on your day-to-day life.

Understanding the similarities between these conditions will help to inform and empower your treatment journey. 

How a Dietitian Can Help

Registered dietitians are trained in helping people navigate disordered eating behaviors, including BED.

Working with a binge eating dietitian can ensure that you set yourself up for success when treating your binge eating behaviors.

You can find a dietitian through Nourish to start healing your relationship with food.