Fall 2019

The Tangled Web of  Eating Disorders and  Substance Use Disorder  Dr. Ebrahimi presented at the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders (CCSAD)

The co-occurrence of eating disorders (EDs) and substance use disorder (SUDs) is high. 50 percent of individuals with an eating disorder will abuse alcohol or an illicit substance compared with 9 percent of those in the general population. 35 percent of alcohol or illicit substance abusers have an eating disorder while the prevalence in the general population for eating disorders is 3 percent. Individuals who have an eating disorder and abuse drugs and alcohol experience higher levels of eating disorder symptoms, poorer outcomes, higher relapse rates, increased medical complications, increased psychopathology, longer recovery times and poorer functioning in general.  Given these statistics, the importance of screening for both disorders, when someone presents for treatment with either one, cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, treatment centers need to up their game in this area. A National Treatment Center Study found that of 351 publicly funded SUD programs only 16 percent offered treatment for co-occurring eating disorders and only half screened for eating disorders in their patient assessment. Only 3 percent of SUD treatment centers in this study had a formal arrangement with an ED treatment center or provider.  How can substance abuse disorder treatment clinicians and admission staff do a better job of screening for eating disorders in their potential patients? First, they should learn more about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and their effects on individuals with substance abuse disorder. This will help them better screen for eating disorders in clients. Fortunately, there are several tools available to help screen clients for an eating disorder. One such tool is the SCOFF Questionnaire, which is a basic five-question assessment tool that is in the toolbox of most eating disorder clinicians. Answering "yes" to two or more of the questions warrants further questioning and more in-depth assessment. SCOFF corresponds with first letter of the following five words in the questions: Do you make yourself sickbecause you feel uncomfortably full? Do you worry you have lost control over what you eat? Have you recently lost more than one stone (14 lbs.) over a three-month period? Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are thin? Would you say food dominates your life? Just a few basic questions can make the difference between setting someone up for failure or success. Those in the treatment of either eating disorders or substance abuse disorders should consider cross training on these highly correlative disorders to insure that each client is receiving the right treatment at the right time.  For more information about the Cambridge Center for Eating Disorders visit the links below. http://www.eatingdisordercenter.org/ info@cedcmail.com 617-547-2255

FREE SUPPORT GROUP FOR EATING DISORDERS

https://anad.org/online-support-groups/

RECOVERY MEANS...

RECOVERY MEANS A LOT MORE THAN EATING...

Changing your eating habits is just the beginning of the recovery process. You must also adopt healthy interests, opinions, values, and behavior.

At the very minimum recovery means:

-Normal to near normal weight is maintained
-A balanced diet of a normal variety of foods and not just those which are low in fat, sugar or low calorie
-Having appropriate relationships with family members
-Mutually satisfying relationships which are healthy and with normal people
-Appreciating the process of making choices and having consequences
-The individual no longer drives oneself with criticism and demands for any unrealistic performance
-Gains strong ability for problem solving

#NEDAwareness

WEIGHT STIGMA AWARENESS WEEK SEPT 23-27

National Eating Disorders Association

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WEIGHT STIGMA FAQS

WHAT IS WEIGHT STIGMA? 

Weight stigma, also known as weight bias or weight discrimination, is discrimination or stereotyping based on a person’s size. Weight stigma also manifests in fat phobia, the dislike or fear of being or becoming fat. 

WHERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE WEIGHT STIGMA OCCURS? 

• Healthcare
• Friends & Family
• Education
• (Social) Media
• Wellness/Fitness Industry
• Transportation, Housing, Employment, Etc.
• Public Settings (for example: chair sizes in movie theaters or sporting events) 

I'M THIN AND HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A HIGHER WEIGHT BODY. HOW DOES WEIGHT STIGMA AFFECT ME?
Great question! Keep reading.  

WHY SHOULD WEIGHT STIGMA BE A CONCERN OF THE EATING DISORDERS COMMUNITY?

Everyone—in every size/shape body—deserves life-saving treatment, but weight stigma is a barrier to that for many people. People with all eating disorders come in all different sized bodies. Often, individuals, families and clinicians are resistant to weight gain that may result in a weight higher than which they are comfortable. 

HOW DOES WEIGHT STIGMA IMPACT PEOPLE WITH EATING DISORDERS AND IN RECOVERY FROM EATING DISORDERS?

Weight stigma prevents many people with eating disorders from being diagnosed with an eating disorder, seeking treatment for an eating disorder, and/or receiving treatment for an eating disorder. And weight stigma and fat phobia makes potential weight gain during recovery scary for those in any size body.  

HOW DOES THE EATING DISORDERS COMMUNITY PERPETUATE WEIGHT STIGMA?

Weight stigma and fat phobia remains very common in the clinical and research communities, and among people personally impacted by eating disorders. For example:

• Clinicians do not feed patients, especially higher weight patients, at an adequate level.
• Treatment programs do not accept patients whose weight may not be low.
• Research is not balanced to include all body sizes because of the general assumptions made about weight and its association to certain diagnoses. For instance, a person in a higher weight body can have Anorexia Nervosa (termed" Atypical Anorexia Nervosa") and, because of weight, be excluded from studies.
• Treatment programs advertise "weight management" or weight loss as a component of treatment for higher weight people with an eating disorder, especially those with binge eating disorder.
• People at eating disorder advocacy events and in the broader eating disorders community verbally make fun of or harass people in higher weight bodies at eating disorders events (including NEDA events) (or in non-eating disorders related settings).

Call the helpline now

Call our toll-free, confidential helpline, Monday - Thursday from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EST): Holiday Closures

1-800-931-2237CALL HELPLINE NOW

SUICIDE PREVENTION WE CAN DO BETTER

Have you ever known someone struggling with depression, anxiety or an eating disorder? Maybe your reading this because your one of the millions of people who struggle daily with mental illness.

As a writer and advocate for the National Eating Disorders Association it has always been my mission to share the most recent knowledge on the topic of mental illness and more specifically Eating Disorders, anxiety and depression leading to a dual diagnosis. I found this article published by Dr. James Greenblatt from Walden Behavioral Care, to be eye opening when it comes to the topic of suicide and depression. It is my hope that families will find hope in knowing that the medical community is continuously doing ongoing research regarding genetic links, the makeup of the brain and other contributing factors that might play a role in mental illness and suicidal tendencies.

This topic is near and dear to my heart. May you find peace in knowing you are not alone. Depression is a disease of the brain and is very treatable!!!

For more information about my Memoir and Workbook coming out in 2020 please like and follow my blog or follow me on Twitter Sherry Hudak @Sherry_Hudy

Remember...we are only as sick as the secrets we keep. Ask for help!!! No matter what you are going through it is never as bad as we make it out to be in our mind.

Hugs and prayers to all who are suffering today!
Keep smiling😇!

https://www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/neurobiology-and-suicide-prevention/