As of 2005, about 40 million American adults suffered from anxiety disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Otherwise healthy adults also suffer from anxiety, worry and fearfulness as a normal response to stressful events. Individuals with anxiety disorders frequently suffer from eating disorders as well, while those with milder, more temporary symptoms may find themselves eating less or, more commonly, more food than usual.
Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders
Mild, temporary episodes of anxiety occur in response to an event that causes stress. If the symptoms of worry and fearfulness continue for more than six months, however, the individual may have an anxiety disorder such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and specific phobias, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In addition to disorder-specific symptoms, all anxiety disorder patients share the common symptoms of irrational fear and dread.
Emotional Eating
Stressful events and the resulting emotions -- anxiety, anger, frustration -- can affect eating patterns. Some people may eat less when stressed, but impulsive or binge eating is more common. Consciously or unconsciously, emotional eaters use food to comfort themselves, manage their uncomfortable feelings or distract themselves from stressful events. A study published in the April 8, 2008, issue of the research journal "Appetite" revealed that anxiety affects food choices in otherwise healthy adults. Female study participants with high anxiety scores ate more meat and sweets than those with lower scores, while anxious men ate fewer legumes and cereals.
Eating Disorders and Anxiety Disorders
As of 2004, about two-thirds of people with eating disorders also suffered from an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. Patients with eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, have extreme eating disturbances such as severe overeating or undereating that are made worse by symptoms of anxiety disorders. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder are likely to also have an eating disorder. Women with post-traumatic stress disorder are most likely to develop bulimia, a condition characterized by frequent episodes of overeating followed by purging with laxatives, excessive exercise or induced vomiting.
The odds of developing bulimia are greater for women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder is also commonly found among people with an eating disorder.
Coping
Some self-help measures can help alleviate anxiety that affects your eating. Stress reduction through exercise, meditation and yoga, and the practice of mindfulness may reduce anxiety symptoms in many patients. Other treatment measures may include psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy and medication for eating disorders and anxiety disorders. A 2009 study published in "Eating and Weight Disorders" found that a small group of patients under treatment for anorexia nervosa reported a reduction in their preoccupation with food and weight control, suggesting that distraction can assist even patients with severe eating disorders.
References
- HelpGuide.org: Anxiety and Eating Disorders
- "Eating and Weight Disorders"; Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders With Knitting; M. Clave-Brule, et al.; March 2009
- HelpGuide.org: Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting
- MayoClinic.com: Weight-Loss Help: Gain Control of Emotional Eating
- National Institute of Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America: Eating Disorders
