Food rituals – ED or OCD?
Food rituals are pretty common among individuals with eating disorders… cutting things into tiny pieces, chewing a certain number of time, mixing weird things, eating everything separate, picking food apart, etc. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been terribly successful in eliminating my own food rituals. As I was miserably failing my goal to “eat a bagel normally” this morning, I was thinking about what it was that seemed so necessary about the rituals.
I don’t think that cutting food up changes the calories. I don’t pick things apart because it makes me eat more slowly. I don’t think that eating food with a fork makes it safe. For some reason, though, being able to do the food ritual makes that food manageable. It’s a nervous energy. Not picking the food apart KILLS me (well, or so it feels). I just feel so driven to do it.
So, my question is — where do you draw the line between ED food ritual and obsessive compulsive behavior? Of course the two diagnoses cross paths, but not everyone with food rituals has OCD (and vice versa). Is it a food ritual if you think the action makes the food safe or unsafe? Or if you think that somehow it affects whether or not you gain weight? Or is it only an OCD behavior if you have other OCD behaviors (checking, counting, etc.)? Can you be diagnosed with OCD if you only have food rituals? Is that enough of an obsession/compulsion? And, if your food rituals are more of an OCD issue than an eating disorder issue, do you approach treatment for that differently?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!
I would think that one can be diagnosed with OCD for food rituals alone, if the rituals don’t have to do with restriction, weight loss, binging, etc. It’s hard because so many of the behaviors characteristic of ED result from how our brains get as out of whack as our bodies from cycles of abuse, and then it becomes a chicken and egg problem…
Cammy — You’re right, the malnutrition adds another factor to the mix. I guess it’s impossible to determine how much of the ED rituals are caused by malnutrition (until weight-restoration, at which point maybe some food rituals will persist) and how much are a symptom of OCD comorbidity.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I don’t know, but I know to be diagnosed with OCD it has to be independent of the ED. I would think that someone with only food rituals and an ED would probably not be diagnosed with OCD.
I had a bunch of food rituals and I thought they were part of my ED, but as I got rid of the ED the food rituals changed into other OCD behaviors.
So since the only rituals I had with an ED were food rituals, I probably wouldn’t have been diagnosed with OCD, but it turns out that the OCD was there all along.
I believe my OCD does play a role in supporting my ED, and vise versa. I can tell when some behaviors are purely OCD, or ED related. ED would be something like cutting out all things with fat, whereas OCD would be me eating the same thing for breakfast everyday no matter what. I believe that it depends purely on the person and the intent/reason for the action(s).
Very interesting thing to think about in terms of moving into recovery.
This post reminds me of how I eat sushi. Somehow, a pile of rice always seems to remain on the plate. It embarresses my dh to know means. I just make a goal each time to eat more of the rice, b/c I know for a fact it is ed related.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately, glad you posted on it! I do have OCD tendencies that are largely food issues. But, my therapist isn’t sure how much is a food “rule” and how much is OCD or if there are actually two different things going on. If so, I very much think they feed into each other. I can see how some OCD behaviors (ex. checking to see if everything is unplugged several times) is not ED related but others (ex. having to work-out until I’ve reached a calorie amount divisible by 44….ahh I’m nuts) are most definitely related to ED. In a support group, they often used OCD exercises to help us understand our food rituals–even though they were OCD per say, we still had the fears and such associated if we did not do them. It was really helpful.
Kate – That’s my concern — that my food rituals are not just the eating disorder but actually part of something larger (OCD). Did other OCD behaviors appear once you started recovering from the ED, or did you just notice them then?
Sarah – Yep, sounds familiar. Sounds like you agree that food rituals not related to consumption / weight / calories / fullness / the ED would be classified as OCD instead?
eshoe – Question for you — does eating sushi with food rituals make you feel better? Meaning, do you end up with the pile of rice because eating it that way is the only way you can manage it, or does eating the sushi and picking all the rice out ease some other kind of anxiety?
imaginenamaste – Whoa, a calorie amount divisible by 44? Can I ask how you came up with that? I mean, not that I think my rules make much sense to anyone but me, but I’ve never heard anyone use the number “44″ before!
Thanks for your feedback, everyone!
I am having breakfast with my T on Friday, (UGH) so we’ll see what she calls me out on when I’m eating. I’m sure she’ll tell me to stop playing with my food and stuff. I’ll keep ya posted.
Hello! I have no idea were my numbers come from…its a mystery….I think it started out as a need by 4s. who knows. just glad the craziness has started to decrease (it was NUTS when i was defending my thesis–thats stress on top of everything else)
hello! no if you have food rituals alone or even with other ED-related OCD-like tendencies, then you do not have an OCD. however, if you have rituals or OCD-like symptoms which are OUTSIDE of food or the ED, then you definitely have an OCD.
all the OCD-like things that involve food just come under the ‘Eating Disorder’ umbrella
PTC – Hope that your breakfast went well!
imaginenamaste – Wow, well, not many people can say they know their multiples of 44
kimmy – Sounds like we’re on the same page. Thanks for your input!
Breakfast got postponed until this Friday. I can hardly wait (sense the sarcasm!!??) Ugh, egg whites (I begged and pleaded for just the whites), cheese (yuck), home fries, and toast (with butter, I’m sure). Sucks big butts!! And my butt will be bigger after this breakfast.
Hope you got your insurance stuff squared away.
Well, I have a question. I’m 5′6 and weigh 146 lbs. I eat sooo much food. For no real reason (not that i know of) My father said he thinks i have worms or something. I just believe i have a large appetite. But lately i’ve been noticing that if i dont get the food that i want, or im craving, i get kind of cranky and try to think of ways to get it.
I was thinking that, because my mother used to tell me that i have to gain weight and I’ve tried to please her all my life, that i’m stuck in that mindset of gaining weight. Its not easy for me to gain weight, but i just cant seem to stop eating. I don’t want to end up bigger than i am now.. but i just cant seem to stop. Do you think i have an eating disorder, or its something else?
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Hi!
Thank-you for posting this… it makes me think that I am not the only weird one out there. I have the oddest food rituals, not to how I have to eat but when I have to eat. It has to be at a certain time everyday and each meal has its own designated timezone (ex. breakfast ends at 10 sharp, brunch is not an option). Also, the people at each meal have to eat less than I do or else I get really paranoid and very upset. I sometimes turn red and have to excuse myself from the meal before I can regain control of myself. I am unsure as to whether this is an ED or symptoms of OCD. If someone was able to elaborate on what it may be I would be extremely grateful. Thanks!
If it gets in the way of normal behavior, there is reason to be concerned. There are some people who are fussy eaters, others that have to cut it the right way and the like. If it is not right and they throw a fit, maybe it is time for them to look how to take the anxiety and panic away.
Your site is very interesting and informative. Thanks!