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!
21 comments
Cammy says:
May 16, 2009
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…
greythinking says:
May 16, 2009
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!
Kate says:
May 16, 2009
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.
Sarah says:
May 16, 2009
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.
eshoe says:
May 16, 2009
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.
imaginenamaste says:
May 18, 2009
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.
greythinking says:
May 19, 2009
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!
PTC says:
May 20, 2009
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.
imaginenamaste says:
May 22, 2009
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)
kimmy says:
May 24, 2009
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
greythinking says:
May 25, 2009
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!
palmtreechick says:
May 26, 2009
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.
nina says:
Jun 14, 2009
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?
Jack hammer says:
Jun 23, 2009
Hi,Very informative post.Having gone through very hard times fighting OCD, I can relate.Thanks,SandraPlease visit my blog at:http://ocdtreatments.info
paranoidfoody says:
Jul 19, 2009
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!
Barry says:
Dec 10, 2009
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!
tor says:
Sep 27, 2010
I have a lot of eating rituals! I eat in every thing in layer… Even if there is bread crumbs on top! When I eat pasta I tend to eat one @ a time. When I eat pop corn, Chips, Crackers or snack finger food I eat the best looking piece, Then the next best looking piece and so forth. When I cook and my bf serves me if he mixes it up I get MAD… I don’t understand it! Also when I do dishes I have to organize them or the task is overwhelming for me! I tend to mix odd foods and eat in layers! What are peoples thoughts? I am a very slow eater even if I’m not talking as a kid I was way to skinny because my family would eat seconds and I would not be don’t my first plate! They would make fun of me. I go to therapy every week and it was only just brought to my attention that it could be an ED. Can any one relate my food rituals??
just this says:
May 23, 2011
As someone who was diagnosed with OCD 7 years before I was diagnosed with an ED, I can honestly say that there is a significant difference between my OCD rituals and the food rituals I have because of the ED. That said, there’s more difference than similarities between the two, but the similarity for me, would be the fear of something bad happening and thus needing to do the compulsion to decrease the anxiety of the obsession. As well, what my doctor once said to me, that the history of OCD or “ability to have” OCD just fuels the ED. I don’t know if my food rituals would be quite so bad if I didn’t have this tendency towards obsessing/compulsive behaviors.
Miriam says:
Nov 4, 2011
Hi,
I’m glad I stumbled across this post!
I had a full blown eating disorder when I was 11, and although I fully recovered I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 12 or 13.
Within the past year, some of my eating disorder tendencies have popped up again, but this time in a much less “don’t eat anything” way and more ritualistic.
I only eat foods that match what I am wearing (color wise), which leads to me HAVING to eat certain things and not being able to eat others.
Although I eat over 2,000 calories a day, everything must fit under this umbrella so I don’t have a lot of flexibility with what I eat. I also am obsessed with energy bars, I eat maybe 4 a day instead of meals
I am not sure which category these compulsions stem from, I feel it is probably both.
It’s nice just to be able to write about it, I am otherwise very private.
Candace says:
Nov 5, 2011
where do you draw the line between picky eater and OCD rituals? i never considered it an eating disorder because i eat when i’m hungry, i don’t diet, i like my body, and i don’t binge or whatever. I’ve always considered myself a picky eater, but a close friend of mine made me write down each food item i don’t like and why, and the list was longer than i even imagined, and my “why” column wasn’t too logical… i had everything from “i don’t eat white meat because i think most of them are gross animals” to “i don’t mix the bread group with the fruit group i.e. i don’t eat any pastry with fruit in it” (i mean from jelly donuts to apple pie) no specific reason for that one; “i like broccoli cooked but not raw, i like carrots raw but not cooked, etc” the veggie section was super long. alternately, i like weird food combinations such as pickles and sour cream, mayo-taco sauce-parmesan cheese sandwiches, etc… and i every time i tried to explain it or rationalize it, I even thought it sounded crazy. I pretend to be allergic to certain foods just so i don’t have to explain it. She even made me include the fact that i have to sit a certain way when i eat, i like to eat the same exact food/meal for every meal for days until i run out (ex. reeses puffs for every meal till its gone, waffles for every meal till they’re gone, etc) i always cook because i have a specific way of planning and preparing food and i don’t trust people to make it exactly as i describe. i don’t even trust anyone to make me a pb&j sandwich the precise way i want it or pour the right amt if cereal-to-milk ratio. when i’m forced to analyze it i can see that it’s irrational, yet i can’t NOT do these things. I know that the world won’t end if there’s too much milk in my cereal, yet it has to be just right! i have no other obsessions or compulsions aside from this endless food ritual/compulsion/obsession list… What Disorder Do I Have?
Jessica says:
Jan 4, 2012
I eat EVERYTHING in layers sandwiches to Chicken and Noodle Soup. If I do not eat it in layers I hyperventilate. I break out in cold sweats and I get all nervous. I try all the time to eat normal but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I spend so many hours explaining my madness but I do not think people understand my reasonings. I don’t even understand it myself. I have been doing this all my life. What I have I think it is both. I think its somehthing in my brain making me like this like OCD but I think its a control thing to. Like I have no control in my life so I feel I can control how I eat my food. But since I have been doing this all my life maybe I might be wrong I don’t know but I truly wish I could stop it.