Comments on: Denial: Not exclusive to addiction

By: Elise

Elise — Mon, 10 May 2010 02:27:00 +0000

There are some other conditions, as well as the ones you listed, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. I think that Dr. Drew was thinking more in terms of medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, a sinus infection, etc. At least that’s what flashed into my mind when I watched it. Thanks for the great post!

By: Killer B

Killer B — Sun, 09 May 2010 01:03:52 +0000

…of course the other side of this potential debate could show that almost every ego-syntonic disorder will involve some degree of denial. At that point, would every ego-syntonic disorder involve some form of addiction?

By: Killer B

Killer B — Sun, 09 May 2010 01:00:12 +0000

@greythinking re: FamilyInsights.net/Cesar:

Yes.

Depression is an addiction to sadness. PTSD is an addiction to avoidance.

Granted that’s not all there is to either of those two disorders (not by a longshot), but still…

By: Dr. Mark

Dr. Mark — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:28:50 +0000

I think, Dr. Drew ,is right holding the assertion.But I mustn’t fail to put in that there is a great distinction between addiction and eating disorder.

Although all EDs. be it, Bulimia Nervosa, Compulsive Overeating,Anorexia Nervosa, e.t.c. there are certain dangers to victims.

The element surrounding all Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self esteem. Concidering some of the eating disorder as an addiction, we need to draw a line between addiction and eating disorder, because not all the eating disorder is an addiction.

By: Rev. Doc. Mark

Rev. Doc. Mark — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:06:24 +0000

Honestly you are very much right with the assertion you are holding on EDs.

The element surrounding all Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self esteem.
Looking into the EDs in general, It is irrefutable that all eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa,
Compulsive Overeating, Binge Eating Disorder. etc. are active. Although not all the EDs has to be matched under a group.

It is also irrefutable that there is a great distinction between the word adiction disorder.

By: greythinking

greythinking — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:20:19 +0000

Kate,

Wish I could ask Dr. Drew if he considered EDs to be an addiction! Maybe I should call into Loveline

– grey

By: greythinking

greythinking — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:19:06 +0000

Cesar,

I definitely agree that some of the eating disorder is addictive, and that there are many similarities between eating disorders and addiction. I personally wouldn’t lump EDs under the same umbrella as drugs/alcohol addiction (unless it were a pretty large/generic umbrella), but know that others do. Still, though… would you consider depression or PTSD to be an addiction? I think there can be a lot of denial around those issues, too.

grey

By: FamilyInsights.net

FamilyInsights.net — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:51:05 +0000

I wonder if Dr. Drew meant “addictions” to include all addictions. Let’s face it, there is a very addictive component to an eating disorder. In fact, for many people, part of what an eating disorder gives to them is a “high.” So at least for me, I would have to hear the quote in its context to determine whether or not I agree.

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:12:32 +0000

Maybe dr. Drew includes eating disorders as an addiction. I don’t think he was referring soley to drug addiction. But great post either way

By: BL

BL — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:37:17 +0000

I thought the exact same thing when hearing this quote! I am biased because I have suffered from an eating disorder but never addiction, but I would argue that an eating disorder can be even harder to convince someone of then addiction, particularly when one is addicted to illegal substances. As you mentioned, in today’s society it can be so easy for someone with an eating disorder to minimize or deny the illness because it seems as if everyone is dieting, overexercising, obsessing with food/weight. Even though an eating disorder is very different then the “normal” preoccupation with dieting, I know that as the eating disordered individual it is very easy to ignore that difference, especially when you are doing better then at the height of the disorder.

I can see how the same can be true of alcoholism – it’s easy to say “I don’t have a problem,” especially if you mostly drink socially, but at least with illegal drugs there is the fact that they are ILLEGAL that I think can potentially help with the denial part. While it is clearly wrong to vomit after eating, you wont go to jail for it if caught. It’s hard when caught up in the moment to remember all the reasons why it isn’t good to purge, but very few things as concrete as “you could end up with a criminal record.”

With regards to terminology, I have started thinking about eating disorder recovery the same way substance abuse recovery is used. I put so much pressure on myself to be “recovered” by a certain time frame, that stepping back and saying “recovery is a lifelong process” is actually proving to be helpful, rather then discouraging. In the same way an alcoholic can never have just one drink, I think I will have to be equally aware of eating, at least for awhile. Whereas someone who has never suffered from an eating disorder can skip a meal and then will probably just make up for it later, I worry that if I skip a meal, it will trigger something in me, like “oh look I skipped breakfast today and didn’t feel super awful, so no breakfast tomorrow.” Maybe eventually that wont be my reaction, but for right now at least, I think I will be a “recovering anorexic/bulimic” for awhile.