Trauma can have a powerful impact on your physical and mental health. Trauma and symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) can manifest themselves in different ways. Some people may turn to other addictions to cope, like drugs, alcohol, sex, or gambling. Others may also take on other disorders in addition to addictions. Trauma can affect a person’s self-perception, which can create issues with body confidence and self-esteem. Victims of trauma may also engage in self-harm behaviors, including eating disorders, as a negative means of coping with their emotions. Sometimes, victims of sexual abuse become ashamed of their bodies and attempt to destroy themselves through an eating disorder. Unresolved and untreated trauma and PTSD may lead to eating disorders and other self-injurious behaviors.
Eating disorders can be a way that a person with trauma distracts themselves from dealing with their emotional pain. Self-injurious behaviors like this can be common, as the person deflects their emotional pain by causing physical pain. If you are suffering from an eating disorder like bulimia, anorexia, or binge-eating, you may have trauma in the past that is driving your behaviors. You may need to treat both your eating disorder and your trauma to fully recover. Treating only your eating disorder without dealing with your trauma can potentially lead to relapse or engaging in other negative behaviors to cope. You deserve a chance to heal and live a life free of your eating disorder. Trauma work and therapy can help you recover from both your trauma and your eating disorder.
Eating disorders—like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating—may be related to past traumatic experiences. Sometimes, when people experience trauma, they lose their sense of self-worth and may turn to unhealthy diets to control their bodies. They may also hate their bodies and are making attempts at self-destruction by engaging in self-injurious behaviors related to diets. Treating only your eating disorder without examining the root causes may lead to relapse or replacing the behavior with other unhealthy means of coping. You can treat both your trauma and your eating disorder at the same time for successful outcomes. The Guest House understands that eating disorders may be connected to deeply rooted trauma in one’s life. We are here to help those suffering from eating disorders rooted in trauma to regain their sense of self-worth and self-appreciation to recover from both afflictions. Call us today at (855) 483-7800 to get started in your recovery journey.