Are Bulimia and Alcoholism Linked? | Kati Morton

I'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos!
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[zyanyamoran]

I just learned something about myself I've been an alcoholic and bulimic on and off for over 10 years researched it endlessly and this is the FIRST time I come across this theory!!

[MicahRion]

Kati, I love the way you say, “cycles we can get into. “
Because that language isn’t judgey and shows how lots of people have mental health struggles. it doesn’t single out “bullemics” or “alcoholics” as somehow different or treat them as people who deserve to be shamed for dealing with these unhealthy coping mechanisms.

[maegfry]

ABSOLUTELY. i am a severe alcoholic and bulimic. I am 37 and have seriously been dealing with both. I find i will drink and resrict then binge and purge and then start the cycle again the next day. I am on a hell rollercoaster. 💘 your videos . thank you. Oh and i also think there is a correlation as when one is drunk one's inhibitions are lowered therefore the reckless binge is even more extreme.

[rachelpowell]

This was an interesting alcohol to numb out those feelings of shame and guilt after relapse. I find alcohol can also be abused when trying to block out the urges before they happen, when all the uncomfortable feelings come up I sometimes turn to alcohol to help me numb out to avoid relapse. xox

[Kelly-gzju]

My Dad is a recovered alcoholic (12 years) and I'm in recovery from bulimia (2.5 years). I decided when I was young that I would never drink not only because of my Dad but also because I was born with a liver disease and shouldn't drink with an already unhealthy liver. I truly believe if I didn't have a liver disease I would be just like my Dad. I always viewed my eating disorder as the lesser of two evils compared to my Dad's alcoholism. I actually had a liver transplant 5 years ago but still will not drink because I'm almost positive it will end up as an addiction. Thank you for this video!

[jenniferluke]

Hi Kati! I love your videos! Found them recently. I am a recovered bulimic 57 yo woman. I suffered severely in college, from bulimia and felt terrible about myself. I realize so much now, why it developed. My father was an alcoholic, recovered as I grew older. A perfectionist dentist, colonel in the air force, very hard on me. My mother was totally emotionally absent! I had no unconditional love. As the oldest of 4 children, I became a perfectionist, trying to please and my coping mechanism became eating large quantities of cookies and milk, throwing them up, in college. I was literally out of control, and no one knew. I hid it very well, while earning a biology/chemistry degree. It wasn't until I met my husband who actually does love me, very unconditionally, that I mostly overcame the bulimia. However, I continued to suffer with bouts of it at times until about 5 yrs ago. I realized how I was mistreating my body, and it had to stop. I am very healthy now, exercise and eat normally, not obsessed. Always looking for better coping skills as I still suffer with anxiety/ depression, just my general way of living life. I probably need to talk thru these things with a therapist, will be buying the book "The Emotionally Absent Mother".
Interestingly, my 2nd sister had bulimia ( recovered now, but not healthy), 3rd sister committed suicide (at age 38. Was the family scapegoat and diagnosed with borderline personality), and youngest sister doing well ( she was the special, loved baby of the family).
I see now emotional health is so dependent on the parenting we receive. We have raised 4 children emotionally strong, believe it or not, because they were our total focus. We gave them so much unconditional love I think was the key. Nevertheless, I didn't know what a good mother was until the past 10 yrs. Just feel blessed our kids are strong and well. I'll keep watching your videos, thanks so much! Hope you see this ❤

[briangrant]

I agree totally, its either 1 or the other, gave me the strength 2 beat this, it crept up on me and controls me, keep strong.

[jadeylevi]

When I stop with the bulimia it was hard for me to control my emotions, later on it developed to anxiety .Never liked the idea of drinking probably because of my need for control every thing- that actually a part of why I had an ED when I could not expect the body shape I was born with and wanted a different body that I couldn’t get. Hoping for girls and guys who have an ED or Alcoholism to get support and heal !

[meganfrasz]

I'm so glad you covered this topic. This is something that I always felt no one could really understand. I would use alcohol as a way to facilitate to "purge" part of the cycle. The two worked completely in tandem with each other for the longest time, so I never really thought I had much of a problem with either bulimia or alcoholism since I didn't exactly fit into one category or the other. Thankfully I'm in a better place now. It's just so interesting reflecting back on those times and analyzing how and why things panned out the way they did. Love your videos as always!

[libbycatherine]

Hey kati could you do a video on happiness? Like is it something you just have or something that you can work on and is more like a learned skill and what we can do to feel it more often:)

[whichonespink]

This is my video!! I'm so glad you addressed this. My ED starting out as restrictive/purge through exercise, but the last 4 or so years it has shifted completely to bulimia, which then merged with my addiction to alcohol. I got into a destructive drinking-binging-purging pattern, and so in essence my alcoholism and ED became one and the same. And having been in treatment for both, I can tell you that alcoholism is a very very common component of EDs, but is rarely addressed as thoroughly as it should be in ED treatment programs, because both things have to be addressed simultaneously for true recovery to be possible. I was lucky to find a PHP with an addictions group and a team who was adamant that I take steps to address my alcoholism as part of my overall treatment there. Thanks to whoever brought up this topic!

[evalore]

Interesting. I never thought about this but back when I struggled with bulimia, I never drank but... during periods when I was binging and purging most, I was also having a LOT of not particularly healthy, safe, or fullfilling sex. I guess that could be similar to alcohol or substance abuse. Funny how you can have sudden insights even years afterwards.

[shaugse]

I just wrote in my journal to my therapist about this. I’m not an alcoholic but like you said in the vid when I’m trying to not binge and purge I sometimes drink more, etc. Thanks for the great video.

[Dreamer]

Thanks Kati, you are doing it all, and helping so many. I do not think there has been one viewer who has not been helped because of you. Happy Holidays to you and Sean. G.

[Twinkle_IT]

thank you so so much for this video! even tough I'm not diagnosed with an ED or alcoholism, it totally describes me what you said in the video. in times when i was starving, I drank a lot. my calorie intake on weekends was mainly alcohol. I got drunk easier and cheaper, because my stomachs was empty. when I was binging I tried to cut out alcohol, afraid of the extra calories. and alcohol always makes me so hungry. it's really like you said in the video. for me it now makes so much more sense. thank you

[emilyyoung]

Can you do a video for people going to school to be therapists? Like, talking about what helps you get used to sessions and how to improve as a therapist?

[Stace]

i believe this was pretty helpful. I've struggled with an ED for a long time and while trying to recover ive caught myself "self medicating " in a way, with alcohol in order to sort of zone out from the thoughts. I can see how that can quickly turn from one extream to the other. While EDs are not known in my family, alcoholism and drug addiction are off the charts. I definitely saw alot of connection between those behaviours in this video. Thanks for posting it kati!

[MsLaurithaa]

Always interesting to learn more about how different mental disorders are connected to each other. I was shocked to read that at least 30% of people with bulimia develop some kind of substance abuse or dependence at some point in their life. I also think that impulsivity plays a part in the connection of these disorders.

[erin]

I am the poster child for this behavior. When I left treatment the last time for my bulimia (that center was particularly horrific and put so much weight on me in a few short weeks), I started drinking to cope with the anxiety over my new body. That was 8 years ago, and the drinking is now my biggest problem. The two are definitely linked and impulsivity and anxiety are majors parts of both.

[Karen-vlvf]

Liked this one a lot too! It's interesting to hear about how our brain can rewire and get rewards from those types of things