Avoidant Personality Disorder. Some studies indicate that many patients with anorexia nervosa have avoidant personalities. This personality disorder is characterized by:
- Being a perfectionist
- Being emotionally and sexually inhibited
- Wanting to be perceived as always being "good," not being rebellious
- Being terrified of being ridiculed or criticized or of feeling humiliated
People with anorexia nervosa are often extremely sensitive to failure, and any criticism, no matter how slight, reinforces their own belief that they are "no good".
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder defines certain character traits (being a perfectionist, morally rigid, or preoccupied with rules and order). This personality disorder is strongly associated with a higher risk for anorexia. These traits should not be confused with the anxiety disorder called obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although they may increase the risk for this disorder.
Borderline Personality Disorder. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with self-destructive and impulsive behaviors. People with BPD tend to have other co-existing mental health problems, including eating disorders.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder. People with narcissistic personalities tend to:
- Have an inability to soothe oneself
- Have an inability to empathize with others
- Have a need for admiration
- Be hypersensitive to criticism or defeat
Accompanying Mental Health Disorders
Many patients with eating disorders experience depression and anxiety disorders. It is not clear if these disorders, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), cause the eating disorders, increase susceptibility to them, or share common biologic causes.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that may occur in up to two thirds of patients with anorexia and up to a third of patients with bulimia. Some doctors believe that eating disorders are variants of OCD. Obsessions are recurrent or persistent mental images, thoughts, or ideas, which may result in compulsive behaviors (repetitive, rigid, and self-prescribed routines) that are intended to prevent the manifestation of the obsession. Women with anorexia and OCD may become obsessed with exercise, dieting, and food. They often develop compulsive rituals (weighing every bit of food, cutting it into tiny pieces, or putting it into tiny containers.
Previous Section
Review Date: 02/18/2011
Reviewed By: David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry,
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY. Also reviewed by Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief,
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician,
Massachusetts General Hospital; and David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
