Substance Abuse and Eating Disorder referred to as duel diagnoses or co-occurring; happens in a low estimate of 25% of all eating disorder cases. Neither should be diagnosed separately as the primary disease. Both must be treated simultaneously if possible but at the very lest concurrently; failure to do so will most assuredly lead to relapse and further medical complications. The Eating Disorder is probably the initial problem with substance abuse either an adjunct to the ED or a way to cope with feelings and disordered eating behavior.
Substance Abuse and Eating Disorder usually include a mental health component. Those suffering with an eating disorder have a 90% chance of also suffering with anxiety and or depression. The drugs used by ED patients do not necessarily compliment the specific disorder but more likely a stab at trying to gain some control over their life or just a way to anesthetize themselves. Most literature today suggests that the lack of dopamine or another neurotransmitter in the brain accounts at least to a part of the problem with a substance abuser. Environment and heredity add to development of this disease.
These two serious and sometimes fatal diseases are tied together, no matter what the reason. Eating Disorder Treatment due to the medical complications and length of stay is often expensive to the point of families losing everything trying to save a loved one. Substance abuse treatments despite the claims of some facilities are hit and miss at best; with relapse a prominent part of the disease. The good news is there continues to be research and new methods to treat both theses diseases.