A high percent of patient's who seek help for an eating disorder problem, have been sexually abused. The connection between sexual abuse and an eating disorder can be caused by guilt and shame which lead to a desire to forget, hurt themselves, protect themselves and or a desire to change their perception of themselves.

Sexual abuse affects eating habits and a persons self perception. A person sees themselves as a victim and has difficulty separating feelings of food satiation and sexuality. The results can be anorexia, bulimia or compulsive over-eating or even drug abuse.

A person who has been sexually abused may try to change their appearance to make themselves less appealing making themselves less of a sexual target. They overeat or starve themselves to become too skinny or too fat. They become obsessive compulsive about food.

Eating Disorder is connected feelings of shame and guilt, as a result of an experience that may have occurred in someone's childhood. The propensity of the patient to hold on to the secret about both their eating disorder and the sexual abuse stems from the perception that they were at fault for the abuse. Professional Therapists at an Eating Disorder Treatment can help the patient sort out the reality that is necessary for a person to recovery from the trauma.

The events that cause the compulsive eating disorder are often hidden so deep within a persons psyche that an eating disorder professional must intervene to help the patient recall the events. Recalling these events will allow the patient to rid themselves of the guilt, shame, and rage and begin working on the symptoms of the original trauma.


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