Eating Disorders and Related Anxiety and Mood Disorders: What They Are and How Treatment Helps

Eating disorders are serious, complex, and treatable mental health conditions that involve disturbances in eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. They frequently co-occur with anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma-related conditions, which are central to ADAA’s mission.

Because eating disorders often intersect with anxiety and mood disorders, understanding their signs, symptoms, and treatment is an important part of supporting overall mental health.

Overview

Eating disorders develop due to a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. They are not choices and are not simply about food or weight.

Research consistently shows high rates of co-occurring anxiety and depression among individuals with eating disorders. Anxiety may drive rigid eating rules, food avoidance, or compulsive exercise, while depression may contribute to low self-worth and disordered eating behaviors. For many individuals, eating disorder symptoms are closely linked to efforts to manage distressing thoughts, emotions, or fears.

Eating disorders frequently occur alongside anxiety disorders and depression. Learn more about how anxiety and depression affect mental health through ADAA’s educational resources on anxiety disorders and depression. 

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of eating disorders vary by individual and diagnosis and may not fit neatly into categories. A person may experience some, but not all, of the symptoms listed below. 

This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional evaluation.

Common warning signs may include:

• Preoccupation with food, weight, calories, or body image
• Anxiety around eating, food choices, or eating in social situations
• Changes in eating behaviors or food avoidance
• Significant changes in weight or growth patterns
• Emotional distress, shame, or guilt related to eating
• Rigid routines, perfectionism, or compulsive exercise
• Withdrawal from social activities involving food

Many individuals experience eating-related concerns alongside symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or Depression.

Eating disorders impact all genders, but women and girls experience them at rates 2.5 times higher than their male counterparts; learn more about the unique ways eating disorders affect women.

Types of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex conditions that often overlap with anxiety and depressive disorders. All eating-related concerns that cause distress or impairment should be taken seriously.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by restricted food intake, difficulty maintaining a healthy body weight, and intense concerns related to weight or body image. Anxiety, perfectionism, and obsessive thinking are commonly present.

Common signs may include:

• Significant weight loss or failure to gain expected weight
• Restrictive eating patterns driven by fear or anxiety
• Persistent focus on weight, food, or control
• Excessive or rigid exercise routines
• Sensitivity to cold or dressing in layers

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, often to the point of discomfort, accompanied by a sense of loss of control and emotional distress. BED frequently co-occurs with anxiety disorders and depression.

Common signs may include:

• Eating quickly or beyond physical comfort
• Binge eating in secret
• Feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, or distress after binge eating
• Feels lack of control over the ability to stop overeating
• Hoarding or hiding food

Binge eating disorder commonly co-occurs with Depression and Anxiety Disorders, and treatment often addresses emotional regulation and mood symptoms alongside eating behaviors. 

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa involves recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise. Many individuals experience high levels of anxiety, shame, and mood symptoms.

Common signs may include:

• Evidence of binge eating - disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time
• Frequent bathroom use after meals
• Dental concerns, including swelling of jaws and cheeks, and discoloration of teeth, and tooth sensitivity/decay from vomiting
• Emotional distress related to eating

Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED)

OSFED includes eating disorders that cause clinically significant distress or impairment but do not meet full diagnostic criteria for another eating disorder. Individuals with OSFED often experience significant anxiety or mood symptoms alongside eating concerns.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

ARFID involves restrictive eating that leads to nutritional deficiency, weight loss, or impaired functioning without concerns about body weight or shape. ARFID is often associated with anxiety, including fear of choking, vomiting, or sensory sensitivities.

• What is ARFID, What Is? (Video)
• When Is Picky Eating a Disorder? Understanding ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) (Podcast)

Pica, Rumination Disorder, and Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED)

These feeding and eating disorders involve persistent patterns of eating-related behaviors that cause distress or impairment. Anxiety, developmental factors, and co-occurring mental health conditions may be present.

• Pica - involves eating items that are not typically thought of as food and that do not contain significant nutritional value, such as paper, hair, dirt, chalk, and paint.
• Rumination Disorder - involves the regular regurgitation of food that occurs for at least one month.
• UFED – when an individual shows clear signs of disordered eating symptoms that cause emotional, physical, or social difficulties but do not meet full diagnostic criteria of an eating disorder.

Treatment and Support

Eating disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible. Effective treatment often addresses both eating-related behaviors and co-occurring anxiety or mood disorders.

Treatment may include:

• Evidence-based psychotherapy
• Nutritional counseling
• Medical monitoring
• Psychiatric care when appropriate

When eating disorders co-occur with anxiety or depression, integrated treatment approaches that address both conditions may be recommended. Learn more about evidence-based treatments for anxiety and depression through ADAA. Link 

Find Professional and Peer Support

• Find Your Therapist – ADAA’s directory to help locate and connect with licensed mental health professionals, including those experienced in anxiety, depression, and related disorders.
• ADAA’s Free, Online Peer-to-Peer Support communities – These groups are safe, anonymous, and supportive spaces where you can share your story, find support, and connect with people worldwide who are living with mental health challenges. Discover our four support communities: Anxiety and Depression (English and Español), Major Depressive Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Discover More with ADAA Resources

These articles, webinars, and personal stories explore eating disorders within broader emotional, developmental, and mental health contexts.

Blogs & Articles

• I Am an Eating Disorder Therapist Who Recovered from My Own Past Eating Disorder - a personal account of a therapist struggling with an eating disorder and her recovery.
• Emetophobia Vs. Eating Disorders - guide explaining the key differences between emetophobia and eating disorders, which can look similar on the surface but differ in underlying fears, causes, and treatment needs.

Books

• Comorbid Eating Disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - provides clear strategies to improve support and treatment for those facing both eating disorders and OCD.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America Patient Guide to Mood and Anxiety Disorders - a clear, patient-focused guide to understanding and treating mood and anxiety disorders. 

Webinars

• Beyond the Behavior: Trauma, Culture, and Emotional Avoidance in Eating Disorders and Mental Health - Anxiety, depression, and trauma frequently intersect and may manifest through disordered eating behaviors. Learn to identify avoidance patterns, tolerate emotional distress, and name the impact of trauma to accurately diagnosis and give effective mental health treatment. In collaboration with NEDA.
• When OCD and Eating Disorders Overlap: Understanding the Connection - explores the overlap between OCD and eating disorders and how to recognize warning signs and seek appropriate help. In collaboration with NEDA.
• Understanding Eating Disorders As Anxiety Disorders: The Role of Fear and the Need for Safety - dives into eating disorders as anxiety-based conditions and shows how exposure-based treatments help improve emotional regulation and recovery. In collaboration with NEDA.

Personal Stories of Triumph

These personal stories highlight resilience and recovery. Individual experiences vary, but many people find hope in hearing from others who have been there.

• Drowning in Plain Sight: The Anxiety and Depression Behind My Eating Disorder - A personal account of a USA professional squash battling an eating disorder due to cycles of control and perfectionism, and how she used mindfulness and self-awareness to break those cycles.
• The Invisible Struggle: A Journey Through Anorexia and Self-Worth - A personal account of discovering self-worth by letting go of the constant need to control.
• I Am Worth It! – A personal account emphasizing self-worth and recovery.

Additional Resources

The following trusted organizations and articles provide further education and support. ADAA does not provide diagnosis or treatment; these resources can help you access specialized information and care.

National Organizations

• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) – Education, screening tools, and treatment-finding resources for individuals and families.
• National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) – Support groups, helplines, and recovery-focused resources.
• Child Mind Institute – Information for parents and caregivers on children’s mental health, including eating disorders.

Educational Articles

• What Is an Eating Disorder and When to Worry – Overview of warning signs and when to seek help.
• Eating Disorders: Why Are Girls More Affected? – Examination of social, psychological, and biological factors.
• How to Help Your Daughter Have a Healthy Body Image – Practical guidance for parents and caregivers.
• Learning to Live Well with Depression and Eating Disorders – Personal and clinical perspectives on navigating co-occurring conditions.

Disclaimer Statement

The information on this page is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Eating disorders frequently co-occur with anxiety and depression. If you or someone you know may be struggling, consider seeking support from a qualified healthcare or mental health professional. ADAA gratefully acknowledges its partner organization, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), for its collaboration and shared commitment to education and awareness.