The Difference between Eating Disorders and Addiction

The comparison between eating disorders and addiction is increasingly prevalent in the media understanding of these illnesses. Unfortunately, this link negates the main difference that makes eating disorders a very different type of illness and confuses the public understanding of eating disorders. 

Addictive behavior represents a problem in the brain’s reward system. The addictive behavior strengthens the reward circuit of brain chemistry in addicts so that the actions become impossible to avoid.

However, the stimulus, namely drug or alcohol use, is an action not necessary for human life and survival. We can live without those substances. The cravings for the chemical reward are strong, but the behaviors do not tap into the more basic human functions.

Eating disorders are connected to one of the most basic human necessities. Some essential activities are hardwired into the brain and escape conscious intention and thoughts.

Breathing, sleeping, walking and eating represent some of these basic needs for human life. Since we share these needs with other mammals, our brains are wired into the more primitive and essential parts of our brain which perform these actions without any conscious thought. We just do them.

And so eating disorder behaviors, even if they do trigger the reward system, are also linked to some of the most essential brain functions. When an activity is unconscious, changing it takes much more work and attention. It’s one of the reasons people in recovery from an eating disorder describe feeling so exhausted. They are struggling against the most automatic workings of their mind, a very different experience from addiction.

It’s important to reiterate that this fact doesn’t change that recovery does happen. It makes it more challenging in some ways, but full recovery is a reality for many people.

The most essential piece of information is to recognize that eating disorders are not addictions. Often the behaviors do highlight the brain’s reward system, but the true nature of recovery is about changing ingrained, automatic brain systems.