Eating Disorder or Drinking Problem?
Someone asks whether restricting food to avoid weight gain while heavily drinking and partying nightly counts as an eating disorder or is simply part of a drinking problem.
Answered by William Anderson, MA, LMHC
Question
If a person barely eats because they don't want to gain weight because they are partying hard and drinking a lot every night, do they have an eating disorder, or is that considered just a part of having a drinking problem?
They definitely have a drinking problem. They may or may not have an eating disorder. The first order of business is to address the drinking problem. Once that is resolved, an assessment for eating disorders can be done. Until the drinking problem is resolved, a good assessment for eating disorders cannot be done.
About the Expert
William Anderson
MA, LMHC
Sarasota, United States of America
Specialties
Compulsive Disorders, Life Coaching, Addiction or Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, Other, Impulse Control Disorders, Thinking Disorders, Depression
License
my_license #MH7773