Anorexia and alcoholism aren't often considered to be related, but a new study suggests that there could be a connection between the disorders:

A study of two populations of adult women, those presenting for alcoholism treatment and those referred to a specialized eating disorder program, showed that 30 percent of the women in alcoholism treatment met the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder, and 26.9 percent of the women in the eating disorder program met the criteria for alcohol dependence. -- Source: The (Calif.) Desert Sun

The reason for this connection between anorexia and alcoholism has yet to be determined, but it serves as an important reminder to health care and treatment professionals to be on the lookout for co-occurring conditions.

The necessity of providing comprehensive care for women who are suffering from multiple conditions has inspired recovery centers such as The Victorian of Newport Beach, California, to establish dual-diagnosis treatment programs for women.

Labels: anorexia, women, dual diagnosis, alcoholism

Posted By: Aspen/CRC