How Trauma Can Trigger Eating Disorders: A Path to Holistic Recovery

When patients ask me why someone might develop an eating disorder, I explain that there isn’t a single cause—eating disorders are multifaceted conditions with various contributing factors. Many eating disorder myths suggest these conditions are simply about vanity or control, but the reality is much more complex.

Some of the most common factors I’ve observed in my clinical practice include:

• Societal pressure: Our culture’s rigid standards of physical beauty and body image can create tremendous pressure, especially for those with perfectionistic tendencies. These external pressures shape how individuals feel they “should” look and drive behaviors aimed at changing their bodies, often fueled by social media.
• Family influence: Growing up in an environment where parents or caregivers frequently discuss dieting, express dissatisfaction with their bodies, or model chaotic eating patterns can significantly impact a child’s relationship with food. Children may adopt these patterns directly or develop the belief that they should be engaging in similar behaviors.
• Trauma: Perhaps one of the most significant yet under-addressed factors is how past or current trauma impacts one’s relationship with food, body, and self. This connection deserves special attention, as it’s often missed in traditional eating disorder treatment.

The link between trauma and eating disorders has been fascinating to observe throughout my clinical work. Understanding this connection can be transformative for those seeking recovery.

When someone experiences physical or sexual trauma—both involving violation of the body—it can create a profound breach of trust with one’s body. Survivors often describe feeling unsafe within themselves, as if their body has betrayed them or become the site of their suffering.

Many of my patients express a desire to escape their bodies, which makes perfect sense when we consider that the body holds trauma memories. Being present in your body can trigger traumatic feelings, making disconnection an understandable protective response.

Many of my patients express a desire to escape their bodies, which makes perfect sense when we consider that the body holds trauma memories.

A common belief I’ve observed, particularly among those who’ve experienced sexual trauma, is that becoming physically smaller might provide protection. The reasoning follows: “I was hurt because I was visible. To be safe, I need to be invisible.” This manifests not only in a desire to change one’s body but in a deeper feeling that one shouldn’t take up space—both literally and figuratively.

For those who might be concerned about themselves or a loved one, here are some indicators that trauma might be affecting eating behaviors:

• Sudden changes in eating patterns: When eating habits change dramatically, particularly following a stressful or traumatic event, it may signal the development of an eating disorder.
• Using food to manage emotions: Eating habits that shift in response to intense feelings like anger, worry, or anxiety can indicate a maladaptive relationship with food. This might look like restriction, deprivation followed by episodes of eating large amounts of food (often in the evening), or feelings of needing to “get rid of” food after eating.
• Changes in exercise routines: Excessive exercise or feeling compelled to exercise to compensate for eating can be a warning sign, especially when motivated by guilt or shame.
• Cyclical patterns: Many individuals find themselves trapped in non-stop cycles of restriction, emotional eating, guilt, and compensation—a pattern that can be extremely difficult to break without addressing underlying trauma.

One of the most important points I want to emphasize is that addressing trauma is not an optional add-on to eating disorder treatment—it’s essential to the healing process.

I can’t tell you how many clients have come to me after previous therapy experiences saying, “I never considered that my trauma was linked to my eating disorder. I viewed them as separate issues.” They often wonder why they haven’t been able to heal from their eating disorder despite extensive work.

The answer lies in understanding that trauma shapes our entire worldview—our perception of ourselves, others, and the world around us. It impacts fundamental aspects of our lives including our sense of safety, trust, intimacy, and self-esteem.

When viewed through this lens, eating disorders can be understood as attempts to cope with the overwhelming emotions and negative beliefs that stem from trauma:

• Chaotic eating patterns may serve as an outlet for overwhelming emotions
• Restriction might be an attempt to numb out and not feel
• Physical hunger may temporarily distract from emotional pain
• Negative beliefs about oneself (“I don’t deserve to eat” or “I don’t deserve to care for myself”) can perpetuate disordered behaviors

In closing, I want to emphasize the importance of recognizing the connection between our minds, bodies, and souls in the healing process. This holistic understanding is crucial when treating the intersection of trauma and eating disorders.

True recovery requires nurturing all three aspects of yourself. Each dimension—mind, body, and soul—works together, and each needs attention and care to experience wholeness again.

When someone experiences trauma, harm occurs to all three dimensions of their being. That’s why treating only the physical manifestations of an eating disorder without addressing the trauma to the mind and soul will not lead to complete healing.

True recovery requires nurturing all three aspects of yourself. Each dimension—mind, body, and soul—works together, and each needs attention and care to experience wholeness again.

This is why trauma work isn’t something that can be neglected in eating disorder treatment. By honoring the complete picture of who you are and what you’ve experienced, we create the foundation for genuine, lasting recovery.