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Is it normal to have more than one eating disorder?

10 Answers
Last Updated: 08/06/2018 at 5:09am
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United States
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Jennifer Fritz, LMSW, PhD

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

Day to day life can be stressful and overwhelming and my strength is assisting my clients in a supportive, empowering and practical manner.

Top Rated Answers
PeppermintHeart
May 5th, 2015 10:28pm
Eating disorders are as individual as the person suffering from them. Barely anyone perfectly fits the diagnostic criteria of just one disorder, most of the time it's a combination of different things. Many individuals may also live through different disorders as their symptoms may change over time. So, yes, this is "normal".
Anonymous
June 1st, 2015 4:53am
I think that having more than one eating disorder is not unheard of. Sometime when one ED behavior is not achievable, for example restricting at a holiday feast, then another ED will take its place.
AuntieLili
August 18th, 2015 11:27pm
Yes, I vacillated between bulimia and anorexia within the same time period 20 years ago. I also exercised in excess to control my weight. The disorders are a manifestation of the same emotional problem which, in my experience, is the attempt to gain a sense of control in a life that feels out of control and a distorted sense of self. Interesting thing is that i maintain a healthy weight now, by eating when I desire based on actual feelings if hunger.
DDABoo23
April 14th, 2015 4:55am
Yes it is! I've had all three of the major ED's over the last 9 years. IT's definitely not something abnormal.
Anonymous
February 9th, 2016 3:31pm
It is actually. Different eating disorders go hand in hand. I from experience had bulimia and anorexia at the same time. So it is actually very normal. But if you believe you do have an eating disorder please seek help.
Greatlistener87
November 18th, 2015 2:10am
It is possible but not normal. When you have an eating disorder means you are going through a face in your life that you need help with. Please seek the help you need.
SplendoraL
June 27th, 2016 12:21am
For people who have eating disorders, that is normal, but, have even one eating disorder isn't normal. Now, this sparks a who different conversation of "what is normal?". There is no normal, there is only you. You can be more normal when comparing to other or maybe less, but you are only your normal. Therefore, yes it is normal, compared to others with eating disorders, but compared to me, having even one eating disorder is not normal.
Anonymous
February 9th, 2016 3:03pm
It is .. but it would be best to get diagnosed and treated by your physician. It depends on your symptoms and your behaviour .. that can of course vary and fluctuate .. so you may have more than one eating disorder. It's not abnormal or unusual.
Anonymous
November 7th, 2016 8:13pm
I think yes, because of the fact that eating disorders come in all different sizes in which different types of eating disorders can occur. Further more, eating disorders are, just as people, able to evolve into new situation in which new ones can occur and old ones can change.
Anonymous
August 6th, 2018 5:09am
Definitely! There's no 'right' or 'wrong' way to have an eating disorder, and many instances of eating disorders in people do not perfectly fit into one formal diagnosis. It's possible for disorders to change over time too, from one type of eating disorder to another - that's perfectly normal.