OCD and Eating Disorders: Understanding the Overlap
If you’re constantly thinking about food, body image, or needing to eat “just right,” you might be dealing with more than just an eating disorder—or more than just OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and eating disorders often show up together. Many people don’t realize how closely they’re connected. Understanding how OCD and eating disorders overlap can help you get the right treatment and support.
OCD is a mental health condition that involves unwanted, intrusive thoughts (called obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (called compulsions). These thoughts often cause anxiety, and the compulsions are attempts to feel better or avoid something bad from happening. Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder are also driven by anxiety, control, and perfectionism. In many cases, someone can have both conditions at the same time.
For example, you might have strict food rules or rituals that feel impossible to break. You might avoid eating certain foods because of fears about contamination, illness, or doing something “wrong.” You may feel the need to eat at the exact same time every day or chew a specific number of times. These behaviors may seem like part of an eating disorder—but they can also be compulsions rooted in OCD.
Some people experience intrusive thoughts about their weight, appearance, or food safety. To cope, they may check their body in the mirror, ask others for reassurance, or avoid social situations involving food. Others may binge eat as a way to reduce anxiety, even if they don’t feel hungry. These patterns are more common than you might think—and they can be exhausting to manage alone.
Perfectionism is another shared trait between OCD and eating disorders. Many clients I work with are high-functioning and appear successful from the outside. But inside, they’re stuck in cycles of obsessive thinking, food anxiety, and shame. They often feel pressure to be perfect in every area of life, including how they eat, look, or perform. Over time, this can take a toll on your mental and physical health.
The good news is that therapy can help. If you’re struggling with both OCD and disordered eating, it’s important to work with a therapist who understands how these two conditions interact. I use evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients break free from compulsions, reduce anxiety, and reconnect with their values.
ERP, the gold standard treatment for OCD, can also be adapted to support recovery from eating disorders. This might include facing food fears, sitting with discomfort, and reducing compulsive behaviors like checking, counting, or seeking reassurance. Therapy is always tailored to your unique needs, and recovery happens one step at a time—with support.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. I offer virtual therapy to clients throughout California. Whether you’re dealing with food-related anxiety, intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviors, or body image concerns, you deserve care that truly understands both OCD and eating disorders. Please reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to see if we’re a good fit. I’d be honored to support you in your recovery.
