Among individuals with eating disorders, the two most prevalent personality disorders appear to be obsessive compulsive personality disorder (anorexia nervosa, restricting type) and borderline personality disorder (anorexia nervosa, binge-eating purging type; bulimia nervosa).
Personality traits commonly associated with eating disorder (ED) are high perfectionism, impulsivity, harm avoidance, reward dependence, sensation seeking, neuroticism, and obsessive-compulsiveness in combination with low self-directedness, assertiveness, and cooperativeness [8-11].
Personality traits such as neuroticism (emotional stability), obsessiveness, and perfectionism play a large role in facilitating some eating disorders, particularly anorexia and bulimia.
Williams found that out of a group of 55 patients, the most common type with an eating disorder was the INFJ type. They comprised 18.5% of the patients with eating disorders.
Age: Eating disorders are most common in the late teens and early 20s. Family history: If you have a parent or sibling with an eating disorder, you are more likely to have one yourself. Mental health issues: Eating disorders are more common among people with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression.
In a study of female twins in the US, increased binge eating frequency was also found to be associated with genetic factors related to the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness [74].
About Eating Disorders
There's almost always an underlying combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
People who suffer from anorexia nervosa tend to have high levels of harm avoidance, a personality trait characterized by worrying, pessimism, and shyness, and low levels of novelty seeking, which includes impulsivity and preferring new or novel things (Fassino et al., 2002).
About 20% of adults with ADHD had the ENFP profile, which represents just 5–6% of the general population. In contrast, the child ADHD study only found about 5% of the kids were ENFP, while the two most common personality profiles were ISFJ (20%) and ESFJ (14%).
Assertive Debaters (ENTP-A) topped the charts – 72% agreed that they enjoy very spicy food. This consensus makes sense given their bold natures. This personality type is confident in culinary confrontations, and says “Bring it on!” to just about anything.
Abstract. Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have been postulated to have schizoid, narcissistic, and obsessional personality traits and to be sensitive, introverted, perfectionistic, and insecure.
What of personality? For the MBTI questionnaire, we found that those with a preference for iNtuition, and especially those with a preference for iNtuition and Feeling, were more likely to have chosen vegetarianism. We know something about the buying behaviour of these four types (INFJ, INFP, ENFP and ENFJ).
In one study, parents of picky eaters cited personality traits that are common among them. These words include 'stubborn', 'moody', 'nervous' and 'easily distracted'. Around the age of 2, picky eating becomes a frustrating but normal stage of development.
Neurologically, an eating disorder likely involves abnormal activity distributed across multiple neural systems. Among identified psychological factors are low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy and lack of control in life, depression, anxiety, anger, and loneliness.
Conscientiousness was associated with variety and sugar moderation. In other similar studies, conscientiousness was linked to healthy eating behaviors such as avoidance of sweets, confectionaries and consumption of fruits [29.
We start off with INFPs and INFJs: two Introverted personalities that often experience bouts of anxiety. When it comes to these types, their anxiety can stem from an inclination to overthinking.
A recent review of findings on ADHD and FFM personality suggests that, in general, ADHD has associations with the FFM traits of Neuroticism (positive), Agreeableness (negative) and Conscientiousness (negative).
INFJs are sensitive souls who are easily overwhelmed, but they have their limits. If they feel stressed by their environment, or the people in it, they'll tend to cry or become very quiet and want to be alone. Some INFJs will be cold, sarcastic and very blunt or speak to someone only on a very superficial level.
Anorexia is more common in girls and women. However, boys and men have increasingly developed eating disorders, possibly related to growing social pressures. Anorexia is also more common among teenagers. Still, people of any age can develop this eating disorder, though it's rare in those over 40.
Both primary and secondary narcissism can be observed in anorexia nervosa. Narcissism is incompatible with relatedness and narcissistic anorexics therefore struggle to form meaningful relationships.
Patients with anorexia nervosa have an ego-syntonic illness. In very simple terms, for these patients, the eating disorder is part of who they are, and they cannot comprehend the need to change their behavior. Patients with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder have an ego-dystonic disorder.
Anorexia nervosa is the least common of the three eating disorders, but it is often the most serious.
Eating disorders often occur due to underlying causes, including low self-esteem, mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders, or a past history of trauma or neglect.