Individuals with certain personality traits such as perfectionism, the need for control, and impulsivity are predisposed to eating disorders however these certain personality traits along with many others have been shown to help individuals recover from anorexia nervosa,
A 2010 study compiled in the paper The Association Between Myers-Briggs Personality Types and Eating Disorders by Sarah A. 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.
Anorexia nervosa is often linked with personality disorders associated with perfectionism, interpersonal control, social anxiety, and sensitivity to negative evaluation by others.
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.
Depression, anxiety or OCD
People with other mental health problems, specifically depression, anxiety and OCD, are also more likely to have BDD.
Both men and women – about 40% of people with BDD are men, and about 60% are women. People of almost any age (from age 4-5 up into old age): BDD most often begins around age 12 or 13.
Personality traits such as neuroticism (emotional stability), obsessiveness, and perfectionism play a large role in facilitating some eating disorders, particularly anorexia and bulimia. Research suggests that these traits are at least partially driven by genetics.
A psychological profile for a patient with anorexia nervosa often demonstrates premorbid anxiety disorders, as well as more severe affective disorders, such as major depression and dysthymic disorder. Patients may also have symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, with rigid and ritualistic eating behaviors.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss (or lack of appropriate weight gain in growing children); difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight for height, age, and stature; and, in many individuals, distorted body image.
Some personality types that are prone to mental health conditions include isolated introverts, overachievers, dramatists, day dreamers, worry warts, and perfectionists. People with these personalities are at risk of anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and other mental disorders.
Research has indicated that individuals with high emotional reactivity (high neuroticism) and introverted tendencies (low extroversion) are more likely to experience anxiety than other personality types [101].
INFP and INFJ: The Overthinkers
We start off with INFPs and INFJs: two Introverted personalities that often experience bouts of anxiety.
Individuals with anorexia nervosa are known to have high levels of harm avoidance, a personality trait that is characterized by worry, pessimistic thinking, doubt, and shyness.
The core psychological feature of anorexia nervosa is the extreme overvaluation of shape and weight.
The causes that may contribute to a person developing anorexia nervosa include: Psychological factors, such as a high level of perfectionism or obsessive-compulsive personality traits, feeling limited control in life and low self-esteem, a tendency towards depression and anxiety and a poor reaction to stress.
The most common psychiatric disorders which co-occur with eating disorders include mood disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder), anxiety disorders (e.g., obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma, substance use disorders, personality disorders (e.g. ...
According to the DSM, anorexics 1) refuse to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for their age and height, 2) experience intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though they are underweight, 3) misunderstand the seriousness of their weight loss, provide undue influence of body weight ...
Two subtypes of anorexia nervosa have been categorized, restricting type and binge-eating/purging type.
Depression is the most common mental health disorder in America and is most likely the most common disorder co-occurring with anorexia nervosa.
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
Extreme thinness (emaciation) A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight. Intense fear of gaining weight. Distorted body or self-image that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape.
Low sense of self-worth. Low self-esteem: self-loathing, self-disgust, and depression. Denial, usually doesn't want help, desire to solve problems alone. Usually wants help desperately, yet shame may prevent reaching out.
BDD is most likely to start in your teens or early adult years. People usually develop BDD around 12 or 13 years old. Two-thirds of people with BDD develop it before age 18. However, BDD can also start in adulthood.
Since people affected by BDD are often attractive objectively, it is not surprising that they may be misperceived as being vain and frequently are not properly diagnosed in a timely manner, or ever, in part because their plight is easy to minimize or mock.
These people tend to fixate on minute details — every tiny blemish looms huge — rather than viewing their face as a whole. Now researchers at UCLA have determined that the brains of people with BDD have abnormalities in processing visual input, particularly when examining their own face.
In sum, folks with eating disorder pathology, both past and present, are more likely to have a rigid and obsessive mindset, commonly seen with perfectionistic tendencies. Those with anorexia may have a fear of letting go of control, of themselves, and their environment.