Recognizing the Overlap: Anorexia and OCD

Around 30% of individuals with anorexia also experience obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), indicating a significant comorbidity between the two conditions. Symptoms may overlap, such as rigid counting and specific eating rituals, but they remain distinct disorders. In some cases, OCD symptoms may diminish as anorexia takes precedence. The concept of orthorexia, characterized by an obsession with healthy eating, complicates this further, as individuals may initially pursue dietary changes for health or ethical reasons, only to become fixated on weight loss and restrictive eating, ultimately leading to negative health outcomes.