Disordered Eating & Trauma Survivors
As a trauma therapist, I’ve worked with many patients who developed eating disorders in the aftermath of childhood trauma. I want to share some of what I’ve learned about how trauma, dissociation, and disordered eating often intertwine.
When children can’t physically escape trauma, behaviors like purging, bingeing, or restricting may offer a way to disconnect from overwhelming and painful emotions. Food is often the first “substance” available to soothe distress—long before drugs or alcohol enter the picture. Research also shows that dissociation predicts overeating and can intensify binge episodes.
Different types of trauma may shape different eating behaviors. Anorexia is more strongly linked with sexual abuse, while binge eating is more associated with emotional and physical abuse. “Hidden” traumas like neglect and early attachment disruptions can also play a role by impairing a child’s ability to regulate emotions, increasing vulnerability to disordered eating.
Dissociation is often the bridge between trauma and eating disorders. Some people describe feeling unreal (depersonalization) or like the world isn’t real (derealization) before and during disordered eating episodes. Why? Because these behaviors may serve an important purpose.
Two key models help explain this:
Escape model – eating behaviors trigger dissociation to avoid painful feelings and memories.
Blocking model – eating dulls shame, guilt, or low self-worth rooted in trauma.
In both cases, the eating disorder is protective—it creates space from pain when no other escape exists.
If you’re a trauma survivor struggling with disordered eating, know this: your behaviors may have helped you survive. Understanding this can soften self-judgment and open the door to healing. You don’t have to stay stuck in shame. Survival strategies aren’t signs of weakness—they’re signs of resilience. And that same resilience, combined with understanding and compassion, can help you work on this very complex issue.
