OCD and Eating Disorders: How Obsessive Thinking Fuels the Cycle

For years, I thought it was just a coincidence that I had OCD as a child, developed an eating disorder as a young adult, and later found myself struggling with OCD again.

But one day, while reflecting on my mental health journey, I had a realization: my experience with an eating disorder felt eerily similar to my experiences with OCD.

The main difference was what I was ruminating about.

Instead of being consumed by numbers and making sure my family was safe (my childhood OCD), or obsessing over relationships and overanalyzing every conversation (my current struggles with Relationship OCD and Pure O), I was fixated on my body—my food intake, my workouts, my weight... pretty much anything tied to body image. Or, more accurately, the body image I was so desperately seeking.

I spent countless hours mentally calculating calories, stressing over whether I had pushed myself hard enough at the gym, worrying about my next meal, and constantly questioning how I looked. 

That’s when it clicked—OCD and eating disorders are deeply connected.

OCD Traits in Eating Disorders 

At its core, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is defined by two main components: obsessions and compulsions.

And when you break it down, eating disorders follow the same pattern.

1. Obsessions, the “O” in OCD

Anyone with an eating disorder experiences obsessive thoughts pertaining to body image, food consumption, weight, or something similar. The specific obsession varies, but the underlying pattern is the same: intrusive, distressing thoughts that keep returning and lingering.

And with those thoughts, comes anxiety. 

I’d be anxious about not burning enough calories at the gym. Anxious about an upcoming event where I might stray from my diet. Anxious about having to be in shorts or a bathing suit. Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety. It consumed me.

This is precisely how OCD works. It latches onto your fears or doubts, playing them on repeat until you feel like you have no choice but to act on them (the compulsions) in order to reduce your anxiety.

2. Compulsions, the “C” in OCD 

In OCD, compulsions are repetitive behaviors done to relieve anxiety. In eating disorders, those compulsions show up in many ways. Here are some examples:

• Bingeing

• Purging

• Starving yourself

• Excessive exercising

• Body checking

• Weighing oneself repetitively 

• Counting calories and/or tracking macros obsessively

• Constantly comparing your body to others

And many more. Feel free to comment below with additional ED obsessions and compulsions that I haven’t listed here. 

Just like OCD, these compulsions are driven by fear. 

“If I miss that workout, I’ll instantly gain/lose weight.” 

“If I don’t throw up, people will think I look fat.” 

“If I eat that cookie, it will go straight to my thighs.”

Even though these thoughts aren’t realistic, they can be very real to the person experiencing them, the same way someone with counting OCD is truly scared that not counting to a certain number can bring harm to a loved one or to themself. 

The connection between OCD and eating disorders becomes pretty apparent when broken down, but you’re probably wondering—what exactly does this connection mean?

Why Does the Connection Between OCD and Eating Disorders Matter?

I’ll be transparent—I’m still trying to figure that out. 

But here’s what I do know. 

When I overcame my eating disorder, I didn’t experience peace of mind for very long. Very soon after, my obsessive thoughts of body image and counting calories were supplanted with new obsessions of overanalyzing relationships, ruminating on conversations, and fixating on uncertainties.

And that’s why this realization matters. Many people overcome eating disorders only to struggle with a new form of obsessive thinking. If we don’t address the root cause—the obsessive, fear-driven thought patterns—we risk falling into a different compulsion cycle.

I know I still have much to learn from this connection, but I wanted to write this blog because this realization was important to me. While it hasn’t provided immediate relief for my OCD, it has deepened my understanding of how the mind works. 

If I can get to know myself on a deeper level—truly understand where my doubts and fears come from—then maybe I can begin to conquer them. And if I can conquer those doubts and fears, then maybe, just maybe, I won’t be trapped by anxiety. And without anxiety, there would be no need for compulsions to alleviate it.

You see the big picture? 

It’s beautiful. 

But creating something beautiful isn’t effortless. It takes struggle. It takes breaking apart and rebuilding, while facing the most challenging parts of ourselves and learning to sit with the discomfort instead of running from it.

Just like one of my favorite quotes by Leonard Cohen states— "There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in."

None of us are flawless; there’s no such thing. But, those cracks not only make us who we are, they also make room for the light to shine through. Because of those very cracks, the world offers us a chance to become our most beautiful selves—as long as we’re willing to search for the light and allow it in.