Title: Integrative Medicine for Eating Disorders and Addictions

Biography:

Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross is an author, speaker, expert in using Integrative Medicine for the treatment of eating disorders, obesity and addictions.  She is board certified in Preventive Medicine and Addiction Medicine and is a graduate of Andrew Weil’s fellowship in Integrative Medicine.  She consults with treatment centers around the US who want to include her unique integrative medicine approach to treat eating disorders and addictions.  She is the author of three books; the latest is The Food Addiction Recovery Workbook.  Dr. Ross is the CEO of The Anchor Program™, an online coaching program for obesity and binge eating disorder.

Abstract

Community estimates from 2000 indicate over 40% of Americans over age 12 have used an illicit drug in their lifetime with 3.1 million having been in treatment for substance use disorders.  Over nine percent of the total population met criteria for substance use disorders.  Of those with SUDs 53-76% have a comorbid mood or anxiety disorder, personality disorder or eating disorder. Nationwide, approximately 20-30% of all individuals with anorexia nervosa and 40-70% of bulimics have co-morbid substance use disorders.  For binge eating disorder, substance use disorders are a significant co-occurring diagnosis. Up to one-third of female patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) may have undiagnosed eating disorders (ED).  At any given time, 30% of women receiving treatment for substance use disorders may also have a serious eating disorder.

Substance use disorders and eating disorders share many components and characteristics including genetic predisposition for addictions, a history of trauma and attachment disorders and changes in the dopamine reward centers in the brain (reward deficiency syndrome or RDS).  This element of cross-addiction speaks to the fact that, while substance use disorders may begin as part of a primary eating disorder (i.e. the use of stimulants to lose weight), for many individuals, there may be common etiological factors, including family history of SUD, trauma and major depression that promote the development and maintenance of both SUD and ED.

Integrative medicine is an important tool in addressing the brain chemistry and nutritional deficits associated with both ED and SUD.   As well, it is uniquely able to address the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (hyperactivity of the stress response) and to provide limbic therapies for trauma that is common to both and which puts clients at high risk for relapse.