NEURODIVERGENCE & EATING DISORDERS: THE OVERLAP

Neurodivergence refers to the idea that neurological differences (such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia) are a natural variation of the human brain, rather than a pathology. Neurodivergent individuals often process information, emotions, and experiences differently than neurotypical people., which we view as a fascinating and wonderful strength, whilst also acknowledging the challenges this can sometimes bring. Being autistic, in particular for females (and there's an increasing amount of research evidence on this), can sometimes overlap with eating disorders in several ways. For recovery to happen the autistic person and other people working with them need to understand what being autistic is like for that person. This is fundamental because for recovery to happen and be maintained, everything needs to be built on this knowledge first.

Here are a few elements (of many!) to consider with the overlap of eating disorders and being autistic:

1. Sensory Sensitivities and Eating Habits: Many autistic people have sensory sensitivities, which can affect their relationship with food. For example, they may be particularly sensitive to textures, smells, or tastes of certain foods. This can lead to restrictive eating behaviours and, in some cases, could evolve into patterns seen in eating disorders like anorexia or selective eating. Developing an understanding of a person's sensory profile is essential to helping them understand themselves and support recovery e.g. the way their connection to their interoception and neuroception.
2. Rituals and Routines: A common characteristic of autism is the tendency to engage in rigid routines and rituals. This can extend to eating habits, where a person may only eat specific foods or follow strict food rituals. This can contribute to unhealthy eating patterns, or a significant reduction in the variety of food consumed, contributing to disordered eating. In terms of eating disorders, this can sometimes lead to a real long term embedding of the eating disorder, However, these traits can also be harnessed as strengths towards recovery.
    
3. Emotional Regulation: Many neurodivergent individuals, often have differences in emotional regulation to neurotypical people. Difficult emotions, stress, and anxiety can sometimes manifest through controlling food intake or engaging in restrictive eating behaviours. This is particularly relevant in disorders like anorexia and bulimia, where food can become a means of coping with overwhelming emotions.
    
4. Co-occurring Conditions: Autism is often associated with other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive behaviours. These co-occurring conditions may exacerbate the development or maintenance of eating disorders. For example, anxiety about food or body image can be intensified in an autistic person, especially perhaps if they do not understand that they are autistic, or are late diagnosed.
5. Environment: "Environment + Autism = Outcome". This is taken from Dr Luke Beardon's work, and is so incredibly important. The impact of environment on the autistic experience, and on the recovery process is essential to understand.  If the autistic experience is considered through the lens of sensitivity, then environment is hugely important to look at. We do those through creating a neuro-affirmative, tailored approach for each person - that helps them understand themselves, advocate for themselves; and enables us to work together to create a process that fully aids recovery and does not hinder it.