126: Emotions, Negative Beliefs and Perfectionism: How insecure attachment can lead to eating disorders

Research is now showing that something called “attachment styles” may also explain why people with a history of toxic stress related to childhood trauma or to other specific childhood issues (abandonment, neglect, abrupt separation from a parent, frequent changes in caregivers, or lack of caregiver responsiveness) may have food and body image issues.  Individuals who were raised in a family where their parents invalidated their views or feelings are more likely to binge and purge or have other disordered eating behaviors.   In this episode, you will learn:

1. What are the 4 attachment styles?
2. How many people with anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder have insecure attachment styles.
3. How is perfectionism related to attachment style and to eating disorders.
4. How can insecure attachment make you more vulnerable to the social media message about dieting and the thin ideal?