Sometimes, an individual could suffer from an eating disorder and substance abuse at the same time. This is possible because people who suffer from eating disorders may use and abuse a variety of substances, particularly alcohol. However, they may also abuse a variety of other substances such as sedatives, marijuana, stimulants, caffeine, opiates, cocaine, hallucinogens or even inhalants.

For instance, research has reported that patients with bulimia nervosa and anorexia binge eating are most likely to use substances. Bulimia nervosa, however, is an eating disorder characterized by a rapid and excessive consumption of food (or binge eating), followed by purging and vomiting. Sadly, patients who suffer from bulimia nervosa are more likely to use and abuse laxatives, diuretics, stimulants and alcohol intake. This eating disorder results in the abuse of medications because people who suffer from it either want to get rid of the excess calories they have consumed to avoid weight gain or temporarily deal with the myriad of mental health problems that may arise from the eating disorder.

Patients who suffer from eating disorders and substance use and/or addictions should therefore get concurrent treatment. Treating only addiction in the background of eating disorders does not proffer any solution to the problem. However, some treatments adopted by psychiatrists to treat both disorders concurrently include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).