How are Self-Injury and Eating Disorders alike psychologically?

I have had therapy for self-injury. And I still struggle to not give in ... (kinda of like an alcoholic may struggle to not have a drink on a bad day) ... and I had bulimic tendencies in high school which I never specifically addressed.

I have always heard self-injury and eating disorders were connected somehow in the brain.

I have had a friend I met in college who had to go to an institution-of-sorts for her anorexia, and she confirmed that several of the eating disorder patients had self-injury habits.

I can see how anorexia is more likely linked to self-injury due to a psychological sense of control... but overall... I would love to hear an educated explanation or why both self-injury and eating disorders are often linked.

Research I try to find on my own doesnt seem too black and white, so anyone versed in this I would love to know what you do.

They can both be used to get a feeling of control. If you feel like you don't have control of your surroundings, you might feel like the only thing you have control of is yourself, as in your own body. Cutting gives you a sense of calmness, and from what I've heard, so does throwing up food.

Good luck with everything.

I would think that the reason that eating disorders are linked to self-injury is because with both disorders there is a strong dislike for yourself. I know that self-injury is about control, but to some extent it's also about self-loathing, and so are eating disorders. I am not an expert, this is just my opinion.

Because it's not normal for you to want to throw up your meals or hurt yourself.
They're both linked to emotional problems which have much to do with the brain and psychology.

i have strong opinions on both matters to be frank, mainly because of a first hand expierence with both.
my sister said she had an eating disorder, and basically stayed the same weight throughout the course of her 'eating disorder'. she claimed it made her thinner, but her clothes size is still the same. she acts as if it was a very large chapter of her life, and before you go thinking i'm just the careless sister who doesnt believe its happening to HER SISTER, even the doc said she didnt have any signs of eating disorders.
as for cutting, she also did that, which i also think is absolutely pathetic. i have tried it myself in sheer times of trouble and let me tell you it is not nice at all. pain, blood and a possible scar. it did not relieve my pain whatsoever, so looking at my sisters mangled arms while she lay on a hospital bed the day before my birthday. it was digusting, terrifying, unfair, and horrible. that whole episode resulted in me getting a behaivoural disorder and body dysmorphic disorder, because i was starved of attention for months around the time of all that happening, and on my birthday all everyone cared about was her. she wasnt allowed on her own at all, meaning i couldnt go to a lot of gigs, friends houses, etc. the behaivoural disorder means that i get very upset, frustrated easily. so i hate the idea of any type of eating disorder, even tho BDD is clased as one, and self harm, because it reminds me of everything my sister did to herself, which resulted in what my family did to me, which resulted in everything that i have now. gutted !


thats my experience with the two!
i hope i didnt sound bratty and spoiled, i missed out a lot of details i just didnt want to make it too long (: