There is a strong link between eating disorders and codependency because both are survival mechanisms from dysfunctional family dynamics and unmet needs in early childhood. Eating disorders often come with factors of a need for control, low sense of self-worth, fear of abandonment, and perfectionism. These factors often stem from growing up feeling the need to caretake for others and being unable to have boundaries. The individual may have developed a strong need for approval from others and intense fear of rejection. Unfortunately, this also often leads to sacrificing one’s needs in order to caretake for another and even rationalizing/ignoring abuse. It may also show up as feeling the need to “fix” others, leading to putting all of their energy into showing up for others, avoiding their own feelings, and even neglecting their health. These patterns become the norm and may reinforce the sense of attachment to their eating disorder. It may begin to feel as though the eating disorder is the one thing they have control over, the one constant in their life, the one thing that won’t leave them. This is one reason why eating disorder treatment must involve exploring relationship patterns, both the relationship with the self and the relationship with others. As the individual is able to recognize these patterns and work towards building more reciprocal, meaningful relationships with others, they also begin to work through their relationship with themself and eradicate the core beliefs of unworthiness. Through this, the “need” to lean on the eating disorder will listen and they will be able to repair the relationship with themself.