Substance Use Disorders Are Deadly

Compton and Han discuss a study by Mellentin et al which identified a large sample of patients with eating disorders (N=20,759) and compared them to a matched general population control group (N=83,036). Taking advantage of the large sample size, Mellentin et al were able to examine subgroups of persons with eating disorders and major substance use disorder categories. Overall, the authors have provided an exceptionally detailed assessment of mortality risks for comorbid eating disorders and substance use disorders. The important findings by Mellentin et al suggest that attending to and addressing these co-occurring disorders is warranted for optimal clinical outcomes, especially because the combination of eating disorders with substance use disorders is frequent.