Many studies show various contributing factors that can lead a person to develop an eating disorder. A person may become a victim of an eating disorder due to problems in their social or personal life. The causes of eating disorders are not linked to just one specific situation, but can arise from many areas of life. Studies have identified what appear to be the most common causes why a person develops these eating disorders. Serious disorders in individuals' eating habits can arise from many factors, including, but not limited to, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse during childhood and adulthood, poor body image, substance abuse, and their living environment. A wide variety of studies have been done to see how childhood emotional abuse affects eating habits. There are people who experience emotional abuse but are able to escape seemingly unharmed or affected, as well as others who continue to suffer lifelong damage. In a study of 176 people with bulimia, 41.6% reported experiencing severe emotional abuse as children (Groleau, Steiger, Bruce, Israel, Sycz, Ouellette, & Badawi, 2011). Although many of the patients included in the study suffered from different types of abuse that led to their eating disorder, the study also showed that those who experienced emotional abuse as children tended to have habits more serious than others (Groleau, Steiger, Bruce, Israel). , Sycz, Ouellette and Badawi, 2011). The study reveals that when a child suffers emotional damage, it can lead to an altered view of themselves as an adult. The study reports that "childhood emotional abuse may influence the severity of eating symptoms, perhaps by affecting individuals' self-esteem and...... middle of article..... orer, D., Keel, P., Jackson, S. and Manzo, M. (2006). Drug abuse among women with eating disorders. In International Journal of Eating Disorders (5th ed., Vol. 39, pp. 364-368). Leonard, S., Steiger, H. and Kao, A. (2003). Maltreatment during childhood and adulthood among bulimic and non-bulimic women: prevalence and psychological correlates. In A. Kao (Ed.), International Journal of Eating Disorders (4th ed., Vol. 33, pp. 397-405). Schmidt, U., Humfress, H., & Treasure, J. (1997). The role of the general family environment and sexual and physical abuse in the origins of eating disorders. In European Eating Disorders Review (3rd ed., Vol. 5, pp. 184-207). Villarroel, A., Penelo, E., Portell, M. and Raich, R. (2012). Childhood sexual and physical abuse among Spanish female undergraduates: does it affect eating disorders?. In European Eating Disorders Review (1st ed., Vol. 20, pp. e32-e41).