Depression and Eating Disorders

As a life-long sufferer of depression and anxiety, as a teen, I also suffered from an eating disorder. I suffered from anorexia and bulimia which nearly destroyed my life as well as my family's life. Also, my teenage daughter suffered from anorexia a few years back but is doing better now. Back 30 years ago there were not near the resources and help available as there are today.

I found this interesting article on WebMD (which I have copied) regarding how depression and eating disorders are related.

Eating disorders often begin with the best of intentions -- a desire to lose weight and control eating. But in some people, those good intentions go badly wrong, resulting in anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating, or other disorders.

Why some people are at risk for eating disorders isn’t clear. But surveys show that depression is often a factor. In a 2008 study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, for example, 24% of bipolar patients met the criteria for eating disorders. An estimated 44% had trouble controlling their eating.

As many as half of all patients diagnosed with binge eating disorder have a history of depression, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Binge eating afflicts 3% of adults in the U.S., making it the most common eating disorder.

Depression also plagues many people with anorexia, another common eating disorder. People with anorexia fail to eat enough food to maintain a healthy weight. The results can be tragic. Studies show that anorexics are 50 times more likely than the general population to die as a result of suicide.

The Link Between Depression and Eating Disorders
Depression may lead to eating disorders, but there’s also evidence that eating disorders can result in depression. “Being severely underweight and malnourished, which is common in anorexia, can cause physiological changes that are known to negatively affect mood states,” says Lisa Lilenfeld, PhD, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Arlington, Va., who specializes in eating disorders.

Depression in people with eating disorders typically has its own unique features, according to Ira M. Sacker, MD, an eating disorders specialist at Langone Medical Center at New York University and author of Regaining Your Self: Understanding and Conquering the Eating Disorder Identity.

“People who develop eating disorders feel as people that they’re not good enough,” Sacker says. “They become obsessed with perfectionism. That perfectionism begins to focus on what they eat. But underlying it is depression and anxiety. Often, these patients have suffered a lot of emotional trauma.”

People with binge eating disorder are frequently overweight or obese, for instance. This can lead them to feel chronically depressed about the way they look. After succumbing to an episode of binge eating, they may feel disgusted with themselves, worsening their depression.

To determine if depression is part of an eating disorder, doctors use a well-tested battery of questions that tease out the most common symptoms of depression. These include:

Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Loss of interest in activities that once were pleasurable
Loss of libido
Irritability or anger
Sleep problems
Loss of appetite
Diagnosing serious depression is relatively easy, experts say. But finding an effective treatment for combined depression and eating disorders can be a challenge.


I have found a couple of e-books related to eating disorders that are worth checking out. There is so much help available now to help families/patients deal with eating disorders.

Anorexia Bulimia Recovery

Anorexia-Bulimia

Eating Disorders - Parent's Guide

These are no substitute for medical care, however, these books give a lot of good advice on ways to deal with eating disorders. If you, or someone you know has an eating disorder, please visit your physician who can be available to help or refer you to someone who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders.