Are Anorexia and Depression Connected?

Most people, especially women, see flaws in their bodies that they wish they could change. In some cases, they take steps to exercise and eat healthier to improve how they look. However, some women take this to the extreme, which can lead to eating disorders. Because of that, it’s important to understand anorexia and depression and their connection.

Anorexia Nervosa and Depression

Women with anorexia nervosa perceive themselves as overweight, so they strive to lose weight even when they’re thin. Weight loss becomes an obsession that involves dangerous eating habits. They usually avoid eating or eat very small amounts. Some of them control their weight through other means too, such as compulsive exercise, abusing laxatives and diuretics, and purging.

As a result, women with anorexia can develop many health problems. Some examples include muscle weakness or loss, brittle nails and hair, thinning bones, and nervous system and heart damage.

As for depression, this mood disorder involves feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and intense sadness. Women with depression may lose their appetite, have trouble sleeping, or lose interest in once-loved activities. They might also lack energy and have trouble concentrating. These symptoms can have debilitating effects for them and their loved ones.

Depressions and Eating Disorders

The connection between anorexia nervosa and depression can occur in two ways. First, it’s common for women struggling with eating disorders to develop depression as a co-occurring illness. With anorexia, being malnourished and very underweight can cause chemical changes in the brain. When it comes to the questions, “can anorexia cause depression?” and “do eating disorders cause depression?” The answer to both questions may be yes because these changes can have a negative impact on mood, which may trigger depression.

The second way the connection between anorexia nervosa and depression can occur is that depression can be a contributing factor to anorexia. The obsession to be perfect can develop into a focus on controlling what they eat. Then, that obsession can turn into an eating disorder.

Treatment for Depression and Eating Disorders

The presence of depression and anorexia has unique features. To diagnose the co-occurring conditions, doctors use a series of questions to determine the symptoms. However, effectively treating the disorders requires an integrative approach that addresses both issues at the same time. Simply addressing one of them doesn’t guarantee that the other will become manageable.

Treatment for depression and eating disorders includes medication and therapies. The medication can get the chemical imbalance that causes depression symptoms under control. Nutrition therapy teaches women how to have a healthy relationship with food. As a result, their bodies get the nutrients that they need to heal, which also helps correct the chemical imbalance.

For anorexia and depression treatment, we utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) since it addresses the underlying factors that lead to anorexia and depression. It focuses on changing the distorted feelings and thoughts that prompt the disordered eating habits. Other therapeutic services may help as well, such as art therapy, mindfulness therapy, and equine therapy.

Get Help for Anorexia Today

If you think you may need help because you suffer from anorexia and depression, we can help. At Magnolia Creek, we offer dual diagnosis treatment, and we can help you recover from both conditions by using a range of evidence-based and experiential services, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and many others.

Don’t let anorexia and depression destroy your health and relationships. Get treatment at our facility today. Call 205-235-6989 to learn more.