The Link Between Anorexia & Depression.

When I think about anorexia and depression the age-old philosophical question of ‘What came first? The chicken or the egg?’ comes to mind. The simple answer is that no one really knows and that is exactly the same with anorexia and it’s seemingly best friend depression. One can cause the other and vice versa.

50% – 75% of those with any eating disorder experiences a major depressive disorder which, in turn, puts them at a greater risk of suicide. 

In regards to the above research conducted by Blinder (2006) accompanied by my own experience with an eating disorder, it’s not hard to understand why these figures are so high. 

In regards to anorexia depressive disorders are commonly seen due to the persistent need to feel good enough and, later, due to the lack of essential nutrients being fed into our bodies. This trait of perfectionism is textbook anorexic and seen across a large portion of people diagnosed with the condition, and this extends in an unhealthy way into what we eat and what we weigh. 

Eating disorder specialist Ira M. Sacker, MD, would even go as far as to say that underneath the perfectionism and need to be good enough is the depression and anxiety holding it all together. She also has stated that emotional trauma somewhere in life is also hiding beneath the surface. These statements, although valid, would suggest that the eating disorder is primarily caused by the depressive disorder.

Not saying this isn’t the case but the point still stands that professionals aren’t certain of the actual order of the chicken and its egg. 

When starving the body of much-needed nutrients we contribute to the exacerbation or the development of depression. As previously mentioned once we start to starve our bodies of the essential ingredients for life our mind and bodies can no longer function like they once did. 

“Being severely underweight and malnourished, which is common in anorexia, can cause physiological changes that are known to negatively affect mood states,”

Lisa Lilenfeld, PhD, associate professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University in Arlington, Va., who specializes in eating disorders.

The brain is one of the most important organs in our bodies and accounts for 20% of our resting metabolic rate, and that’s without doing anything. If you are studying or working or using your brain for anything else it has the potential to burn more, and if we aren’t taking it in then there is nothing there for it to use. 

This leads to the notion of what most anorexics think of as ‘brain fog’; inability to concentrate, focus and see things clearly. Naturally feeling like is also one of the reasons many anorexics experience disconnection and, ultimately, depression.  

The Emotional detour. 

Starving the brain from essential nutrients such as Tryptophan, which boosts the production of serotonin (the happy hormone), reduces our ability to feel happy or content. 

An inability to feel and deal with emotions is actually a big part of eating disorders. As a current sufferer of anorexia, I can vow that I use starvation as an emotional avoidance method or a deterrent, just as an alcoholic would use alcohol. If I’m concentrating on my weight, my hunger, calories, over exercise, etc then I don’t have time to concentrate on all the noise inside my brain and my soul.

Now, as I step out of the shadow of anorexia, I am finding myself dealing with all these emotions and thoughts that I had previously been smothering. Dealing with difficult memories and feelings is hard for anyone suffering from a mental disorder, so you can imagine how this can lead to depression and anxiety on a whole new level. 

Emotional Intelligence.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage emotions of all degrees. For someone like me, that is a pretty difficult feat seeing as I have avoided them like the plague for over ten years, and it’s possible that I wasn’t that good at managing before then either. The notion of emotional intelligence is entirely new to me.

I would say I am a reasonably average person in regards to regular intelligence, so to find out that I am downright shit at emotional intelligence makes me feel a bit weak.

That being said I am learning. I am studying my emotions, stopping myself when I feel them getting too powerful and letting them come and go like visitors into my mind. It’s a long process but a necessary one to understand me better and fight off the darkness of these combined disorders.

How can I look after myself during recovery? 

You need to learn to take care of yourself both physically and emotionally. Here are a few suggestions but this is not a definitive list;

• • Take your medication as prescribed by your doctor. If you are having concerns speak to them before stopping or starting.

• • Eat! 

• • Plan and prioritize your day. I often find that I get anxious to the point of attack when I have so many things to do but I don’t know where to start, or when the house/office is a mess. That’s why I have to do lists and alarms on my phone to remind me of what is most important. I also try to tidy as I go along and keep thins in their place.

• • Get some sleep. I am a chronic night owl. I am up at 2 in the morning in the kitchen making tea and looking out at my lawn. I am wondering about all the things I need to do, by when and for who. I am thinking about things I did 10 – 15 years ago. It’s not good and, often, I find that a few days on no sleep puts me into mania and then a big slump into depression. Bottom line; Try and get some sleep.

• • Find some way to relax. Try meditation, deep breathing, warm baths, and healthy forms of exercise. You need a safe, stress-reducing activity.

• Take time for yourself every day. Even if it’s only 15 minutes, focus a little on yourself. Maybe this “me time” is your relaxation activity. That’s great. Carving out time for yourself gives a feeling of purpose and control over your life.

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There are millions of articles out there on the connection between depression, eating disorders and other mental health conditions. If you’re interested in further reading I suggested;

Recovery Warriors

Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists