Eating Disorders and Depression Go Hand in Hand

According to medical science there is a close relationship between eating disorders and depression. Despite the fact it has to be remembered that a debate is still continuing on this topic whether depression can be regarded as the result of eating disorder or depression can be termed as only a symptom of eating disorder.

Those who are having the habit of eating disorder can cause great harm to their health through severely restricting their intake of calories, exercising for hours or opting any other means for the prevention of weight gain.

Most commonly this process of eating disorder can be found amongst young adulthood especially applicable for women and girls rather than boys and men. With the following discussion the relationship between eating disorder and depression can easily be understood.

eating disorders and depression go hand in handAnorexia Nervosa

This pattern of depression goes hand in hand with the habit of eating disorder. It develops unusual eating habit which includes avoiding food as well as meals, picking up of food in small quantities. They engage themselves to check repetitively their weight or indulge into other means to control the weight such as compulsive and intense exercising procedure or purging through vomiting and so on.

This process of eating disorder may include other physical illnesses such as obsessive behavior, cardiovascular as well as neurological complications etc.

The symptoms which may grow in future include:

  • Brittle hair as well as nails
  • Yellowish and dry skin
  • Mild anemia
  • Muscle weakness
  • Rigorous constipation
  • Low blood pressure, lethargy and so on.

Bulimia Nervosa:

This can be characterized as intake of unusual food in large portions which lead to the lack of the control over eating. Though people who are suffering with bulimia nervosa weigh within the normal range, they suffer with a fear of being over weighted which lead them to the dissatisfaction with their body.

Other physical illnesses also complement with this such as electrolyte imbalances, oral problems as well as gastrointestinal problems.

Symptoms include:

  • Inflamed as well as sore throat
  • Kidney problems
  • Swollen glands
  • Intestinal distress etc.

Treatment

Eating disorder and depression has to be treated simultaneously in order to ensure fasten recovery process. Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered as one of the effective treatment on this note which focuses on understanding, identifying behavioral pattern. Results may be visualized within 12 -16 weeks though it may vary depending on the individuals.

Therefore from the aforesaid discussion it can be concluded that a strong relationship lies between eating disorders and depression.