When Depression overlaps an Eating Disorder
Why the two are connected , and how to find your way through recovery
It’s Not Just One Thing, And It’s Not Your Fault
Many people with eating disorders also experience depression, not because they are “failing,” but because both conditions are deeply intertwined. Restriction affects mood. Depression affects appetite. Shame, perfectionism, trauma, and exhaustion fuel both. If you feel stuck, sad, numb, or like your eating disorder has “taken over,” you are not alone, and nothing about your response is a character flaw. It’s biology. It’s survival. And it’s treatable.
Why Depression and Eating Disorders Often Co-Occur
Restriction Directly Lowers Mood
Chronic dieting or restriction affects critical brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, the same neurotransmitters involved in depression. Research shows clear links between undereating and depressive symptoms. Restrictions also disrupt sleep, concentration, emotional regulation, and overall energy, all of which worsen one's mood.
Food deprivation reduces:
serotonin
dopamine
energy
emotional resilience
concentration
sleep stability
This makes depression worse, which makes eating harder, which makes your mood worse.
Depression Disrupts Appetite and Motivation
Depression can bring:
loss of hunger cues
emotional numbness
low motivation to cook or eat
self-criticism
fatigue
This makes regular eating harder, and the eating disorder more tempting as a coping strategy.
Trauma and Shame Drive Both
Your system uses food, control, or withdrawal to cope with deep emotional pain.
Isolation Makes Both Conditions Stronger
Depression pulls you inward. Eating disorders thrive in secrecy. Together, they silence your needs, and silence stops healing.
How Depression Can Show Up Inside an Eating Disorder
You might notice:
loss of interest in food you once loved
emotional numbness around eating
guilt after meals
binging to self-soothe
restricting because you feel undeserving
difficulty getting out of bed to eat
hopelessness about recovery
body checking or rumination intensifying when mood drops
A 2023 umbrella review found strong associations between eating disorders and multiple mood disorders, including major depression:
🔗https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-022-00725-4T
These aren’t character flaws, they are symptoms with a physiological and psychological basis.
Why Treatment Must Address Both (Not Just One)
If you treat the eating disorder without addressing depression, motivation and mood stay low. If you treat depression without restoring nourishment, your brain cannot stabilise enough to respond. You need both support systems working together.
A trauma-informed, integrative approach may include:
Regular nourishment to stabilise neurochemistry
Trauma Therapy to heal shame and self-criticism
Cultivating skills to regulate emotion without food behaviours
Medication to support mood, sleep, and cognitive functioning
Behavioural activation to gently reconnect with life
Recovery is not “mind over matter”, it’s mind, body, and connection working together.
How to Tell When Depression Is Affecting Your Recovery
You may notice:
“What’s the point?” thoughts
Eating disorder urges become stronger when mood drops
Avoidance of therapy, meals, or support
Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
Withdrawing socially
Difficulty imagining a future beyond the disorder
These are signs not of weakness, but of overwhelm. And overwhelm is treatable.
Steps to Support Yourself When Both Are Present
Eat Enough, Even if You Don’t Feel Like It
Create a Low-Effort Meal Plan
Name your inner critic
Add Structure Before Motivation. Motivation grows from action, not the other way around.
Stay Connected (Even When You Don’t Want To)
Recovery Is Still Possible, Even If You’re Depressed
Healing is not linear.
You don’t need to feel hopeful to keep going.
You don’t need to be motivated to deserve recovery.
You don’t need to believe you can get better, you just need to keep taking the next step.
And the truth is:
Your depression does not define your future. Your eating disorder does not define your identity. Both are treatable and the right support is out there.
If you are ready to speak to a compassionate and affirming Psychologist, contact us to see if we may be the right fit.
Note: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT intended as medical /psychological advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
