Article Critique

Article Review: Anorexia and Depression

Megan Stoykovich

Grand Canyon University

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and the food that they eat. Those with anorexia nervosa are trying to maintain a weight that is way below normal for their age and for their height. Those with this eating disorder will either not eat anything or over exercise in order to achieve the weight they desire. Depression and having a low self-esteem are often correlated with having anorexia nervosa. There may be genetic changes that make some people more vulnerable to developing anorexia. Researchers are still unclear about how genes are directly related. It may be that some people have a genetic tendency toward perfectionism, sensitivity and perseverance, which are traits associated with having anorexia. There's also some evidence that serotonin, a chemical in the brain that plays a key role in depression, may also play a role in anorexia. (O'Hara, 2010)

Anorexia is more common in girls and women then it is in men. However, boys and men have recently been developing eating disorders, this might be because of growing social pressures or the need to fit in. Individual therapy, family-based therapy and group therapy may all be beneficial to help cure anorexia. These types of therapy can help deal with the behavior and thoughts that contribute to anorexia. Gaining a healthier self-esteem and learning positive ways to cope with distress and other strong feelings is the goal when seeking therapy for anorexia. A type of talk therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used. This therapy may be done in day treatment programs, but in some cases, may be part of treatment in a psychiatric hospital. There are no medications specifically designed to treat anorexia because they haven't been found to work very well. However, antidepressants or other psychiatric medications can help treat other mental disorders, such as depression...