QUESTION: Is my ED making me depressed, or am I depressed because of my ED?

ANSWER: This question reminds me very much of a similar age-old question - ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’ The best answer will come from your treatment team, which hopefully consists of the following five individuals:

1. Medical doctor – assesses your physical health & monitors any health risks associated with your eating disorder
2. Psychiatrist – assists with short- and long-term medication to treat emotional and mental conditions that may arise from or be contributing to your eating disorder
3. Psychologist/Social Worker/Counselor – explores underlying root causes for the development of your eating disorder on a regular basis, including examining your past and present experiences and how they affect and/or contribute to your future goals and plans
4. Dietician/Nutritionist – educates and guides you in adopting healthy meal plans to meet your nutritional needs
5. Mentor/Recovery Coach – holds your hand and speaks the unspoken language of eating disorders – in short, someone who has been there and knows what it feels like!

So the best-guess answer I can give you, without access to your treatment team’s input, is that yes, your eating disorder is making you depressed, and yes, you are depressed as a result of your eating disorder. You may also want to consult some websites that have more information about the effects of eating disorders in relation to what you are experiencing now – you can find a list of sites I recommend HERE

Hope this helps. Let me know how we can support you!

Much love,

Shannon

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