There does seem to be a link between eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia and depression. Although they are very different illnesses, one of these conditions can easily trigger the other. Eating disorders are caused due to a pressure to appear thin. While people with bulimia tend to binge on foods and then purge themselves of the food, anorexics strive to lose weight even when their weight is in the average/below average range.

This obsession with weight loss can cause anxiety, low self esteem and stress, eventually leading to depression. Both depression and eating disorders are associated with changes in the neuroendocrine system. This system produces hormones which regulate moods, emotions, appetite, weight, growth, sleep etc. Both people with eating disorders and those with depression show imbalances in the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine.

This suggests that there is a link between the two disorders. Similarly, people with eating disorders have increased levels of cortisol and vasopressin both of which are associated with stress and depression. Malnutrition which occurs in people with eating disorders result in decrease in tryptophan levels and subsequent decrease in serotonin, leading to depression and mood swings. Depression and emotional issues can also result in eating problems. These facts suggest that the two conditions are interlinked.