During the dieting stage between binges, people are often irritable, depressed, and may be more apt to express personality disorders. Eating sweets increases serotonin. Seasonality often affects both depression and eating disorders. In many people, depression is more severe in darker winter months. Onset of anorexia appears to peak in May, which is also the peak month for suicide.
Anxiety disorders are very common in anorexia and bulimia.
Social phobias, in which a person is fearful about being humiliated in public, are common in both eating disorders. People with anorexia are especially prone to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Women with anorexia may become obsessed with exercise, dieting, and food. The presence of OCD with either anorexia or bulimia does not appear to have a negative effect on long-term outlook, although improvement in the eating disorder usually parallels improvement in the anxiety disorder. Family Influences and Genetic Factors Negative Family Factors.