Study: Anorexia Could Be a Habit

A study in the journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that anorexia may be a habitual condition, which contradicts the long-held belief that those who suffer from it are exhibiting self-control. The fact that the condition may be better classified as a behavior governed by brain processes could explain why doctors find the disease so difficult to treat. Research suggests that brain circuits used for habitual behaviors can contribute to self-destructive choices like cocaine use or compulsive gambling. Some 50 percent or more of anorexia patients relapse within a year of being released from the hospital, scientists say.