CLEVELAND — When you keep doing the same thing repeatedly because somewhere in your brain you think there's some type of reward, over time, scientists say it changes how your brain is wired to work.
The bad habit can be automatic, even if it's dangerous. Now, a new study from researchers at both the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University show the brain circuits involved in forming habits can essentially get offline in people with eating disorders, which might explain why willpower doesn't work.
Brittany Davis, LPCC, is Midwest senior regional director at Accanto Health, the parent company of The Emily Program and Veritas Collaborative. She counsels people with eating disorders, and says there have been other studies indicating similar findings.
"Just the emphasis that there's actually something going on differently in the brains of individuals with eating disorders than there is with within individuals that don't have eating disorders," Davis explained. "It's not a choice, so this is something that is very validating for folks who struggle with eating disorders or for individuals who treat eating disorders."
Researchers looked at evidence linking habitual behaviors to mental health, such as substance abuse and addiction, but found it may also be linked to eating disorders. These findings may help discover new therapeutic ways of helping patients "retrain" their brains in a healthier way.