27th National Clinical Education Symposium Presentation Abstracts
28 APRIL 2025, MONDAY
13:00-14:00 POSTER PRESENTATION SESSION-1
Bipolar Disorder Type II Depressive Episode and Anorexia Nervosa Restrictive Type Comorbidity: A Case of Recurrent Suicide Attempts
Munise Dinçarslan1, Ayse Erguner Aral1, Esin Erdoğan1
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1. İzmir City Hospital, İzmir, Turkey
DOI: 10.5080/kes27.abs109 Page 135
OBJECTIVE:Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is frequently comorbid with mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder and depression. Suicide ideation should be routinely assessed in patients with comorbid disorders, regardless of the severity of eating disorder or depressive symptoms. This study presents a case of a patient with Bipolar Affective Disorder Type II (Bipolar II) and comorbid AN, who had recurrent suicide attempts, with consent obtained. The case is discussed in light of current literature, emphasizing the increased suicide risk and the need for a multidisciplinary treatment approach. CASE (The patient consent must be provided and specified with appropriate terms.):Consent has been obtained from the patient. A 19-year-old female with a history of AN and Bipolar II presented with depressive symptoms and recurrent suicide attempts. She had received initial AN treatment in 2020, followed by the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Upon admission, the patient exhibited one month of depressive symptoms and restrictive eating behaviors. Treatment was initiated, leading to improvements in both depressive and eating disorder symptoms. After discharge, however, the patient made a second suicide attempt and was readmitted. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy continued, and the patient showed improvement. DISCUSSION:The comorbidity of eating disorders and Bipolar Disorder suggests shared pathophysiological mechanisms. Patients with both conditions tend to experience higher rates of depression, suicide attempts, and other psychiatric comorbidities. In this case, childhood sexual abuse was considered a significant factor in triggering suicidal behavior. Mood stabilizers such as lamotrigine and lithium were effective in treating both disorders. In conclusion, treatment and psychotherapy strategies for comorbid Bipolar Disorder and eating disorders must be carefully planned, considering the unique clinical characteristics of both conditions.