Emotional Well-Being in Anorexia Nervosa: Negative Affect, Sleeping Problems, Use of Mood-enhancing Drugs and Exercise Frequency

The purpose of this study was to ascertain emotional well-being among patients presenting ninety anorexia nervosa (AN) and healthy age-matched controls using the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule and the Emotional Well-Being Scale together with background health information. The results indicated that AN patients displayed higher levels of negative affect and negative emotions, more stress and depression, greater sleeping problems, pain, and use of analgesics and mood-enhancing drugs, as well as lower levels of positive affect and positive emotions, compared to the age-matched healthy controls. Despite their negative self-report, on the variables pertaining to affect, sleep and pain, the AN patients reported a higher frequency of physical exercise. Regression analysis indicated that the AN condition, from diagnosis, was predicted from negative affect, sleeping problems, use of mood- enhancing drugs and exercise frequency. Hence, suggesting that excessive exercise together with depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, additive behaviors and sleep problems represent AN from a perspective of multiple comorbidities.