unable to eat when anxious but still hungry

Tart Cherry Jam · Feb 13, 2024 at 02:18 AM

Has anyone dealt with it? I have occasional anxiety as part of my bipolar and a frequent symptom is being unable to eat. I usually can drink liquids but not eat solid food. At the same time, I do feel hunger. And then hunger spikes anxiety further, as I feel intense fear that I would not be able to feed myself and just feel those awful and worsening hunger pains.

Most of the time I am OK, but when this happens, it is really bad.

I also had periods in the past when anxiety made it impossible to eat anything but comfort foods, such as rice pudding or mashed potatoes. Normally I do not eat high carb foods but when anxious, I need them, not for their carb content but for their soothing texture. Anyone experiences that?

TheGal · Feb 13, 2024 at 09:19 AM

When I was psychotic, I couldn't eat... so I had a liquid meal replacement like Boost or Ensure.

Tart Cherry Jam · Feb 13, 2024 at 12:34 PM

I had a psychotic period in 2017 when I only drank chocolate milk. I subsisted on chocolate milk only for a couple of weeks until I went inpatient. But I had a delusional belief that I entered a special state of not needing food for sustenance.

unaluna · Feb 13, 2024 at 01:11 PM

This never happens to me. Ever. I can always eat. Maybe its because im one generation from impoverished italian hill folk?

Mountaindewed · Feb 13, 2024 at 01:29 PM

This happens to me. I get stuck on 3 or 4 "safe" foods for a week or 2. It used to piss off my providers before I moved. Now my therapist is just glad when I eat and whatever I can eat.

emily1890 · Feb 13, 2024 at 04:09 PM

my mother used to make a huge deal out of this

I'd be anxious and struggle to eat, and my mom would be like oh please em.. not the eating **** again

made it ten times worse

SquarePegGuy · Feb 13, 2024 at 07:56 PM

Definitely can't eat when anxious.
First instance was my first week or two of technical school. I couldn't eat breakfast and had dry heaves before driving to the school. But during the morning break I could treat myself to a nice donut and Pepsi. (Yuck, I know now.)
But then in the last semester of college, I went to see a doctor about it. I went for an upper GI series (X-Ray with barium contrast) to check for hiatal hernia. I could barely drink the thick barium drink; it was the first of many medical foibles I'd experience. Then I started to see a therapist.

Tart Cherry Jam · Feb 14, 2024 at 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SquarePegGuy

Definitely can't eat when anxious.
First instance was my first week or two of technical school. I couldn't eat breakfast and had dry heaves before driving to the school. But during the morning break I could treat myself to a nice donut and Pepsi. (Yuck, I know now.)
But then in the last semester of college, I went to see a doctor about it. I went for an upper GI series (X-Ray with barium contrast) to check for hiatal hernia. I could barely drink the thick barium drink; it was the first of many medical foibles I'd experience. Then I started to see a therapist.

You know, I am reading this and it starts making sense. Eating is about being relaxed. "rest and digest". and when anxious, you are on high alert. It is the opposite of "rest and digest".

ArmorPlate108 · Feb 20, 2024 at 02:25 PM

My DD has a similar issue

When she was little, someone in the family got irrationally angry at her for not eating faster- for holding them up. Now, as a teenager, if she feels rushed or stressed, she literally can't eat. It irritates me that someone else's temporary frustration left a seemingly permanent mark on her. Fortunately, it tends to be limited to a single mealtime for her, not something that lingers for longer periods.

Tart Cherry Jam · Feb 20, 2024 at 11:12 PM

Oh how unfair to you DD that somebody felt rushed and left a permanent mark!

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TheGal Poohbah Member Since Aug 2022 Location: The House Posts: 1,020 1 667 hugs given	Feb 13, 2024 at 09:19 AM #2 When I was psychotic, I couldn't eat... so I had a liquid meal replacement like Boost or Ensure.
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unaluna Elder Harridan x-hankster Member Since Jun 2011 Location: Milan/Michigan Posts: 39,871 (SuperPoster!) 12 66.4k hugs given	Feb 13, 2024 at 01:11 PM #4 This never happens to me. Ever. I can always eat. Maybe its because im one generation from impoverished italian hill folk?
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,226 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,779 hugs given	Feb 13, 2024 at 01:29 PM #5 This happens to me. I get stuck on 3 or 4 "safe" foods for a week or 2. It used to piss off my providers before I moved. Now my therapist is just glad when I eat and whatever I can eat. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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emily1890 Member Member Since Jun 2023 Location: the world Posts: 423 38 hugs given	Feb 13, 2024 at 04:09 PM #6 my mother used to make a huge deal out of this I'd be anxious and struggle to eat, and my mom would be like oh please em.. not the eating **** again made it ten times worse
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