# I'm not eating. Due to stress/anxiety?



## 0lly

Normally I eat a lot, I like food. I eat more than I should. But over the past two or three weeks I've scarcely eaten anything. 

This has coincided with the beginning of a new semester at university, which has occasioned me a goodish deal of stress; mostly as a result of living with new people who I don't know. But in any case, I've lost my appetite. I've been eating perhaps one meal a day and struggling even with that. For instance, I had some noodles last night (I took about two hours to eat them), and I couldn't be bothered to eat for nearly another 24 hours. When I did come to eat something, I bought a sandwich and after only a few bites I knew I didn't really want it. This isn't like me! 

I'm worried I'm not eating enough. My parents have remarked that I look to have lost weight. Does anyone have any experience of this? What should I do try and reclaim my appetite?


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## Zeeshan

Yep

High levels of stress can cause huge changes in Neurotransmitters and Neurohormones in the brain. Anyone, who like me, has had the pleasure of messing around with dopamine levels, knows that they can completely take hunger away


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## dlennr

I am experiencing something similar. I always have problems with my stomach when I am under stress. For about 2 weeks now I have had major stress in my life, and I am having so much trouble eating. It's like everything I go to eat makes me want to be sick. I am managing to eat a little at each meal, so no one really suspects anything yet. Even my favorite foods are completely undesirable to me. Wish I had some advice on how to fix this, but I have no clue.


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## Paper Samurai

destressing techniques such as meditation. Gentle exercises such as walking about (intense exercise without eating is a no no)

Also, when you're really stressed out, you're only going to be able to eat small volumes in at first. Therefore it's imperative that you eat calorie dense stuff - forget salads, whole grain stuff - eat dairy, full fat meat, sweet potatoes, bananas. high calorie fruits also have the added benefit of being able to be blended, so you can eat more before feeling full.
Heck you could even eat a good quality ice-cream (little to no filler) since a little tub is about 1500 cals.


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## autumnsfall

Over the past year my eating habits have been less than stellar. I have lost a substantial amount of weight as well. I would take a few bites from my meal, feel full and then 1-3 hours later I would have a hallow, empty feeling in my stomach. I let it go for about a year before I sought professional help. I had originally chalked the weight loss up to being lactose intolerant/stressed from school, but when school finished and I still felt this way I realized it might be something more. I haven't received an official diagnosis, but there is a chance that it is a peptic ulcer. Search for "peptic ulcer" and see if the symptoms listed on various websites match up to what you're experiencing. It wouldn't hurt to go and talk to your doctor about it just in case it is an ulcer.


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## danabeaton

Yeah, I know of people who have had no appetite due to stress, myself included.

You may just have to force yourself to eat, especially at breakfast (I trained myself to eat breakfast as a schoolkid and eventually I would crave it). Hopefully this will make you feel healthier and less stressed, eventually giving you your appetite back.


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## cher35

When I was going through a really, really rough time in my life I was having trouble eating (which is really rare for me) and I was eating odd things like tortilla chips with peanut butter on them.

Try to do what you can to relax yourself during this stressful time and try to force yourself to eat some healthy food.


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## Noca

I lost appetite and struggled with anoxeria most of my life. Zyprexa was my knight in shining armor, it stimulated my appetite and I went from 106 lbs 5'10" to 166 lbs 5'10" =)

You prolly don't need Zyprexa as its the strongest appetite stimulant on earth but something like Hydroxyzine, Remeron, or Lyrica should do the trick. Also add in some exercise and you should have your appetite back in no time. Good luck!


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## 0lly

I've just forced myself to eat this past 24 hours. I forced myself to eat breakfast this morning too. I just feel full up, even when there is no way I actually could be. Its just that even when eating, I feel preoccupied with other concerns.


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## BKrakow

autumnsfall said:


> A year ago September I weighed almost 200lbs and was wearing a girl's size 14. By January I was wearing a size 6. By June I had shrunk down to a size 4. Today, I am almost a size 2. I, like you, have always had an affinity for food. Especially anything covered in cheese (mmm...pizza). Unfortunately, by October my eating habits changed dramatically. When I would make something to eat I would take a few bites out of it and feel full. I chalked it up to being lactose intolerant/stressed out from school. My friends and family began to get worried and pressured me to seek medical help. So I did. I had to go through a series of tests, but they have narrowed it down to peptic ulcer from anxiety or Crohn's disease. From the sounds of it, you may have a peptic ulcer. I would get it checked out as soon as possible if these symptoms continue:
> 
> - you feel full after eating very little
> - loss of appetite
> - weight loss
> - abdominal pain
> - nausea/vomiting
> - bloating/abdominal fullness
> 
> Mine started out with feeling full after a few bites then about 1-3 hours afterwards getting a "hollow," hungry feeling in my stomach which eventually progressed into abdominal pain after about a month and a half.


I want to emphasize this post because I went through the same thing and it's quite horrible. it could just be stress, but if it persists for much longer I would definitely get it checked out by a doc. definitely sounds like it could be an ulcer.


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## 0lly

^I hope not. I'll certainly look out for any symptoms. 

Today I've actually found it a little easier to eat for some reason. I had a Cornish pasty . Still not the eating machine that I normally am though.

I've done some recollecting today, and I recall I went through a period at high school where I would only eat in the evenings because I was too nervous about the other kids seeing me eat my sandwiches. I had forgotten I used to do that. Maybe this is similar.


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## autumnsfall

0lly said:


> ^I hope not. I'll certainly look out for any symptoms.
> 
> Today I've actually found it a little easier to eat for some reason. I had a Cornish pasty . Still not the eating machine that I normally am though.
> 
> I've done some recollecting today, and I recall I went through a period at high school where I would only eat in the evenings because I was too nervous about the other kids seeing me eat my sandwiches. I had forgotten I used to do that. Maybe this is similar.


The best thing to do is to monitor what you eat. If you have any physical reactions to ingesting food then mark it down. Hopefully it isn't an ulcer, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on things like that. I hope that you feel better though! It is frustrating to know you have to eat, but physically not be able to do it.


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## Rrats

I feel the same, yet this is my first time with anxiety and not eating. I just recently moved from my dorms and am living back at home. So I thought that I should be happy and stress free now, but this anxiety is not leaving me. I cannot eat anymore and nothing really seems exciting anymore. I just want to know that others felt this way and got better, because right now I feel like this is not going to end.


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## march_hare

Happens to me whenever I get stressed! Especially when I move into a brand new place or first few weeks/months of a job. And during my breakup I had no appetite whatsoever. Normally when I'm happy I eat a lot too, so the sensation of not desiring food always freaks me out.
Edit - just realised this thread is damn ooooold!


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## Anitagrace

In this condition you cant focus on your study.stress is very bad thing.you should search its solution.


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