Eating, Comfort And PTSD

[reallydown]

I've struggled with this a lot and still do to some extent. I guess I did it because of the stress/anxiety. I used to be very thin, but still healthy, even though my mother kept urging me to eat more as she was worried that I'd end up with annorexia. The last two grades of high school coincided with the onset of the ptsd symptoms. It was at that point that I started drinking insane ammounts of Coke and eating junk food...anything I could get my hands on but mainly fries and chips and sweets. As the stress levels increased, and with the usual college stresses, these behaviours only got worse. I'd ditch any healthy snack or meal I brought from home in favour of some horrible, greasy item. It was sick and I knew it and I'd promise myself I'd stop but I didn't. The weight gain was gradual, all things considered, and it was easy to dismiss it with talk...well, at least I'm no longer in danger of getting annorexia. I'm finally healthy now etc.

I used to be an athlete; now, I can barely jump off the ground. I haven't quite figured it out yet...but it almost seems like a form of self-harm (in the traditional sense of that term)...ANyway, I'm a bit better now though I still get the Coke cravings. And occasionally, I give in. Still, I guess that's better than denying myself completely and then binging. I'm still within the healthy weight category for my age and height etc...but I'd be healthier if I were to lose about 10 lbs. The only problem is, as people have already said, the catch-22 regarding exercise. When you're down is when you need to do it most but it's also when it's hardest to force yourself to do it. ANyway, good luck to us all in finding soem kind of happy, healthy medium.

 

[growingpains]

I have the opposite problem. I'm actually suffering with this right now.
I'm going through lots of tests and things because the doctors can't figure out whats wrong with me. They think I may have gallstones or gall bladder disease. I'm not able to eat. If I eat, there's extreme amounts of pain and sometimes I can't keep it down and I'm never hungry. I've lost drastic amounts of weight since getting sick.
Finally my doctor told me he thinks my anxiety has a lot to do with it. When I get upset, scared, anxious, etc I don't eat at all.

Next time, try drinking a glass or two of water then waiting 20 minutes. If you're still hungry in 20 minutes, then eat or go for a walk. Sometimes that helps?

Hope that helps...
Manic

I am the same way. I have to force myself to eat when I am stressed but when I do it hurts. I have gone down drastically in weight as well. Knowing my body well it does have to do with anxiety. It is tough when even just being human is a struggle....trouble eating, sleeping, feeling. :/

 

[iwanttoLIVE]

Sore Spot

This subject is the bane of my existence (in addition to the chronic ptsd). For years I was a practicing alcoholic (sober for 3 years now) and because I did so much damage to my esophagus and stomach with all the whiskey, I ate. It helped relieve the pain.....trouble is, I had to eat every few hours. I started gaining weight 10lbs at a time and by the time I had quite drinking (which makes you gain more weight by the way). there was a surplus of 120lbs! During all this, I became addicted to eating because it "fills the hole" where i should have been loved and nurtured as a child. I feel the "comfort" I never had. Now I am trying to fix it but am turning 40 so it is much harder to lose weight now. We bought an elliptical and i've started with 5 minutes a day, 4 times a week. When that can be done without almost passing out (I have asthma also) I will add two minutes every two weeks. It sounds pathetic to the person who is in shape but ya gotta start somewhere!

 

[BethRSA]

LIVE,

Bit by bit is the way to go. Don't let someone tell you that it's pathetic. As we lose weight and make better choices bit by bit, we will get where we need to be--just like the tortoise (slow and steady wins the race).

I'm also working on losing weight--bit by bit.

:Hug_emoticon: Beth

 

[Deleted member 541]

Live,


5 minutes when you have asthma/COPD(as I do) is HUGE!!!!!! The first time, I ever got on an elliptical machinme, I did 2 minutes and almost passed out, so 5 is huge..... I can do 20-30 if I really push myself now, but I prefer the treadmill...

My biggest thing with food....I do stress eat, and when I get stressed out, my food of choice, is chocolate.......I am beginning to think that this is a true addiction.....One that I am struggling to break, and so far, the chocolate is winning......