Low Appetite Related To Stress

[Deleted member 19804]

I have some appetite struggles, too. Breakfast is usually the easiest for me and dinner at some point is also okay. What I hate is having to eat lunch. For some reason the thought of eating at that time just repulses me.

I have been told that eating on set times can be really helpful. It doesn't make much of a difference for me, as I have a different schedule every day, but I can imagine that making yourself eat on those moments as a force of habit can make it a little easier.

When I really don't feel like eating something I make sure I drink something with calories. Mostly fresh fruit juices, but sometimes I make myself some hot chocolate. It contains plenty of calories and you only have to casually sip from a cup while you go about your day. Same goes for soup by the way.

 

[shandemonium]

I hate to be the one always bringing this up, lol, but medical cannabis is a HUGE help in this department for me.

If I don't eat from stressing out all day, then my blood sugar level gets low and it affects my mood pretty bad.

Smoking weed has been a "cure" so to speak in terms of getting my appetite back, but now I smoke too much weed and need to deal with that! Baby steps for me too; one problem at a time man!

Anyways, just throwing that one out there ;)

 

[Nam]

I'm in the same boat. I rarely have an appetite even if my stomach is growling. For some reason, I don't register that as "hunger pain". It's just annoying. But it also doesn't equate to eating more food. There's a disconnect there, isn't there? The other issue is that when I do eat, I don't eat enough. Just enough for the pang to go away and then go about whatever it was I was doing.

I do cook. I cook really well when I'm well. I cook poorly when I feel poorly. There are so many chances to screw up a main dish throughout cooking it...and when I feel anxious or depressed, the chances are high I'm going to screw it up.

I don't forget to eat per say because I have four little people constantly asking to be fed. I don't suggest you find little people to remind you...lol.

I would cook when you feel like it, put the extras in the freezer in a glass dish that can be microwaved when you want to eat. It doesn't take too much effort, and you won't feel bad if you suddenly don't want it and pitch it.

Exercise is the best thing for intensifying my appetite. Makes sense, too.

 

[Deleted member 28862]

I usually have a little over 1000 a day to be honest, I don't eat from fast food restaurants, I'm not meaning to but I don't eat much. sometimes I get nauseous at the scent of some foods, I've noticed that fish and spaghetti are the only things that I can enjoy eating and cleaning my plate with, which is rare. As a child to now my appetite is near non existent because I ate everything in sight, I wasn't picky at all, I just couldn't eat what I was allergic to like mushrooms for one.

 

[Deleted member 28986]

@shandemonium: Don't feel bad; I feel the same way (not wanting to bring that up; I'm a broken record; feel like a drug pusher; blah blah blah). And most people either live somewhere they can't get it legally, or have an aversion based on a personal bad experience (huge edible dose) or even just have an aversion due to stereotypes. So most people don't seem to appreciate the suggestion. At least in my mind.

I have a medical card and it's helpful. I don't feel "cured" the same way you do and I still have to remind myself to eat, but when I remember it's easy to do. So it's a giant help. I usually take monthly tolerance breaks (I'm on one now), so maybe that's the only reason I'm complaining about appetite now. LOL.

I'm also under some HUGE stressors and financial constraints right now, and I'm sure they have a big role in my not eating right.

 

[jaccat]

@Radise suggestion about making yourself eat regularly even when you're not hungry is a good one. And eating breakfast really does help kick your stomach into waking up.
I had massive food issues as a child, nearly died of malnutrition at one point. Now I am very careful to make sure I eat well.
Cooking did help me, but my issues were as much around not knowing what I could eat as not feeling hungry. Just taking things right back to basics and exploring, much like a child, helped me connect with food, if that makes sense.
I'm sure you know that caffeine's a hunger suppressant too.

 

[Neverthesame]

I have this as well. I almost never have an appetite. When I do, it's about a 20 minute window. Unfortunately this issue has only gotten worse since starting Effexor. About a month or two ago I had started getting this really bad stomach cramping. I then realised I hadn't eaten in 5 days. I still didn't want food (I did make myself eat). But that what it has come to. I make myself eat. Food has become repulsive to me for some reason. I don't understand why. I don't feel fat, quite the opposite in fact. I can only assume it's the meds doing it to me.

And no I don't cook. I could burn cereal. Lol. A bit funnier story. When I was taking Elavil, I would eat like crazy. Cereal was my favorite food to eat on that med. I once filled a salad serving bowl with a cranberry almond cereal. 20 minutes later, it was gone. I had to stop myself getting a second one, as there is no way it is healthy to eat an entire jumbo family sized box of cereal in one sitting.

 

[Nam]

When I do, it's about a 20 minute window.

Me too!! My hubs so does not get this. If my stomach is growling in bed he says, go eat. And I say, just wait a few minutes. It'll go away.

 

[Ocean5]

I can relate to so many of these post. Stomach growling - yet no "desire" to eat... I ignore my body's own signals to eat.

I used to cook and eat very health starting with breakfast. Past year it's been frozen dinners at night. Just to get some food into me. Like someone else said some food is better than none.. who cares if it's healthy - your body needs foods (this is from someone who use to cook from scratch and mostly vegetarian in past.)

Past week I forced myself to make eggs for breakfast. I use to love breakfast and considered it most important meal of day. Now it's a chore.