topic Anxiety and Eating in Anxiety

Anxiety and Eating

mrw — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 05:33:40 GMT

Hey all,

Ive been recently diagnosed with anxiety and started taking meds, which are helping a lot, one issue i am having (and intend to bring up with my doctor next visit) is I wake up hungry every night. This has been going on for over a year, every night, multiple times a night I wake up so hungry that I cant sleep. I have been counting my calories, eating high protein diets etc, i feel like i have tried everything, and definitely eat more than enough. Has anyone else had this problem? Any tips?

Anxiety and Eating

white knight — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 09:05:24 GMT

Hi mrw, welcome

My thoughts on this likely fly in the face of professional opinion. But this is a forum of idea exchange.

Over the centuries people have heard of thousands of theories on proper eating. I wont list them, even concepts in the last few years like low carbs, low sugar, low protein foods are "best for you" to lose weight.

I'm 128 kgms and my wife over 100 kgms. We fail that famous "body mass index" dismally. But the stress and struggle we have if we take to heart this BMI at doctors visits would likely be far more hurtful to our well being than the extra food intake is. This dieting stuff is out of control. Our genes cause us to be roughly how we are built. Our metabolism also plays a lot. Rant over. So where does this sit with you?

Well sensible eating is a good thing....not worrying excessively about your weight. One good way of helping with your weight in my view is to select low fat and low sugar alternatives. eg at night I often want to eat particularly before sleeping. I often have 4-6 small wheat crackers with butter and vegemite. Now I have 4-6 low fat low sugar alternatives with no butter and with vegemite. Likely half the fat half the sugar and I still get my "fix". Same when I want to eat toast with butter, I now eat crumpets with half the butter.

Anyway I'm certainly am no expert. With low expectations of yourself and a bit of sensible food selection and add a little more exercise you'll have a good balance. Without the pressure.

Tony WK

Anxiety and Eating

JessF — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 06:22:07 GMT

Hello mrw, it might be a side effect of the medication. You might have heard that some medications cause weight gain, for me I know that I experienced weight gain on some medications because it effected my appetite. When we get feelings of hunger, the stomach is sending signals to the brain that it thinks you need to eat. You can 'short circuit' this sometimes simply by having a glass of water, or alternatively some low fat snacks like Tony has suggested. But definitely worth asking your doctor if you have only noticed this since starting on the medication.

Anxiety and Eating

mrw — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:57:20 GMT

Thanks JessF and White Knight,

I appreciate the help. Ill let you know how I go with the doctors this week.

🙂

Anxiety and Eating

Neil_1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 03:54:02 GMT

Hi there mrw

Water is also so important for the human body – as we’re made up of so much water anyway, so drinking ample amounts each day is not only healthy, but is good for you; and good for you in mental illness terms.

Any forms of dehydration can be harmful if we’re already experiencing mental illness, so it’s good to stay adequately hydrated.

It’s also an effective and ripper way of getting rid of toxins out of your body and also, believe it or not, fat deposits – you’ll never see it of course, but as the metabolism burns up the food and fat that you have eaten or have stored (respectively), it’s gotta disappear out of your system somehow and this is one of the ways that it choofs off.

Also to help with any urges of wanting to snack on something that is potentially yummy, but is no doubt not so good for you, try getting some Sugar Free Gum (99 out of 100 dentists recommend chewing Extra) – actually I think I masqueraded that day as a dummy dentist and I decided to the be the one that said, No it’s not good for you. And there you have it, I know nuffink about dentistry and so it IS good for you. In that, it helps you occupy your jaws, the different flavours aren’t too bad and it’s good for the old pearlies as well.

Ok, enough from me – I shall get down from my soap box.

I could have unloaded a lot more about foods, protein, fibres, carbs, good and bad carbs, etc – but there’s a long weekend coming up and so yeah, that’s all for now.

Cheers with water as he removes his piece of strawberry extra. 🙂

Neil

Anxiety and Eating

mrw — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 11:13:34 GMT

Thanks Neil,

That is right on par with what the doctor told me, and has really been effective. Ive been making sure to get 2Ltrs of water a day for the last few days and im already getting better sleep, and feeling better in general. But ill definitely try the gum idea aswell.

Thanks again Neil

Anxiety and Eating

Neil_1 — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 01:31:16 GMT

Hi there mrw

Thanx so much for your latest response.

That is awesome to hear of what you’ve been up to and how things seem to be changing for the better. It’s just a process of trying different things, and as you did, seeking out other alternatives. Which is another reason that I come to this site so much, because to read up on other posts and hear advice given, it’s that old case that you never stop learning. It’s always good to read and take in what others think or do.

Hope this post finds you at least, as well as you were when you responded back.

Neil