Anorexia Brought On By Depression

[Guest RootsRadicals]

So I've been going through this manic phase of depression where I'll be really happy then really depressed and all that jazz. Right now I'm at a neutral state. However, in the past I used to eat, a lot, when I was depressed. This time I found myself calling myself fat and not eating like at all. This scared the crap out of me and with the help of my boyfriend I've been fighting it. There's days where I let it get the best of me and barely eat, or don't eat at all. Then theres other days like today where I've eaten fine. However that thought is still in the back of my mind no matter what. I've found myself kneeling over the toliet bowl which lead to other destructive things, but we won't go there.

Has anyone else gone through this and how did you take care of it?

[Guest Huff]

a few thing that may help...

1. Realize that the intense desire to not eat is just a feeling, and not a truthful message that your brain is sending you.

2. Realize that it's NOT about the food or the hunger or the fat... your brain is avoiding dealing with other more difficult/complex issues (like depression, etc). When you feel like not eating, think "there's something my brain doesn't want to deal with right now". Then, set a time to sit down and figure it out - journal, call a friend, talk to a therapist... whatever is going to work for you.

3. Make a food plan for EVERY day at a time when you aren't experiencing the anorexic brain twist. Make sure it is composed of adequate calories and is satisfying to you. Write it down.

4. Tell someone else what you will be eating that day and make a commitment to them to do it.

Then, when you don't WANT to eat, you'll know that you have a plan already that is good and in line with reality and you can say to yourself "thank-you brain for sharing with me that you are uncomfortable/depressed/whatever, we'll work on fixing that problem later, but right now is my time to eat and be nourished and feel well." By telling another person, you'll have some accountability - even though that's uncomfortable and your brain is going to tell you not to because it really wants you to have plenty of freedom to just not eat and get sicker.

Over time, that's what worked for me. Simple stuff, but not easy.

Hang in there,

MK

[Guest Rika-chama]

Many times in fits of depression I have not felt like eating and feeling fat. What helps me is simply realizing "You know what? I'm hungry" I have little willpower so I just go eat anyways even if I don't want to. Huff has some very good tips and I would suggest following them. Also if you don't feel like eating try to drink something like milk, something with some fat in it. Sometimes when I don't feel like eating I make me some chocolate milk and it makes me feel better If you feel you are fat then how about a walk every night or whenever you can. Ever since I started going on walks my depression has been better. I know many therapists recommend exercise to depressed people

Ni-paa~

[Guest Sakura_Stingray]

there you go, free therepy by rika!! tat will be 250 for the first visit, and 100 for future visits, please coome again -pets rika- good tactic though....tell others what therepists uusualy say, that way they can save the money sated above...hmmmm....

i do have advice though.....there are reasons why people say eat an apple a day keeps te doctors away.....i donno wy but when i see an apple i turn into light's shinigami from deah note...i hold onto the apple and dance while little led lights sparkle in the background....or so i like to imagin it that way ^.^

[Guest Sakurai]

I actually found the opposite with myself and in times of depression -- I usually turn to food. But I've had my bouts with ED's before. What I've come to terms with, it was never about the food. Or how fat I was, or anything like that. I was using food - Or lack thereof - To cope with another underlying problem I had.

I'm not an expert on ED's, and don't pretend to be, just posting some personal stuff.

I find that trying to eat something, even if its light, helps gradually break the cycle. By allowing myself to eat something light, and build up to other things, it usually helps take my mind off of the whole "Food is evil -- Grr destroy" thing.

Hope that helps ^^

~Gabs

[Guest mr_marc]

I'm not a doctor so i cant tell you what it is, but i get summit simerlar.

Like when im stressed or depressed, i just wont eat.

Then wonder why i feel like im gonna throw up all the time.

A friend told me its a form of self harm and not realsing it because your punishing yourself for feeling so bad about which ever it is.

Makes sense.

Thats just her perceptive.

[Guest Soph]

I was on the verge on anorexia in the fall '08 semester.

I hadn't been eating much prior to then at all, but I put that down to just low appetite due to depression.

Then around the middle of the semester I started feeling terrible when I ate. I didn't think I was incredibly fat, but I thought that I could afford to lose a bit of weight.

I would eat one meal a day, and this persisted for a month to a month and a half.

I don't know exactly what happened, but I pulled myself out of it with sheer willpower.

I don't consider it to have been bad enough to be full blown anorexia, but I think if I had stayed with that lifestyle and not pulled myself out of it it would have developed into such.

I advise you take it out early. My sister is full-blown anorexic, and a lot of the time you aren't talking to her, but rather her disease. Its really frustrating.