Anxiety and appetite. Scared.

[christineyvette]

I have no appetite due to awful anxiety and probably have eaten a sandwich and some apple sauce a day for about 4 days or more. I'm just not hungry. When my anxiety is bad I can try to eat and gag. I just force it. I'm afraid i'm going to die from not eating. All I can think about it food and how i'm not hungry and there's something wrong with me. I know it's my anxiety but I just can't bring myself to eat. WIll my body shut down? I don't need another thing to worry about and this food thing is number one. I'll see food on tv and picture myself eating it and feel gaggy. It's really bad during an panic attack. My anxiety has been awful for 2 weeks now and my eating habits were usually a meal and a snack per day but now I struggle to eat and I only eat bland foods because i'm afraid that if I eat something heavy (even though im not hungry for it) i''l have a loose stool as that happens when I eat something light for a day or two and I associate loose stools with vomiting which is my greatest fear. Will I ever be hungry again? Is not eating making my anxiety and panic attacks worse? God my life is all anxiety and worrying. I literally can think about like a burger and then worry that im not hungry abouut it or it will make me go to the bathroom. I swear I should be locked up for worrying about basic human functions? How long can my body do this? I'm scared and under alot of stress. I cannot get out of my head.

[specialmom]

Sweetie, said with kindness and compassion here, you need to seek help for this.  I'd love to see you work with a psychiatrist.  A lot of what you are focused on is eating which does bring to mind an eating disorder.  Have you ever been diagnosed with one?  There are specialists in the psychiatric field that focus on eating issues, hon.  Ask your General practitioner or OB for a referral.  Talk therapy is going to be important as well.  What is the root cause of your anxiety?  How is food so intertwined?  Those are important questions.  

Most people when highly anxious do not feel hungry and can be queasy even.  I do think that is normal for many.  But this seems a bit deeper than that.  Either way, treating this anxiety head on and full force can perhaps change the direction this is heading.  Let us know if we can help!

[Paxiled]

I'd guess you already had an eating disorder if you were only eating one meal and a snack a day.  There's no way to get sufficient nutrients that way.  Are you seeing a therapist or anyone for this problem?  It seems to me you have an eating disorder caused by whatever is causing this anxiety, or that's the way you're focusing on it.  Get some professional help.