Bulimia and anxiety correlated?
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Graelwyn75 wrote: »Yes, I am in the midst of a relapse myself currently, having been relatively stable, bar a few slips, for decades. I mean, it is always, always there somewhere, but I can generally keep it under control enough so as to not damage my health. I used to be seriously anorexic when 18 ( like 5'11 and 72Ibs severe) and they never treated me, never hospitalised me. I have never had therapy for ED so it has cropped up periodically over the decades since then. A new relationship triggered my current predicament which started with simply losing some weight and has now escalated into regular, daily purging. I am also now underweight so yeah. It is hard. It is so hard to not feel weak and to not feel shame for not being able to just be 'normal', and for me it is a major shame because I had thrown all my focus into just being strong, fit and athletic back here in 2013/2014 and that was a much healthier obsession to have, in the end and bought me more credit than my current situation.
I hope you, as well as those others here still struggling, manage to overcome. It is such a wretched disorder.
I wish you all the strength. Feel better love xx1 -
aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist0 -
Bulimia habits may stop, but the triggers remain. I was an exercise bulimic/anorexic for half of my life. Gave up the purging/starvation in 2011 after a health scare. And yet, when an anxiety wave hit this past summer, guess what I wanted to do?
It was an instant thought and one I handled. But it took a while to convince my brain it was a jerk and I didn't need to purge over a bad day or situation.
There's nothing wrong with you.
You're not a freak.
You're not weak.
You just have triggers.
Focus on getting through each day as it comes.
Meditate.
Talk to people who understand and can support.
And devise a list of redirect options for when you feel the need to purge.3 -
ladychris29 wrote: »Bulimia habits may stop, but the triggers remain. I was an exercise bulimic/anorexic for half of my life. Gave up the purging/starvation in 2011 after a health scare. And yet, when an anxiety wave hit this past summer, guess what I wanted to do?
It was an instant thought and one I handled. But it took a while to convince my brain it was a jerk and I didn't need to purge over a bad day or situation.
There's nothing wrong with you.
You're not a freak.
You're not weak.
You just have triggers.
Focus on getting through each day as it comes.
Meditate.
Talk to people who understand and can support.
And devise a list of redirect options for when you feel the need to purge.
Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind!1 -
aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist
There are many kinds of anti anxiety medications--and even if one does start using one you don't go on a heavy dose of anything right away. When they work, you feel...normal. Just normal.
Remember that anxiety--real long-term anxiety--is a biochemical condition. It's just as much a physical condition as a thyroid condition. Sometimes it's enough to consult a counselor or have a really good support system or meditate...but sometimes it's not.
What specifically are you afraid of about anti-anxiety medication?0 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist
There are many kinds of anti anxiety medications--and even if one does start using one you don't go on a heavy dose of anything right away. When they work, you feel...normal. Just normal.
Remember that anxiety--real long-term anxiety--is a biochemical condition. It's just as much a physical condition as a thyroid condition. Sometimes it's enough to consult a counselor or have a really good support system or meditate...but sometimes it's not.
What specifically are you afraid of about anti-anxiety medication?
Weight gain. I know this may sound pathetic0 -
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Weight gain. I know this may sound pathetic [/quote]
I’ve lost weight on meds because I no longer binge2 -
rickiimarieee wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I think anxiety is a huge contributor to a backslide into disordered habits. I know for me, anxiety is the single greatest thing that makes me inclined to binge. Do you have a professional you can speak to?
For me too!!! And no, the last time i was in such a situation i got out of it myself with my willpower, i know i can do it this time too. I’m getting married in 8 weeks and i would feel REALLY EMBARRASSED to go to a therapist at this point
There's nothing you should be embarrassed about. It's a very serious and emotional thing to go through. On top of that it's extremely hard to go through that. I have depression and anxiety. Depression? Not so much anymore but my anxiety is terrible. I think it also puts a stress on me most "normal" people wouldn't because it does lead to me having a binge. I've had the willpower to stop myself from going absolutely overboard but I have had soda which I swore off a long time ago because I can't control that. I never had bulima or any of that. But I did have a bad case of body dysmorphia and that's a hard thing to overcome. I'm not sure if I have completely overcome it today but all in know in today's society it's much more common for people to have eating disorders and mental disorders because of the unrealistic terms set forth to us by the media/fashion industry/friends/ family/ models.
I have a serious fear of getting overweight by the time it’s my wedding even though i know that’s impossible because for that to happen I’d have ti gain around 25-30 lbs in the next 8 weeks (GOD FORBID).
Also, what exactly is body dysmorphia?
Body dysmorphia is when you seen yourself different from everyone else. It's basically like if I weighed 100 pounds I look in the mirror and see a 200 pound woman it's hard to explain. But basically your mind plays tricks on you thinking you're skinnier or more fat than you actually are which leads to eating disorders.1 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist
There are many kinds of anti anxiety medications--and even if one does start using one you don't go on a heavy dose of anything right away. When they work, you feel...normal. Just normal.
Remember that anxiety--real long-term anxiety--is a biochemical condition. It's just as much a physical condition as a thyroid condition. Sometimes it's enough to consult a counselor or have a really good support system or meditate...but sometimes it's not.
What specifically are you afraid of about anti-anxiety medication?
Weight gain. I know this may sound pathetic
Fearing weight gain isn't pathetic. A lot of times the doctor will start you on a low does of a daily SSRI. There are a ton of different ones and a lot of times they actually cause a decrease in appetite the first month or two. It's trial and error and you'll know when one isn't working for you and when one is. I started on Zoloft and I knew it wasn't working because I almost was feeling more depressed and anxious and just all around felt crappy and had negative mood changes . That's a main sign it's not the right one for you. I'm on Celexa now and it's made a huge difference, because it works for my body. You may also be prescribed a beta blocker and/or a benzodiazepine depending on how frequent and intense your anxiety is. Find a psychiatrist or mental health nurse practitioner that you feel 100% comfortable and trust worthy in and it will be so helpful I promise. It's all trial and error, but in the end totally worth it. I was lucky that my therapist and psychiatrist were in the same office/practice so they were able to collaborate together in finding the things that work for me based on my triggers and anxiety. Good luck! You'll be able to beat this, you just may need some extra help from a professional which is always okay
1 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist
There are many kinds of anti anxiety medications--and even if one does start using one you don't go on a heavy dose of anything right away. When they work, you feel...normal. Just normal.
Remember that anxiety--real long-term anxiety--is a biochemical condition. It's just as much a physical condition as a thyroid condition. Sometimes it's enough to consult a counselor or have a really good support system or meditate...but sometimes it's not.
What specifically are you afraid of about anti-anxiety medication?
Weight gain. I know this may sound pathetic
No it doesn't sound pathetic.
It's part of the disorder you're dealing with, and I have some understanding of that. I was a binger, although I was young and pre-Internet and didn't figure out the binging part. It's not quite the same, I know, but it's not that different.
Here's the thing: What IF you could be both feeling balanced, AND be a normal, healthy weight? It's totally possible!
But at the moment, you might be unable to follow a healthy balanced diet and exercise regimen because your anxiety and eat disorder may make it impossible. It's like trying to train for a 5K with a broken foot--you have to address something that's not working properly first before you can embark on training because at best you won't succeed, at worst you will make things worse.
Some anti-anxiety medications can lead to weight gain...but not all do and you can discuss your concerns with your psychiatrist if and when medicine is prescribed.4 -
Hi all. I had been clean of my Bulimic habits for more than 2 years now, but recently I have been getting anxiety attacks for days and along with that Bulimic episodes. I don’t know how to control myself. Tbh most of the time i don’t even binge but still find myself purging.
I need someone to help me out of this.
Has anyone felt the same way about the relationship between bulimia and anxiety? If so, please feel free to share your experiences or any advice that would help.
Anxiety is like the business partner of many behavioral difficulties. Each one can trigger the other and both make the other one that much more miserable.
Control is not always something you can exert in a moment, like what your weight is from day to day, but remember that you can have overall control over a period of time - over the trend. This difficulty may rock your world for a while, but look to your future and when you are able, you can get back on the horse.
While you are riding out the storm, I can only recommend that you watch out for things that trigger your emotional and physiological responses and try to see what you can do to avoid, mitigate, or dampen the shock waves that roil your life. Every storm breaks eventually and sometimes we can even enjoy the wild ride.2 -
rickiimarieee wrote: »rickiimarieee wrote: »Alatariel75 wrote: »I think anxiety is a huge contributor to a backslide into disordered habits. I know for me, anxiety is the single greatest thing that makes me inclined to binge. Do you have a professional you can speak to?
For me too!!! And no, the last time i was in such a situation i got out of it myself with my willpower, i know i can do it this time too. I’m getting married in 8 weeks and i would feel REALLY EMBARRASSED to go to a therapist at this point
There's nothing you should be embarrassed about. It's a very serious and emotional thing to go through. On top of that it's extremely hard to go through that. I have depression and anxiety. Depression? Not so much anymore but my anxiety is terrible. I think it also puts a stress on me most "normal" people wouldn't because it does lead to me having a binge. I've had the willpower to stop myself from going absolutely overboard but I have had soda which I swore off a long time ago because I can't control that. I never had bulima or any of that. But I did have a bad case of body dysmorphia and that's a hard thing to overcome. I'm not sure if I have completely overcome it today but all in know in today's society it's much more common for people to have eating disorders and mental disorders because of the unrealistic terms set forth to us by the media/fashion industry/friends/ family/ models.
I have a serious fear of getting overweight by the time it’s my wedding even though i know that’s impossible because for that to happen I’d have ti gain around 25-30 lbs in the next 8 weeks (GOD FORBID).
Also, what exactly is body dysmorphia?
Body dysmorphia is when you seen yourself different from everyone else. It's basically like if I weighed 100 pounds I look in the mirror and see a 200 pound woman it's hard to explain. But basically your mind plays tricks on you thinking you're skinnier or more fat than you actually are which leads to eating disorders.
That’s what i thought. Godd it must be so difficult for you!!!0 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »kenyonhaff wrote: »aggiepringle6665 wrote: »Yes, huge correlation. I am on a mild, long term, anti anxiety med that helps immensely!
I am so scared of being on anti anxiety meds. Probably the only reason that stops me from going to a psychiatrist
There are many kinds of anti anxiety medications--and even if one does start using one you don't go on a heavy dose of anything right away. When they work, you feel...normal. Just normal.
Remember that anxiety--real long-term anxiety--is a biochemical condition. It's just as much a physical condition as a thyroid condition. Sometimes it's enough to consult a counselor or have a really good support system or meditate...but sometimes it's not.
What specifically are you afraid of about anti-anxiety medication?
Weight gain. I know this may sound pathetic
No it doesn't sound pathetic.
It's part of the disorder you're dealing with, and I have some understanding of that. I was a binger, although I was young and pre-Internet and didn't figure out the binging part. It's not quite the same, I know, but it's not that different.
Here's the thing: What IF you could be both feeling balanced, AND be a normal, healthy weight? It's totally possible!
But at the moment, you might be unable to follow a healthy balanced diet and exercise regimen because your anxiety and eat disorder may make it impossible. It's like trying to train for a 5K with a broken foot--you have to address something that's not working properly first before you can embark on training because at best you won't succeed, at worst you will make things worse.
Some anti-anxiety medications can lead to weight gain...but not all do and you can discuss your concerns with your psychiatrist if and when medicine is prescribed.
Thank you so much!!! I will definitely keep this in mind0
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