Any emotional NON-eaters out there?

Hard core family drama making me frustrated and heartsick right now. When I'm this upset/angry/anxious etc, I don't eat. I don't eat to the point of getting sick sometimes. Anyone else out there a emotional NON-eater?
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Replies

  • I've had this happen to me a few times. There are just those days occasionally, where it's like you're so bummed and down that you're sick to your stomach and don't want to eat. I'm a journalist and this most recently happened to me when I had to work during the Conn. school shooting. Seeing those parents getting up and talking about their children who were killed just made me a wreck. I realized that night that I hadn't eaten enough for the day, and had to force myself to have a semi-decent dinner.
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    Yes. When I went through my divorce I lost weight. I don't eat when I'm stressed and eat when I'm happy.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Yes, the more stressed/upset I am, the less I eat. I overeat constantly when I'm bored though.
  • red0801
    red0801 Posts: 283 Member
    I qualify. But i tend to engross myself in projects (work or other) until i come up w a solution.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    ugh. This is the type of thing that *almost* makes me glad I have no family....sorry you are in a bad place right now. I've been known to do all kinds of unhealthy stuff in times of extreme stress.

    Take care of you.
  • CharT5188
    CharT5188 Posts: 57 Member
    This is me...if I've had a bad day or a fight (which thankfully is pretty rare) the last thing I want to do is eat. I can easily go the whole day and not put a thing in my mouth when I am emotionally stressed.

    Hope things get better for you soon.
  • VitVit18
    VitVit18 Posts: 103 Member
    Another here. Whenever I can't handle what's being thrown at me a completely shut down. In my first year of university around exams/applying for second year programs I was so stressed that I didn't eat for a couple of days a week. I actually lost 15 lbs in my first year of university. But every year around exams I would eat maybe one meal a day because my parents made me. Whenever I've had a break-up, or someone passes away, or I lose a friend I tend to live off of a diet of coffee and oranges for a few weeks until I have absolutely no energy to even sleep anymore.
  • JenRunTriHappyGirl
    JenRunTriHappyGirl Posts: 521 Member
    Yes, the more stressed/upset I am, the less I eat. I overeat constantly when I'm bored though.

    that would be me too! My house is always clean because if I am not doing something, I am eating. I eat less when I am sad or down.....
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I don't eat when I'm stressed or upset. I can't imagine how anyone finds comfort in food when they're upset. Just the thought of eating anything makes me want to puke.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    yes if I let myself. I force myself to eat if I have to, it's become easier over time. It doesn't do your health or body composition any favours.

    look after yourself dealing with horrible things like that :/ cry if you need to, don't bottle up how you feel.
  • weloveourboys
    weloveourboys Posts: 133 Member
    Yup when I'm sad/upset/ecstatic (any of the extreme emotions) I lose my appetite. But I never worry about it as I know in time I'll be fine and eat again. Just temporary.
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
    Right here. Life has been pretty bad until recently and I think the under-eating has actually caused a huge portion of my weight problems. And stress.
  • InfiniteEcho
    InfiniteEcho Posts: 40 Member
    I've been a stressful non-eater my entire life. Trying to be more aware and change things up as the weight isn't coming off as it did back in the old days. Stressful non-eating now and I still gain weight...go figure?!?
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    Yeppers. The more upset I am, the worst time I have forcing myself to eat. I have to though. I also have a problem with post-stress eating. It makes me feel like I'm starving.
  • weloveourboys
    weloveourboys Posts: 133 Member
    I don't eat when I'm stressed or upset. I can't imagine how anyone finds comfort in food when they're upset. Just the thought of eating anything makes me want to puke.

    The majority do find comfort in food; the fact that you (and for that matter, I) do not find food comforting when upset makes us the "weird" ones, not those who do.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    Yes, even if I'm just a little anxious, it's like I have no appetite. It's nice to find others like me.
  • 1yoyoKAT
    1yoyoKAT Posts: 206 Member
    I go both ways. For the times of non-eating traumatic stress, I've found that fruit juices are good. Also, applesauce and pudding.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    When my kids were in the hospital (2 at the same exact time) I couldn't eat. I was too nauseated to eat much of anything and lost weight.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    I don't eat when I'm stressed or upset. I can't imagine how anyone finds comfort in food when they're upset. Just the thought of eating anything makes me want to puke.

    same with me. During final exams or a few days before I have to take a certification exam I can't eat much at all. My husband has to push me to eat and the day of the exams I'm vomiting all morning. Mostly dry heaves because I haven't been able to eat.
  • JinxRita
    JinxRita Posts: 191 Member
    Same. I usually end up not eating until I feel like I'm going to pass out or be sick, and then either eat enough to just barely satisfy, or in a rare case, I'll end up overloading to kill the inevitable headache that comes with not eating for so long.
  • Same here - when I'm stressed I can't eat. Last time I got very stressed I was barely eating anything for a few weeks (whereas normally I'm tempted to eat anything that isn't screwed down). Luckily that doesn't happen very often - maybe once every few years.
  • forgtmenot
    forgtmenot Posts: 860 Member
    I am this way too. Several years ago my ex left to go to Iraq and I did not eat or drink for 4 days. I was a wreck and didn't leave my bed. I get extremely nauseous when I'm upset and can't eat a thing. I guess everyone deals with emotions differently.
  • Adrini
    Adrini Posts: 56 Member
    Me! Stress to. My husband has to put food in front of me to remind me. :)
  • gailmelanie
    gailmelanie Posts: 210 Member
    There were two times in my life when I didn't want to or forgot (gasp!) to eat; Once, when I was really thin from nearly starving on a nurtritious, but very low cal diet, running 5 days a week and working as a hotel maid, I felt great and wasn't thinking about food. The next time was when my ex-husband left me and my 3 year-old son for another woman. I felt like I had swallowed a big rock and just didn't have the energy to eat. I lost 20 lbs, which wasn't a bad thing, and gained a lot of self-sufficiency and self-confidence with a little help from a couple of therapists. Otherwise, anxiety is one of my biggest eating triggers.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    me. i cant eat when i'm depressed and stressed. no appetite.

    fortunately i'm a relatively happy person and content with my life and confident in my abilities to make changes i want to make in m life, so what's good for my mental and emotional health isnt necessarily good for my waistline :laugh:
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    yes. it's one or the other. I either over eat or I stop eating. this is why MFP is so important to me.
  • krislyn84
    krislyn84 Posts: 337 Member
    Happens to me big time. Somebody else mentioned fruit juice and there have been times it is the only thing I have been able to force down.
  • TNR32
    TNR32 Posts: 110 Member
    Same here I have to force myself to eat. When stressed out I lose my appitite and pace the floor.
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    I, in the past month or so, have just completely lost my appetite when I'm upset or stressed. I used to be a big emotional eater, not sure what the switch is. Only thing I can think of is this is my second month of birth control which, luckily for me, tends to curb my appetite.
  • 1brokegal44
    1brokegal44 Posts: 562 Member
    I don't eat when I'm stressed or upset. I can't imagine how anyone finds comfort in food when they're upset. Just the thought of eating anything makes me want to puke.

    The majority do find comfort in food; the fact that you (and for that matter, I) do not find food comforting when upset makes us the "weird" ones, not those who do.
    Thank you everyone! I'm so glad to find other "weird" ones like myself. Most of the people I know are comfort food eaters and I never have been. I'm crying right now as I post this. I'm having a such an emotional roller-coaster week and yet I've found my people. :frown: