Realizing there is a problem

It's good you can see this and fix it. I know many cannot see this, and will let it take over their life (I know one member here who has, and it's rather said that all they can think of is not eating so they wont gain weight). But taking steps to fix it is beneficial, and seeing what is causing this issues. I hope you can work towards it, and get over this hump.

when i was in my last year of highschool, i was somewhat like that as well. i never got it diagnosed and cannot remember how i got back into a normal lifestyle. what i did was skipped breakfast for the whole year and i find that if i don't eat proper meals, i get headaches and get shaky (it is not diabetes, either. i think it is in direct correlation to that year). i have to say that i still don't really like eating but now it is because i often cannot taste the food (due to nose issues) and often don't feel hungry. to that end, i only try and eat foods that i really like so i will be interested in eating. best wishes. i hope things work out for you. if you ever need a shoulder or an ear, i am here for you.

I understand exactly how you are feeling with this. When I am stressed or upset I cannot eat. I try but I literally cant. Since my man left me in October I've lost about 17 pounds. The weight I lost was all the weight I had put on from the depo shot now I'm back to my normal weight but the way I lost that weight was just because I was so depressed and couldnt eat. I eat more for dinner now but for a month and a half I only ate about a banana each day something small like that I gagged down. I would look and food and feel like I was going to vomit. It was all I could do to swallow my coffee one sip at a time and will myself the whole time not to let it come back up. It was the first time in my life that my depression caused me physical side effects like that.

There seems to be times in everyone's life that imput from a person who is totally uninvolved in one's life is very helpful. Somehow looking from the outside in instead of from the inside out can give a whole new light on the situation. So don't worry what others think, just do what you know in your heart is best for you. I am glad you are starting to take better care of your body, you can never cope with life's problems if your body is not well. Blessings

I am a stress eater and this has been a problem all of my life. I am glad that you recognise that you have a problem but I d not think that it is anorexia but caused by even more stress. This happened to me when I was in a deep depression - not stress- and after a few bites if food I could not eat anything more. And yes, I went into therapy and this helped me so very much.

You have been under a lot of stress as you yourself say. It may very well that the loss of your appetite is due to all the stress that you are under. Like your younger self, I eat too much when I am stressed out. You might also be suffering from depression and that would explain the loss of appetite. A therapist or counselor might help but you might also need to see a physician for medication. There are meds out there that can help. As you may know, I am a severe long-term insomniac. When I first developed insomnia in 1975, I thought that I could beat it on my own -- that I could ignore it and it would just go away. I tried to maintain my daily schedule on 2 to 4 hours sleep night after night. It did not work and I was forced to get professional help. I have not had one normal sleep since 1975. Presently, I have other issues that I am having to deal with like some anxiety and back and leg problems. I have tried to deal with these issues myself but have finally decided I need professional help and am going to the doctor on Wednesday. I am going to ask for some meds for anxiety as well as a referral to a specialist.

dorannmwin to me it sounds more like y ou have had a run of depression over'problems in your life that have done away with hunger pangs.Some people go one wa y of not eating and others over eat.' I had problems with thinking I did not much like me. Myhubby was better than shrink as he taught me to believe myself.He taught me I was unique, one of a kind, and to be proud of myself. In later years I though I had an eating problem. Because I wa overweight and nothing seemed to help me to lose weight I thought it was just a depression thing. But my doctor did not think so and he sent me to have my thyroid checked. Sure enough I was under thyroid so he put me on thyroid medication and without hardly any change of diet I lost from 220 to 191 and am now aiming for a goal of 150.See your doctor to determine just why you are not eating as you should be.

I have a friend who loses her appetite when she's upset about something. Definitely not something I've ever had a problem with.

Disordered eating is about control (I won't go so far as to call this anorexia, but it certainly does fall within the category of being "disordered."). You feel out of control in other areas of your life, so you exert control over eating--or, in this case, not. It is good that you are making an effort to head this off early on. Making a conscious effort to eat and seeking out the help of a therapist are good steps to take.

I don't think labeling this is helping the situation... Unless you are diagnosed professionally, I wouldn't worry about the "label". Besides, anorexia is very serious.... very lengthy (possibly forever?) disorder. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. Loss of appetite is common for people who are under stress. I almost wish I was the type to lose my appetite when under stress, unfortunately it's usually the opposite for me. . Since you seem bent on labeling it, what other symptoms of "anorexia" do you see in yourself? Since you have not been eating, are you growing much thinner? Are you making goals in your weight loss, overexercising, punishing yourself when eating too much, or anything else? For me, anorexia was more about the mentality rather than the physical side of things. Hunger was always there, but it was something that I, and my other 'ana' buddies worked at keeping quiet. Whatever it is you are going through, mentally, whether it be just stress or something else, yes - it's important not to take it out on your body. Best of luck to you.

I have been eating more than I should and I have done up some kilos since I got ill. I am sure that it has to do with stress, just as I also think that what you tell us about you has to do with the same thing. Our body has different ways to deal with stress and mine is the opposite of yours. Still, it seems that the way to regain our balance is going to a therapist for help.

It is easy when you are stressed out to have a hard time to feel hungry are to eat because the stomach is stressed. Although we have to make some effort to not let ourself go downhill like that. Keep our self healthy is our responsibility, nobody else but us will suffer of the consequences and some around us too in some ways.Keep it going have a good meal.

Good that you recognize a problem. I had a close friend whose sister had/has anorexia nervosa. Brought on by extreme life changes in a short time - infidelity in her marriage, divorce and her mother's sudden passing at a young age (55). It had nothing to do with body image, in the beginning. That came quite a bit later. Much more to do with self-worth. And it is an extreme mental illness. Some of the things her sister did were unbelievable. Many times the family of the affected person goes into denial. By the time they realize there's a problem it's progressed to a dangerous point. The mind of an anorexic patient perceives things from a totally different perspective than what is real. And physically they feel fine due to the creation of opioids by the brain, brought on by starvation. Years ago there was a woman in Canada who had good success with AN patients. She believed that love and caring for the individual was what worked. I have appetite problems but not to the point of being concerned. I have other problems that concern me. But I will have to deal with them on my own. I think therapy is good, in general, if one can find a good therapist. I have not had bad experiences in this area, for the most part. It's good that your mother can help you. I hope you overcome this problem as you have overcome many other obstacles in your life.