Triggering (ED): Disordered eating due to depression

[Synæsthesia]

I don't have an eating disorder, which is why I'm posting this in the general health section. It's just that when I get really depressed I don't eat much. I just get disgusted at the idea of food and I can't make myself eat. I've been eating maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of the daily calories I should be eating, and it's a struggle to get myself to eat even that much.

I don't have a scale, so I'm not sure how much weight I've lost, but I seem to have gone down a pants size or two. I usually feel hungry & lightheaded and I usually tune it out. It's not that I'm trying to lose weight, it's just that I just don't want to eat. I try to buy lots of different types of food so maybe something will appeal to me, but once I find a food that I like enough to want to eat, I'll get sick of it pretty quickly.

My hope is that when my depression (eventually) clears up the whole food issue will resolve itself. I just want to know how dangerous it is to be eating so little.

How long can I live on this kind of 'starvation diet' before I start to have medical issues?

I was once close friends with an anorexic girl, so I know that disordered eating can be dangerous and have a huge number of nasty effects on your body. I don't want to forever screw up my metabolism or end up in the hospital with heart problems... I just don't know how dangerous my particular brand of disordered eating is.

I've been eating very little for the past two months. I'm just wondering how much longer I can keep this up before my body starts to give out on me.

Also, does anyone have any tips on how to get oneself to eat when food is so unappetizing? Sometimes it gets so bad that the act of eating feels like I'm assaulting my taste buds with flavor. I hate it.

[JazzyJazz]

How long you can survive like this without developing serious medical issues will depend on a number of factors, so we can't really give you an exact answer. These include how much body fat you have, as well as what kinds of food you are managing to eat.

It's clear that you are aware of the dangers you face in continuing like this, so I won't waste time telling you about all that. What I will say is that don't assume that because you can't see/feel any signs of ill health, that you are still healthy. The point at which someone ends up in hospital with complications is usually quite a late stage and they will have been ill for a while.

My advice for eating is little and often. Instead of trying to eat "proper" meals, eat small, snack-sized amounts of things. Also, even if you don't feel like eating much, make sure that you are still drinking enough. Humans can survive a lot longer without food than without water.

You mentioned in another thread that you smoke weed. Does this not stimulate your appetite at all?

Finally, are you having help with your depression?

[Celyn]

Hey there,

I don't think anyone here can give you an estimated time of how long you can live like this until health problems start occurring. However, I think that waiting for your depression to clear up is unwise. While it's quite common for your appetite to disappear during depression, it will come back. But it's important that you still try to eat and look after yourself in the meantime.

Firstly, you can take steps to look after yourself by listening to your body. When you feel hungry and lightheaded, your body is telling you that you need to eat. Even if you don't feel like eating, or you lose your appetite when you are eating, your body still needs food. I think that finding your favourite foods can help, and it can be helpful to remind yourself that you need to eat. Try not to see it as 'forcing' yourself, but more you are trying to help yourself.

I agree with Jazz, that instead of trying to have the regular '3 square meals a day' to break it up and have 6 smaller meals throughout the day. Or to snack between meals. You may also want to try nutrition drinks, not as a replacement for meals, but to ensure that you are getting vitamins and minerals.

Since this has been going on for a while, I'm wondering if you have talked to anyone about it? Perhaps you could talk to a doctor, and get weighed, so that you can work out how best to manage your eating when you don't feel like it. Also, you could ask for a referral for counselling to help you manage with your depression.

Hope this helps

[Synæsthesia]

Originally Posted by JazzyJazz

You mentioned in another thread that you smoke weed. Does this not stimulate your appetite at all?

Finally, are you having help with your depression?

Weed really helps with the appetite stuff, but not always enough. It also depends on the strain. (Hehe, I got a rly nice strain yesterday and was able to eat three proper meals today! It was great!)

Yeah, I'm in therapy. I've just been having issues with my therapist lately, so that's been impeding my recovery and whatnot.

[JazzyJazz]

Whilst we obviously can't advocate the use of illegal substances, it's great that you were able to eat properly.

Sorry to learn that you are having problems with your therapist. Do you feel like the issues will be resolved in the near future?

[Synæsthesia]

Originally Posted by JazzyJazz

Whilst we obviously can't advocate the use of illegal substances, it's great that you were able to eat properly.

Sorry to learn that you are having problems with your therapist. Do you feel like the issues will be resolved in the near future?

Well, it's legal where I live.

We're working through things. It just took awhile to even address the issues since she cut me off for like 5 weeks. But we're back to regular sessions now at least.