Do you over-eat, under-eat or none?

[Rubee_J]

Whenever i am anxious, i tend to find myself wanting to run away from the situation thats provoking it (naturally) and just eat, eat and eat.

It's sort of like a comfort thing, something to make me feel like everything is ok.
(relating to the learning theory of classical and operant conditioning)

This is my safety behaviour.. but i don't understand people who tend to not eat anything at all? Why?
1. Do you just lose your appetitite
2. ..or is it forced like with me?
3. Or is it about control?

Which one are you and why?

[Azi]

I overeat as well. I'm a 'feeder'; I show love through food (if I like you, and/or if you're down, I cook for you) and I try to cheer myself up with food too. It's that psychological aspect that makes dieting so difficult for me.

[Mr. Nobody]

I'm an over-eater,.

when I'm full I feel an ease and a kind of slight fullfillment,
the tension and anxiety seems to dissipate for a while,

not sure when this began though as I'd been very lean and fit well into my late 30's..

now, as soon as I come home from work, I feel I have to start cooking,
same as on weekends, I get up and have to start eating, and soon after breakfast I'm leaning towards thoughts of lunch etc.
it's all a bit dissapointing as I know it's a horrible form of avoidance and I know there's so much more i can be doing.

I'm beginning to hate my body's craving for food and it's pre-occupation with it.

there was a time when it meant so little to me,.. and rightly so, I felt so much better for it.

[diplodocus]

If I'm really stressed then the last thing I want is any food. My appetite just goes. Generally I have a fairly neutral relationship with food, apart from chocolate . I enjoy it but I'm fairly controlled and watch what I eat. I'm definitely not a comfort eater but my mood is very affected by blood sugar levels so eating is important to me.

[Alex652]

Over-eater Particularly in the evenings.

[Progress]

I'm mostly average (though a fairly light eater) but when I'm anxious I can't eat. A couple of times in the past I've been sick when I tried. It's been one of my biggest problems, so embarrassing to only eat half a meal. The problem is not so bad these days.

[misska]

i over eat certain types of foods like chocolate once i open it will eat the whole bar lol or crisps get addicted to them.

[DarenA37]

Sometime I can go all day with out eating anything, but I think it's more to do with cooking for one person most of the time because I can easily eat two 12 inch pizza to myself from the take away place..

[LordSnow]

When I am anxious I lose my appetite and that can make eating in a public place difficult, unless I am surrounded by my close friends/family then it doesn't seem to affect me so badly.

[Dandelion10]

I don't understand people who lose their appetites either although neither extreme is healthy.

I definately over-eat, part of it is boredom because I pig out at the weekends when I have nothing to do, part of it is that I associate feeling good with self-indulgence.

If I succeed with a social situation, when I leave I immediately buy (usually sugary) food as a reward.

Being on any kind of restricted diet is so boring to me as there's very little fun in my life as it is, the caffine, chocolate and sweets all have to go or be rationed in an attempt to control anxiety because they keep me awake at night.

Eating is also the number one form of exposure, sitting in a cafe or fast food place.

I like to always have something to nibble on or just a decaff coffee will do while I work, I work 24/7 to keep OCD thoughts at bay.

[Rubee_J]

Thnks for the replies guys, havent had time to look at them all in detail, only just scrolling. Thanks, it's interesting to see how people differ.. i actually see that as sort of a good thing too. We're all individuals

[Caribou]

Originally Posted by diplodocus

If I'm really stressed then the last thing I want is any food. My appetite just goes.

Same.

[iTz0kt0Bu]

I go and eat chips now when I have long, empty free lessons to waste time and not notice how alone I am, I can't stand being seen alone everywhere around college. But I don't over eat not enough money to do that.

[Alex_James]

When I'm anxious I never feel like eating, the thought never crosses my mind. Whereas when i'm at home and I'm relaxed I very rarely leave a meal unfinished.

[Tequila]

I'm almost certain I over-eat. I'm a big guy (22st). What can I say, I just love food! Not junk food though or anything like that. I tend to find all that kind of stuff singularly unsatisfying, which is why I very rarely bother with it.

[TommyGun]

My appetite goes completely and I lose a lot of weight.I'm about 2st under my normal weight atm.

[sillypenguin]

I seem to constantly eat, I'm ALWAYS hungry. No idea if its an anxious thing or not but I don't tend to pig out on junk food and I go to gym so luckly weight gain isnt too much of an issue

[Brutalness]

i would say i eat normal but if i am going to be honsit with myself

days were i eat to much feel bad for it will not eat at all then some time just under eat

why do i do this well as food can make u feel better like 4 5 mins the am like why t he **** didi i just eat feel bad 4 it and really am scared of be big and when on my down patch it just kill my apatite

[wowser]

I constantly want to eat, I never feel full, or if I do eat an obscene amount and get full, I'll be hungry again an hour later. I try to ear healthy, it just seems to take outrageous amounts to fill me up!