Why can't I eat?

[Newbuck80]

Ever since the breakup I can barely eat anything. My energy level is in the crapper, its a struggle to make it through a workday. I do eat a little here and there, but not enough. When she dumped me I was 6'2", 182 lbs, very physically fit. Now I'm 170 lbs, 5 weeks later. Has anybody else struggled with this? I have been depressed since this happened. Is this common? I hope it turns around soon. Id like to get back into working out, but right now I'm not eating enough to sustain it.

[Hazyillusions]

It's a symptom of depression and having a broken heart. Hang in there, your appetite will go back to normal soon.

[Newbuck80]

It's a symptom of depression and having a broken heart. Hang in there, your appetite will go back to normal soon.

 

I hope so. I hope I haven't lapsed into a clinical depression. I don't want to take any meds, that would be like admitting she scored a victory over my brain, I haven't had any depression issues I'm the past.

[clueless11]

That happens to me when my heart breaks, too. Recently, I lost two inches off my waist in three weeks. Insane. And I'm already a thin, fit girl. Now I'm just scrawny haha.

 

It will start going back to normal eventually.

[JJ2980]

Oh that's normal. I lost 12 pounds in 5 days after my last break up. I couldn't eat a thing because I was so upset. You'll come right.

[Twidom]

It's normal unfortunately. I had to go to the hospital because I could not eat absolutely anything. It will come back very soon.

[milly007]

I agree with the other posts here. Lack of appetite following a break-up is completely normal. Give yourself some time to heal and eventually, your regular appetite will fall back into place.

[sharky988]

The best thing you can do for yourself is to get yourself working out again.

 

It'll help with your appetite, it'll help you sleep..... most importantly, it'll help with your depression!

[lea2503]

It'll pass, I lost my appetite for a good 2 months but it does come back

[Limiya]

Completely normal. I ended up being told off my by Dr 3 months after the breakup because i'd lost SO MUCH weight.

I had to start force feeding myself extremely HIGH CALORY food at regular intervals. It's like your stomach shrinks after a while.

Take it easy. Work out so you work up an appetite, and eat high calories to make up for what little you ARE eating.

 

It will pass though with time. Good luck.

[Zuri]

That happened to me, too. I went from about 120-123 to 107 (I'm 5'2"). I was not hungry and nothing tasted good. I also could not sleep AT ALL. At about day

7 -10 of constant crying I went to the doctor because I had a 16 year old at the time and was embarrassed at letting him see me like that. I was also annoying MYSELF.

[sammi87]

I think having no appetite and/or pigging out are both common after a break up. However, you have lost a lot of weight in a short period of time... So MAKE yourself eat. You don't have to sit down to a hearty meal...but make yourself sip protein shakes instead of coffee or soda at work. Something like that just to get the calories in.

[SooSad33]

Sounds like 'anxiety'. I had the same.. lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks. I felt awful. Loss of sleep etc. I ended up going to dr for something to help & saw a therapist.

I got put on 'Cipralex' for my anxiety. It took a few weeks to start helping but now, things are not as bad as before & i've gained some weight back.

What also helped was my therapist saying to 'eat a little bit every cpl hrs to be able to cope with the anxiety'. So I listened and started snacking more.

 

It is hard to cope, I know, It's like devastating to the mind & heart One day at a time.

[Newbuck80]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm glad to see this is something that isn't out of the ordinary, and should correct itself soon. I always ate a "clean" diet of about 3000 calories a day before the split, breaking it up into 6 separate meals. I woke up today and went to subway. I had to force it down, but I did eat. The last few weeks I've lived off coffee and eating maybe one "meal", chips and a sandwich, at night when I get off work. I also was drinking a lot of beer, which is something I stopped doing completely last weekend, as I felt it was worsening my depression and making me more emotional.

[kinders]

I'm 3months into my break up from a 8+ year relationship. What I found difficult was cooking for myself. I lived with my ex for 7 years and was so used to cooking for both of us. I really enjoyed cooking but when I moved in with my sister being surrounded by a new kitchen really daunted me. Also every item of food reminded me of him. "Aw, he loved this" I used to say.

 

I feel into depression, attempted to starve myself as a form of self harm. I felt awful and my family were worried. I saw my GP who prescribed me meds which helped, especially with sleeping at night. I tried eating small things. Distracted myself when I was eating such as watching tv worked really well too.

 

Then I was really motivated to go back to the gym. I forced myself to go even though I wasn't eating well...and ofcourse it felt awful and I was embarrassed of my efforts. This really pushed me to eat properly again. I used to have a pre gym snack and a post gym snack. Eating 2 things a day was rare for me. Then I slowly increased the amount of food I ate and saw progress.

 

I'm still not 100%, but I've come along way....Looking forward to Christmas dinner

[sophi3]

i'm already underweight before the BU. so right now im almost malnourished, glad i still have fat cheeks. im wearing long sleeves and jeans a lot so people would stop telling me that im so skinny.

[Robin2904]

It happened to me too. Food just repulsed me. Even my favorite foods didn't taste right to me and just putting them to my mouth made me sick. Its funny because I always struggled with my weight, but after my breakup the thought of food nauseated me for a few months. Weight loss was an awesome side effect for me since I always struggled in that department, but I can see how it can be awful for someone who doesn't want it. I still kid that I wish I could take that feeling, bottle it and put it into a diet pill. I would make MILLIONS!

 

It takes time to be able to eat again like normal. It was easier for me to drink things then eat (no idea why) so making things like a protein shake might be good for you if you can keep it down. Add some fruit in, at least be able to get in some nutrients which are important to your body. Small nibbles through out the day help. I couldn't sit down for an actual meal for a while, but grabbing a granola bar here and there was okay.

 

Eating while I was distracted actually helped me a lot, again no idea why. I was in school at the time and I would eat while very intently writing a paper in my school computer lab and it seemed to help. Almost as if the food was an after thought to my distraction. I didn't have time to think 'I'm too emotionally distraught to eat' - which made me believe even more how mental this whole process is. I had to trick my brain to not be repulsed by food. Odd as it sounds. If you can grab a bite while concentrating on something intent like work that might help. Just sharing some tips that helped me though.

 

It will pass though, just takes time. That sick to your stomach feeling is by far the worst feeling out of the whole ordeal for me, but it fades.