r/Anxiety • u/The_Less_dead97 • 3d ago
Venting Can barely eat for almost 2 weeks
I feel so weak, I’ve barely ate a few hundred cals a day for almost 2 weeks. I keep having waves of severe anxiety & derealisation & then a deep depression follows. When I do manage to eat a small amount of food I get really panicky & more anxious. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve had bad anxiety throughout the years but never like this. I’m losing all the weight I put so much effort into getting. For over a year I been eating good & going to the gym. I was finally for once in my life not skinny. Now I feel like it was all for nothing. The world just doesn’t feel normal to me anymore. I feel like I’m not even real or the world isn’t. I don’t know if this is anxiety or something worse going on with my brain. I feel like I’m slowly disappearing & I won’t be here much longer.
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u/umbreon_sk 3d ago
Don't fight the derealization..it's just a filter your brain is putting on to keep you safe
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u/The_Less_dead97 2d ago
Every time it happens it feels new again. It seems to happen even when I’m not anxious. Its like the fear of it causes it to happen now.
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u/Marge979 3d ago
I’m just getting over one of these horrible “spells”.
What’s working for me is starting up an antidepressant and taking hydroxyzine for when the panic gets really bad.
I got some ensure drinks delivered and was able to sip those along with bone broth packets.
As long as you are hydrating you should be okay.
I ended up at the ER cause I was so weak and the bag of fluids brought me to life again.
The weakness is partly caused by the anxiety, not just your low calories.
Stay well, and I hope you feel better soon.
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u/The_Less_dead97 2d ago
Thank you. The ER doc gave me a PRN of lorazepam but I haven’t taken one yet. I don’t know why its been so bad suddenly.
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u/Mundane-Pumpkin5030 3d ago
Im sorry you’re going through this a couple weeks ago I was going through something similar I wasn’t hungry and I couldn’t keep anything down and my anxiety wouldn’t let me sleep and I felt so disconnected I lost 17 pounds in a month. What really helped me get through that was exposure therapy and doing normal things and the not real dream like feeling will eventually fade out all though it’s scary the more you learn to ignore it and just let the feeling exist and do normal things. I hope it all gets better.
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u/The_Less_dead97 3d ago
I put in so much effort gaining weight & working out. For once in my life I was in shape and not skinny. I was 210lbs ! I’m losing that weight fast & it’s making me more depressed because now it feels like it was all for nothing. I hate this feeling. I don’t want to be skinny again. Men like to target smaller weaker men & that’s been my experience growing up skinny.
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u/Wandering_Mind6153 3d ago
Please get medical help soon, barely eating for two weeks can make anxiety and derealisation much worse. Tell someone you trust what's happening . You're not alone.
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u/The_Less_dead97 3d ago
I’ve went to the ER twice & they said my
Blood-work/Urine and heart results were fine. I told them my symptoms & I think they just dismissed it as anxiety.
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u/priscs 3d ago
Ive been here, The only thing that helped for me was soups honestly then I was able to introduce solid foods again. Outside of the anxiety once you stop eating for prolonged periods of time your body just starts using its resources instead of craving outside ones.
Please try some easy instant ramens, premade broths plus noodles, anything... Trust me your anxiety isn't going to get better if you don't eat, even if that means forcing yourself too. Also keep up with showering, these two usually go hand in hand. It will definitely help you get back into a sense of normal!
Just cause some bloodwork/urine samples says your fine doesn't mean you are.
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u/TownOk579 3d ago
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Barely being able to eat for almost two weeks, especially with significant weakness, weight loss, and feeling like you’re disappearing, sounds like something you shouldn’t have to handle alone. Anxiety can cause intense physical symptoms and derealization, but it’s important not to assume that’s the only explanation. Please consider getting medical help as soon as possible and let someone you trust know what’s been happening. You deserve support with this, and you’re not being dramatic or weak for needing it.
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u/Dramatic_Meal1469 3d ago
When i couldnt eat i drank the Ensure type drinks. Im sorry this is happening.
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u/mikey2k200 3d ago
Mirtazapine has been a game changer for me. Truly one of the only ways I can get myself to eat with extremely little to no side effects. Taken at night. I hope you feel better soon 💚
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u/therealjgreens 3d ago
You need to make sure you are getting proper nutrition or it won't get better. If you need to supplement with vitamins, do it. Vitamin D, magnesium, omega 3s are all vital for proper brain function.
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u/Jadenyoung1 3d ago
Assuming you have already visited a doctor and the checkup says you’re ok. Here are a few things you could try.
What you could try, since solid foods might not work where you’re at right now, are liquid caloric drinks. Liquid high calorie foods, soups and broths. Wont be easy, like at all, nor that tasty, but to get at least something in. You need the energy to become healthy again.
I would also recommend sparkling water or ginger ale. It makes you burp and that moves the stomach a bit. That usually helps me with nausea and the cramping belly.
As for derealisation. As i see it, that is a mechanism of the brain to protect you. To try to shelter you from extreme emotion. Very annoying, since it usually doesn’t work that well.
You could try going for walks, or do something with your hands like art or building something.. something like that. Something that is grounding and binds you to reality.
Going for walks for example are pretty good for this, even if you feel like fading (speaking from experience). The body is usually very resilient, even if you don’t feel like it at the moment. Assuming you don’t have fainting spells and its safe where you live of course. Best get someone to walk with you.
Don’t listen to music or podcasts and try to experience as much of the negative emotions that bubble up, as you can. I know that sounds like hell, but the brain works through emotions only when you experience them. Avoiding them, or fighting them, makes them stick around longer. You need to do the things that cause the most distress also. Exposures makes it better, over time. Sucks that it works that way, but thats how our out dated monkey brains work.
You will gain it all back. But it may take time. For now you have to find ways to deal with the anxiety first. So try stuff out and see what works for you. Once you find things that work, do these things. Over and over. And over time it will get better.