How Anxiety affects your appetite | 7 Tips to fix eating disorder

Introduction

Anxiety is a common mental health problem that affects millions of people across the world. It is associated with emotional and psychological symptoms and can have a significant impact on physical health, including your appetite.

It is important to understand the relationship between anxiety and eating habits to maintain overall well-being. In this detailed article, we'll explain how anxiety affects your appetite, the risks involved, and the practical tips required to manage and improve your eating habits.

Whether you're experiencing an anxiety loss of appetite or if you are struggling with any anxiety-related weight changes, this article offers practical support to your journey towards better health.

Let’s begin the discussion by understanding Can Anxiety cause loss of appetite?

Can you Anxiety Loss of Appetite?

Stress and anxiety may be quite potent factors in a person's life because they induce tension in the body, worry, and fear. They have a major effect on a person's appetite and digestive system in addition to their emotional and physical well-being.

Anxiety and high levels of stress can lead to appetite reduction, but there isn't always a clear-cut connection between anxiety and hunger cues.

According to research, during times of extreme stress and anxiety:

• 40% of people say they are less hungry.
• Roughly 40% of respondents say they are eating more.
• The remaining 20% say their appetite has not changed.

These contradictory results might be the result of variations in how people react to worry and how long it lasts.  

• Anxiety that is severe but transient can cause appetite loss
• Increased appetite may result from ongoing anxiety

Why does Anxiety make me lose my appetite?

The loss in appetite due to anxiety can be attributed to a number of physiological as well as psychological factors:

1. Hormonal Changes: Anxiety and stress can result in the release of cortisol and adrenaline which can lead to loss of appetite. The stress hormones can slow down digestion to prepare the body for an instant action toward a perceived threat.
   
2. Gastrointestinal Discomfort: Anxiety-related bodily symptoms include nausea, stomach cramps, and indigestion. These symptoms can make eating uncomfortable or painful activity, resulting in a reduced appetite.
   
3. Psychological Factors: Anxious people might find it hard to focus when eating since their minds are always racing with worries and fears. Moreover, they might find it hard to recognize hunger cues due to the stress caused by these worries. 

What’s the link between Anxiety and Appetite?

Anxiety appetite affects your body on both a physiological and a psychological level. Anxiety can impact how you feel, and what you do, including what you eat and what chemicals your body releases, etc. to make you feel less hungry.

A few of the common symptoms and indicators of anxiety disorders can impact your appetite directly.  This appetite loss may occur from some anxiety disorders that can occur through

1. Nausea and abdominal distress: A person with these kinds of symptoms would feel less hungry because of stomach distress.
2. Being distracted: The higher intensity of anxiety can distract an individual from thinking about food and nutrition.
3. Being restless: The restlessness of anxiety might force some people to stay on the edge constantly which might make sitting down to consume food a difficulty.

How to tell if anxiety is causing you to lose appetite?

This question can be a tough one to answer. However, sometimes it might be easier to figure out if something is making you anxious or not. For example, a heavy workload might make you anxious or an upcoming presentation’s stress might bring anxiety, etc.

Moreover, you might also notice some other symptoms of anxiety such as finding it hard to control your worries, feelings of dread, restlessness, sweating, etc. If you find any of these physical or mental symptoms then there are chances that you might lose appetite due to this anxiety.

If anxiety and loss of appetite seem to be a common occurrence for you then don't fear to ask for help from any mental health professional to help yourselves to stop overthinking to live a quality life.

How much weight you might gain or lose from anxiety due to loss of appetite?

The proportion of weight gain or loss due to an anxiety-related change in appetite can differ widely:

Weight Loss: Continuously eating less due to anxiety or stress might lead you to lose a significant amount of weight. The amount of weight loss would depend on various things like the severity of anxiety, the time duration of a decreased appetite, and your overall metabolic rate.

Weight Gain: Some people may gain weight from emotional eating that usually consists of highly processed food with less nutritional value. 

How to tell if anxiety is causing you to lose appetite?

Anxiety and loss of appetite are interconnected to each other and can have a physical and mental health impact. In this section, we’ve mentioned ten risks associated with this condition.

1. Nutritional deficiency: When your anxiety leads to a loss of appetite, you might not consume enough essential nutrients. This would result in a deficiency in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients which are important to maintain your overall health. Some common deficiencies are:

• Vitamin D - Important for bone health and immune function
• Iron - Important for producing hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in your blood.
• Calcium - Important for bone health and muscle function.

2. Weight loss and Muscle Wasting

A long-term loss of appetite might lead to a significant amount of weight loss and muscle wasting, this would result in a weakened body and reduce your physical strength. A severe weight loss can also impact and weaken your immune system, making your body more susceptible to illness and infections.

3. Digestive Issues

Anxiety can harm your normal digestive functions which could result in an issue like

• GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease - Here, anxiety would increase acid production in your stomach which would lead to an acid reflux and heartburn.
• Irritable bowel syndrome - Anxiety is a known trigger of IBS, which results in abdominal pain, bloating, etc.

4. Mental Health Complications

The relationship of anxiety with appetite can complicate your mental health. Anxiety can lead to loss of appetite, malnutrition, and other mental health issues like depression. This would make it tougher to break yourself free from the vicious cycle of anxiety.

5. Impacting your social life

Anxiety and loss of appetite can harm your social interactions. A person who is stressed or mentally disturbed might avoid any social interactions or activities that involve eating, which would result in isolation and at last turn into a mental health concern. The fear of facing anxiety symptoms in a social setting can compound the problem which would result in decreased social engagement.

6. Long-term health risks

Poor nutrition can result in a long-term health risks like:

• Cardiovascular disease: Stress and poor nutrition would increase the risk of heart disease.
• Diabetes: unhealthy eating patterns and stress would affect blood sugar levels, which may lead to  Type 2 diabetes.

7. Difficulty in managing anxiety

A well-balanced nutrition is crucial to manage anxiety. A proper diet plan helps you regulate your mood and energy level which makes it easier to cope with anxiety. In case of a loss of appetite, it becomes harder to manage anxiety efficiently, thus resulting in worsening of symptoms.

How loss of appetite is associated with other health conditions

Loss of anxiety appetite, which is also known as anorexia, is associated with many health conditions. Here are a few of them:

Mental health disorder

• Depression: Loss of appetite is one of the symptoms of depression which might affect your body weight. People with depression can lose interest in eating and experience a reduction in their hunger.
• Anxiety: This would cause nausea and a lack of appetite due to the body's stress response.
• Eating disorder: Conditions like anorexia and bulimia are directly related to maladaptive eating habits which take a big toll on a person’s life.

Chronic Illness

• Cancer: At an advanced stage, cancer and its treatment often causes an individual to suffer from loss of appetite.
• Kidney Disease: This results in a decreased appetite due to the buildup of waste products in the blood.
• Heart failure: A heart failure can lead to fullness and early satiety due to congestion in the person’s liver and intestine.

Infections

• Acute infections: Infections like Influenza pneumonia can cause temporary loss of appetite.
• Chronic Infections: Conditions like tuberculosis or HIV can cause prolonged appetite loss.

How to prevent anxiety-related weight gain?

When you aim to prevent any anxiety-related weight gain, it is helpful to maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, implement stress management techniques, limit caffeine consumption, and ask for help from professionals whenever needed. Doing this can help you manage your anxiety levels and promote overall well-being by reducing the risk of weight gain associated with anxiety.

7 Tips to help you fix loss of appetite caused due to anxiety?

Below we’ve mentioned seven tips to help you fix loss of appetite due to anxiety:

1. Identify Symptoms: Recognize the symptoms that contribute to your anxiety and tackle them to help you maintain your appetite.
2. Relaxation techniques: Practicing relaxation methods like deep breathing and meditation can help you reduce anxiety levels and stimulate appetite.
3. Regular exercise: Engage yourself in physical activities regularly, as it can help you boost your mood and appetite by helping you reduce stress hormones.
4. Consume small yet frequent meals: Instead of large meals, choose to have smaller meals more frequently throughout the day to make eating less overwhelming and more manageable.
5. Nutrient-dense food: Focusing on nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. can help gain important vitamins and minerals even when your appetite is reduced.
6. Social Support: Spending time with friends or family members during meals can help you create a positive atmosphere and encourage eating.
7. Professional help: Ask for help from a professional doctor or a therapist if any anxiety-related appetite loss persists or impacts your routine life to avail personalized guidance and support.

Conclusion

Understanding how anxiety affects your appetite is important to maintain both your mental and physical well-being. By identifying these signs related to anxiety appetite loss and executing coping strategies, you can improve your overall well-being.

If managing anxiety and its related impacts on your food habits seems a difficult task, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can anxiety really impact my appetite?

Yes, it can lower or raise your appetite depending on how your body reacts to stress and hormone levels.

2. What are some of the signs that anxiety may be having an effect on my eating?

Signs may include a suddenly observable change in appetite, feeling nauseous, stomach cramps, and not being able to pay attention while eating as a result of anxious thoughts.

3. How can I cope with a loss of appetite caused by anxiety?

Regular exercise, frequent and light meals, increased concern for nutrient-rich foods, and a social network whenever possible with friends and professionals can help you to cope with a loss of appetite caused by anxiety. 

4. Can anxiety make someone lose or gain weight?

Yes. Anxiety is capable of suppressing appetite, therefore leading to weight loss, or, in contrast, leading to weight gain due to overeating emotionally. It really depends on each person.

5. When should I seek help regarding anxiety and food?

If eating problems are persistent, significantly affect normal living, cause a visible weight change, or result in nutritional deficiency, then it is time to seek professional help.

Citations

1. Within Health. (n.d.). Anxiety and loss of appetite
2. Medical News Today. (2018, September 19). What causes anxiety?
3. Healthline. (2021, March 16). Can anxiety cause you to lose your appetite?
4. WebMD. (n.d.). What to do if anxiety makes your appetite disappear.
5. Nourish. (2020, October 15). How to fix loss of appetite due to anxiety.