Anxiety about dieting

[lalala]

Wasn't sure where to put this? :shrug:

I have spent the last 12 months trying to control my anxiety. I have had a course of CBT, learned some relaxation techniques and I'm on a low dose of Cipralex. I'm MUCH better. Lots of friends and family say I am back to my old self and I feel I have turned a corner.

As part of being better I am trying to tackle my avoidance. I avoid anything that makes me feel stressed - as soon as I feel that tingly scalp, or nervous stomach, then I start to get anxious about anxiety. I have in the past had real issues with dieting - feeling bad about myself and doing crazy diets that have led to panic attacks. For the past year I have not dieted at all and have just eaten sensibly and my weight has remained stable.

BUT I am very overweight and losing weight would make me much healthier. I have signed up for a really sensible and steady weight loss plan but I am already (it's only day 1 :roflmao:) feeling anxious and I had trouble sleeping last night.

I have worked through periods of anxiety before - they normally last a fortnight maximum and then it settles. ANYWAY I am rambling and talking about myself...

What I want to know is does dieting make anyone else feel anxious? Did it go away or last for the whole diet? Was it worth it? Or has anyone else had success with tackling their avoidance?

[Nigel]

Hi lalala,

It’s good to hear that things are working out well for you :)

“What I want to know is does dieting make anyone else feel anxious?”

I’m sorry I can’t speak from experience, but what I think might be happening isn’t so much about dieting causing anxiety. I wonder if it’s more about some of those ‘crazy’ diets from the past, and how they made you feel. A sort of ‘fear’ that any diet will lead to a return of those panic attacks. The mind is very good at doing that – making links and associations between situations in the present and similar situations in the past.

The trick is to correct it when it makes a faulty match. To keep reassuring yourself that while this current diet may share a few similarities with the past, it’s not another of those ‘crazy’ diets. It’s a sensible, healthy, realistic diet, and that can only make you feel better. You say it’s something you signed up for, so I assume that it’s monitored in some way, or has some kind of professional input. That’s another thing you can use to reassure yourself, because unlike the past, and expert won’t allow things to get out of control this time.

Best of luck with it :yesyes:
Nigel

[raphaelite]

Hi there lalala!
I totally know where you're coming from!
I used to go through cycles of bingeing/purging, and I think that was during the time I experienced my first bout of serious anxiety. So, despite being a few pounds overweight for quite a while, I'm still scared stiff of dieting, because I don't want it to lead to me feeling horrible about myself, focusing too much on my body, or beating myself up of feeling anxious when I eat. (And I really don't want to fall back into the cycle of serious dieting, then bingeing!).
However, this new year, I decided I would tackle this issue that has haunted me for a long time! :D
I think the key for me this time, and hopefully this might help you too, is treating your body like a precious object, not something that you're not keen on or something that must be changed, (From your post though you seem very respectful of your body though, which is great).
I like to imagine this as a long journey, that I'm doing for my own benefit, instead of a dreary, and sometimes frightening chore.
Also, I've promised myself I would gather the courage to lose weight for a long time, so in a way, it feels like a treat for me, (crazy I know :P) and it's a marker of how far I've come :D, and I like to focus on the positive, and congratulate myself every time I make a good food choice.
Also, your body will make you feel panicky and frightend if it's not getting what it needs, so make sure you eat enough good food :)
haha, I do little challenges with myself to see how many portions of fruit and veg I can fit into one day, sad I know, but it makes it kind of fun.
I think the basic message here is to see you diet as an exciting adventure, and to embrace new foods, not deny yourself, and stop making the connection between crazy fad diets, and this new way of life that you're embarking on. After all, you have come so far with your anxiety, and now its time to takle this. These are all positive steps for yourself :).
Also, kudos for making the decision to lose weight!
xxxx