Loss of appetite

[jedi_giraffe]

Hi everyone, I've noticed that when my CPTSD is particularly triggered, I have trouble eating. I feel hungry but nauseous and I end up not eating as much as I should, no matter how hungry I am. It usually takes me a few days to get back to normal or even a couple of weeks. Does anybody else have this issue? If so, what do you do? I know that I need to eat in order to be healthy, but when I'm emotionally dysregulated my appetite is one of the first things to go. This makes it difficult to do self soothing activities like exercise or even simpler physical activity like light walks, because I feel weak. I remember as a kid often having stomachaches/feeling nauseous and even throwing up when I was too anxious about things. I've never had any type of eating disorder so I'm trying to figure out where this comes from and how to fix it. Thank you for any advice or guidance.

[Blueberry]

I don't get nausea in that particular situation, but what I have done in similar instances in the past is ask myself what or who else I feel nausea about. If that brings up too many emotions, then re-grounding is always good.

Also, have you checked the Eating Issues board? It's not all about the big 3: anorexia, bulemia and over-eating.

There might also be information in The Body Keeps the Score https://cptsd.org/forum/index.php?board=197.0. I haven't read it for several years, but basically the title says it all.

[jedi_giraffe]

Thank you! I didn't even see the eating issues board as I am relatively new to this forum but I will check it out

[Gromit]

https://cptsd.org/forum/index.php?board=247.0
This was a thread I posted which mentions my loss of appetite. With me I think it was triggered by anxiety, a T thought it was due to adrenaline (stress I guess) but it lasted long after what I thought I was anxious about had passed.

I turned to accupuncture which did help. I notice that it can come back when I am anxious and I have yet to regain any of the weight I lost no matter what I eat, but at least I am not losing any more.

What I did was to eat what I fancied, it was things like bread I was struggling to eat, as well as quantities of food. I no longer feel nauseous but do force myself to eat at times when I just don't feel like it or when I would have skipped a meal in the past, just because I don't want to lose any more weight.

I recall in the past I lost weight through illness and the chiropractor I visited at the time recommended some kind of tonic. It may be worth finding out about such things as well as supplements if you are feeling weak.

[juliaguarde]

I have similar difficulties in making myself eat.  When it was the anxiety causing much of it, I researched to find foods that help combat anxiety.  I find it easier to talk myself into eating something that would help me combat or manage my symptoms.
I had a recent epiphany too.  It seems likely to me that, by aking care of things like eating and going to bed at a decent time, I am teaching the child I was how very worthy of care she was and is.
Best of luck to you.  I hope you find some things that help.