Anxiety and Weight Gain Question

Shoocraze · 06-21-2007, 01:39 AM

Hi everyone! Again I am up way past midnight not able to sleep due to anxiety (and that's even on anxiety meds!).

My latest anxiety and question for that matter has been "does anxiety cause weight gain?" You hear so many of the so called weight loss pills for stress and weight loss but I have a feeling that the more anxiety ridden you are the more gain you weight???????

Or do I have it the other way around...is it the more weight you gain the more anxiety you get? lol

In all seriousness I have gained 30 pounds since my anxiety came on very strong about 4 years ago and it seems so hard to get it off.....unlaike before I was diagnosed with this disorder!

OnceUponADrive · 06-21-2007, 03:49 PM

I don't know if it's true, but I've heard that too much anxiety and stress leads to increased levels of cortisol which specifically causes weight gain around the midsection. I know I have been VERY anxious and stressed over the past year or two and I have had to struggle just to maintain my weight even on a strict diet and exercise plan...so I'd say yes in my experience. I'm hoping to get past all these problems and maybe I'll calm down enough to lose the weight this time!

sassycassy · 06-23-2007, 01:02 AM

Who knows, I have had anxiety my whole life, and I have been fat my whole life... so, maybe... I do know that being fat and depressed causes even more depression and weight gain though! For me anyway! Being an emotional eater, when I feel fat and ugly, I get more depressed, and I eat more, and just gain more weight... Not so good!

bethmart · 06-23-2007, 02:21 AM

I know I binge when I am anixtous (sp) or stressed.

Amarantha2 · 06-23-2007, 08:37 AM

Anxiety definitely contributes to weight gain, in my opinion. I often binge to soothe myself when feeling anxious.

Shoocraze · 06-23-2007, 11:31 AM

I thought so and would completely agree with all of you .... and it does seem as though the anxiety causes a circle affect where you get very anxiety ridden and then eat to sooth the anxiety and then gain more weight and your self esteem and anxiety return with a vengence and we eat again.......

So how do we eliminate the anxiety????

bodhisattva · 06-23-2007, 12:04 PM

In my case, there is a very big difference in 'Stress' and 'Anxiety'. Stress really causes me to pig out on carbs and gain around my waist. But I went through a really horrid case of panic attacks several years ago, and lost 30 pounds in 2 months. It was the only good thing about panic attacks, lol...

CousinRockingChair · 06-23-2007, 12:47 PM

Well...actually the last time I was VERY stressed, about 1-2 months ago, I stopped eating for ages and lost 10lbs!

Jasmine31 · 06-23-2007, 02:10 PM

I have been very stressed for months and especially this last week i have had 2 extreme panic attacks. ~ I have had trouble eating at all. I have had to force myself and I have lost 4 pounds just this week. I had to force myself to get to 1300 cals yesterday, 1 day was 500, 2 other days were 800!

sassycassy · 06-24-2007, 03:29 AM

I have no clue how to stop the cycle... I wish I did! I wish I knew someone who did... It's like even when things are good, there is something else that contributes to the weight gain!

TDiva · 06-25-2007, 07:02 AM

Ive found that some people are gainers and some lose when stressed.How you handle stress can make or break your weight loss efforts.

Im definetly a gainer during stressful times.I binge and emotional eat to soothe.Journaling,relaxation techniques,and having hobbies help me destress to avoid over eating.

Having support groups like these help quite a bit!

Thanks,Toni

TeresaR · 06-25-2007, 02:31 PM

I'm one of those who binges when I'm really goin through an anxiety attack. For this reason I don't keep Cheeto puffs in the house which is what I really binge on,

workit120 · 06-30-2007, 08:32 PM

I think anxiety causes weight gain. I crave sweets ... does anyone else get those cravings? My psychiatrist told me that sugar actually has a calming effect on the nervous system.
I developed severe anxiety about 6 years ago and I have gained and lost alot of weight. I lost at the times when I went through uncontrolable attacks that were so bad I would throw up all day. I can relate to all of you! I had crazy irrational fears and I am still terrified to fly. I was on ambien, serezone, and clonazapam for 5 years. I went through 10 different therapists until I realized that no one could help me... except me. I worked my behind off to stop having them. I talk myself through it when I get those irrational thoughts.
I know all of the antidepressants cause weight gain and my psychiatrist told me that the clonazapam and xanax type drugs and sleep aids slow down the system and cause you to crave sweets. For me... the food stuffs down the anxious thoughts and I feel calmer. I went off of the drugs (except .5mg clonazapam to sleep at night) last year and I have gained even more weight. This year... I decided to try and lose weight and get in shape since I am finally doing so well... I have been trying since Jan. with no luck. I went to the doctor for tests and she said that everything is normal except that my cortisol is through the roof! I had more tests done... and I go to get my results Tue.
I wish I had been able to talk to all of you years ago... I felt so alone. No one understood what I was going through at all.