Why is it so hard to eat while panicking?

[BluMac81]

I've noticed one thing when experience anxiety and (especially) panic attacks, and that is no matter how hungry I may be or how long it has been since I ate last, it is a huge struggle to down any kind of food, and I often gag while trying to eat in an anxiety/panic attack. Why is that? Should I force myself to eat or no?

 

[BluMac81]

Re: Why is it so hard to eat while panicing?

Nobody knows eh? That's okay
I was thinking today (now that a more positive mood has returned) that you can look this 'losing your apptetite due to anxiety/depression' as a good thing. Wards against obesity and overeating! Keeps ya slim!
Heh, is it all worth it though... that I dunno lol

 

[Daniel E.]

Re: Why is it so hard to eat while panicing?

I wonder if you are eating frequently enough before the panic attack begins:

Fluctuating blood sugar levels lead to bodily sensations similar to anxiety in some people.

Counselling Service: Anxiety (University of Dundee)

After the panic subsides, would you be able to drink something that has a good amount of calories, like maybe a smoothie or an Ensure?

 

[Halo]

Re: Why is it so hard to eat while panicing?

I was thinking today (now that a more positive mood has returned) that you can look this 'losing your apptetite due to anxiety/depression' as a good thing. Wards against obesity and overeating! Keeps ya slim!
Heh, is it all worth it though... that I dunno lol

I don't think that losing your appetite or wanting to lose weight due to any illness whether it be mental or not is a good thing or what anyone wants or wishes for. There are so many other healthy ways to ward off obesity and overeating.

 

[sister-ray]

When I panick or have bad aniexty I feel like something is stuck in my throat and find swallowing difficult so very often dont eat for a while, till it goes away.

 

[Daniel E.]

Wards against obesity and overeating! Keeps ya slim!

I assume you are just trying to be positive, but, to add to Halo's point, the temporary hypertensive effects of anxiety could counter at least some of positive health effects from weight loss. (A blood pressure increase into the severe range like 180/110 may require a visit to the ER, but I assume such a severe increase is relatively rare.)

Anyway, at least in my own experience, hunger can be a trigger for feeling even more stressed/anxious.

 

[ladylore]

Anyway, at least in my own experience, hunger can be a trigger for feeling even more stressed/anxious.

I fully agree with Daniel. Eating small meals throughout the day is the most benificial to ensure sugar levels stay even. Hunger can cause panic.

 

[Into The Light]

i can't eat either when i am anxious. i don't know why. when the anxiety passes i need to eat because i've missed a meal.

 

[NightOwl]

You're not alone in not being able to eat during an anxiety attack. I also find it very difficult to eat at these times; I've found one or two things that work for me like I keep a good stock of soups (particularly cup-a-soups which don't take long to prepare) and I don't have to think very much about the food itself and I find something warm to sip on will often comfort me; at the same time it stops me entirely losing my appetite and gives me some nourishment.

NightOwl

 

[lallieth]

I get that way as well Mac..so no worries.I loose my appetite during and after an attack

 

[Retired]

Why is that? Should I force myself to eat or no?

This would be a good question to ask a gastro-enterologist because it likely has to do with body neuro-chemistry.

Digestive System Nerve Regulators
Two types of nerves help control the action of the digestive system.

Extrinsic, or outside, nerves come to the digestive organs from the brain or the spinal cord. They release two chemicals, acetylcholine and adrenaline. Acetylcholine causes the muscle layer of the digestive organs to squeeze with more force and increase the “push” of food and juice through the digestive tract. It also causes the stomach and pancreas to produce more digestive juice.

Adrenaline has the opposite effect. It relaxes the muscle of the stomach and intestine and decreases the flow of blood to these organs, slowing or stopping digestion.

The intrinsic, or inside, nerves make up a very dense network embedded in the walls of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. The intrinsic nerves are triggered to act when the walls of the hollow organs are stretched by food. They release many different substances that speed up or delay the movement of food and the production of juices by the digestive organs.

Together, nerves, hormones, the blood, and the organs of the digestive system conduct the complex tasks of digesting and absorbing nutrients from the foods and liquids you consume each day. (1)



What happens to the body during a panic attack?

When the brain perceives a threat or danger, messages are sent to a section of your nerves called the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which then activates the adrenal glands in the kidneys to secrete chemicals, such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, which key up the body for fight or flight. The autonomic nervous system is divided into two sub-sections called the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is the actual system that releases energy and prepares the body for action. The body then typically restores itself back to normal after a period of time by the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts as a kind of stabilizer.

For people who are prone to anxiety and panic attacks, their parasympathetic nervous system, or their ability to restore their body back to normal after experiencing a stressor, does not seem to function properly. Hence, people who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks have a faulty parasympathetic nervous system, which for some unknown reason mal-functions in its ability to restore the body back to a normal state. The sufferer then remains keyed up simply because there are high levels of free-floating adrenaline in the body that have not burned off yet. For some it lasts for hours, for others it can last for days. (2)

The release of adereneline in the body due to anxiety or panic attack (fight/flight) would effectively shut down the digestive process, making it difficult or sometimes impossible to eat.

IMO as a lay person, trying to eat when your body has suppressed the digestive process would lead to indigestion. It would be better to wait until your body is relaxed and more receptive to food. In the meantime, you may try liquid nourishment such as a liquid meal replacement or other form of nutrition shake that might be less stressful on your digestive system.

References: (Source1) (Source2)

 

[BluMac81]

Oh thank you Steve for that detailed response. Explains a lot and answered all my questions.

Anyway, at least in my own experience, hunger can be a trigger for feeling even more stressed/anxious.

Actually, surprised you mentioned that and I guess here would be the place to bring it up (in this thread.) I told this to a psychotherapist once and she said it is totally normal, and I found it odd. You know, like when you feel hunger (grumble in your stomach) for some reason it feels a lot like anxiety (butterflies in your stomach) so its like your mind gets tricked into thinking the hunger is anxiety...or something like that. Very interesting, I'd be curious to hear about the neurochemistry behind that.

 

[Daniel E.]

I'd be curious to hear about the neurochemistry behind that.

It's not something I have studied. It certainly is harder (more stressful) to work mentally or physically when one has a low blood sugar level, and the brain loves a steady supply of glucose:

"Without glucose," explains Terrill Bravender, professor of pediatrics at Duke University, "our brain simply doesn't operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, [they have a] problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don't remember things as well."

...Even though a bowl of sugary cereal and a bowl of old-fashioned oatmeal may have the same number of carbohydrates, they have very different glycemic loads.

Sugary cereals get into your body quickly and cause a peak in blood-sugar levels, but the levels then fall dramatically after two hours or so. Oatmeal, on the other hand, is absorbed slowly, so oatmeal eaters gets a slow rise in blood sugar and enough energy to last through the morning.

A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child's Brainpower : NPR

"The variety of carbohydrate foods found in a balanced diet will take care of the brain's energy needs," says Gold. "The brain is selfish, and takes care of itself," having first dibs on any glucose present in the bloodstream. Or it may force the conversion of other nutrients into glucose.

Psychology Today: How to Eat Smart

Oatmeal and barley. These fiber rich foods help the body maintain a steady supply of glucose, the sugar that is the brain's main fuel. They help you maintain mental energy. What's more, they actively combat cholesterol, supporting blood supply to your brain. And they may boost the production of one of the main brain chemicals involved in memory.

Psychology Today: Diet: Brain Savers

OTOH, there is a conflicting tendency as mentioned here:

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors needed to be as calm and collected as possible when it was time to venture out in search of food, or risk becoming dinner themselves, Dr Zigman said, adding that the anti-anxiety effects of hunger-induced ghrelin may have provided a survival advantage.

Comfort eating linked to antidepressant effect of hunger hormone - Psychlinks Psychology Self-Help & Mental Health Support Forum

 

[lallieth]

Mac

Low blood sugar can mimic anxiety as well,it has almost the same symptoms...try and eat throughout the day to keep your blood sugar level stable and avoid that shaky feeling

 

[Daniel E.]

Regarding the mimicking of symptoms, I did additional reading after reading lallieth's post. Low blood sugar levels cause an increase in adrenaline in order to help bring the sugar/glucose level back up. So that adrenaline release -- and the symptoms of adrenaline release -- is something low blood sugar and anxiety have in common.

BTW, I like the tips here, including this one that explains why eggs are said to be a good breakfast choice for taking a test later in the day:

Most protein (lean meat, skim milk, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds) can be converted into glucose by the body, but since this process takes some time, the glucose gets into the bloodstream at a slower, more consistent pace.

Eating tips for prevention of hypoglycemia

 

[BittersweetMisery]

Part of my problem is I feel like it's hard to swallow, which makes me not want to eat or drink and make it worse or focus my attention on it.

 

[Retired]

Bittersweet,

Have a look at this article from Mayo Clinic on disorders associated with difficulty swallowing. Have you ever discussed this with your doctor?

Occasional difficulty swallowing usually isn't cause for concern, and may simply occur when you eat too fast or don't chew your food well enough. But persistent difficulty swallowing may indicate a serious medical condition requiring treatment.

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) may mean it takes more time and effort to move food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach. Difficulty swallowing may also be associated with pain. In some cases, you may not be able to swallow.

Difficulty swallowing can occur at any age, but is most common in older adults. The causes of swallowing difficulties vary, and treatment depends upon the cause.

 

[BittersweetMisery]

I did actually mention it to them and they looked but said everything looked normal, but it's only been recent and I did get diagnosed with GERD/ulcer so maybe that could be causing it? It's only my recent bout of panic attacks that seem to cause this for me... I have a colonoscopy coming up and then I think they may be doing an upper GI scan, I hope at least.

 

[Retired]

You may have read in that Mayo Clinic article, under Causes:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Damage to esophageal tissues from stomach acid backing up (refluxing) into your esophagus can lead to spasm or scarring and narrowing of your lower esophagus, making swallowing difficult. Long-term GERD can sometimes lead to Barrett's esophagus, a condition in which the color and composition of the cells lining your lower esophagus change because of repeated exposure to stomach acid.

You may consider mentioning the difficulty swallowing to your gastroenterologist before or at your appointment for the colonoscopy.