Grief and Loss of Appetite, Why It Happens & Ways to Approach It
Deep grief can lead to many uncomfortable and difficult symptoms. One common symptom of deep grief is loss of appetite. This is when you know you should be hungry, but your body is not giving you the signs that it is ready to eat. Some people may even experience nausea when they try to eat. So why does this happen?
As PsychCentral points out, grief is considered an “acute form of stress” which means the, “link between stress and appetite is likely the result of stress-induced changes in the production of hormones responsible for appetite regulation.” This leads to people potentially forgetting or not even considering eating while they try to navigate life with grief.
Ways to Approach Loss of Appetite with Grief
Don’t Push It- Try to start with smaller meals. If you try to eat the same way you did before this symptom started your body may try to reject the food you are eating.
Keep it Simple- Stick to foods you feel are within your “safe” category. Things that are not going to disrupt your digestive system. Maybe it is a PB&J, or a Banana, something that you are used to eating often and is familiar to your body. If you are having trouble identifying which foods are easier to consume, talk to a nutritionist or go off of the BRAT diet- which is a researched food group for nausea: Bananas, Rice, Apples, and Toast. (Always be mindful of your own allergies)
Check in with Your Doctor- If you are concerned with how long you have been battling loss of appetite check in with your physician and psychiatrist. They may have additional resources or medication options you can review together.
Set a Reminder to Eat & Drink Water- Hydration can also get lost in the shuffle when we are navigating big grief feelings. Setting a reminder for yourself on your phone, calendar, a text from a trusted friend, or visual cue in your home can be a helpful way to not accidentally go all day without eating or drinking water.
Slowly Add in Movement to Your Day- Sometimes when we are grieving our mobility and movement goes down. Taking daily walks outside, or even going to a nearby park just to sit on a bench can be helpful ecotherapy tools to support your grief journey. Slowly adding movement back in, means our bodies need fuel, which can help reorient our hormones to alert us to feeling hungry.
Honor Your Grief- If you are just pushing through each day, trying to live as you did before this loss- you are probably adding to the symptoms of your grief. The less we process our emotions, and meet our grief day to day as it goes up & down, the less progress we make in getting rid of symptoms that are hindering our wellness. Talk to a grief counselor, a peer group, a friend, family, or your cute pet- about your loss and how it is impacting your mental health. Verbal and written processing are both great tools for expressing grief and emotions related to loss.
Check In With Yourself- Are you using any other habits right now that could be adding to your loss of appetite feeling? Some things such as certain medications, smoking, vaping, over-consuming caffeine, and other habits can lead to feeling loss of appetite as well. If you are currently doing any habitual things like these examples this may be part of why your losing your appetite. Check in with yourself, and then with your doctor if necessary to create a wellness plan for diminishing habits that lead to these side effects.
If Your Symptoms Continue Over Time- It might be time to talk to your therapist about disordered eating, and what skills or therapy modalities can help you reorient your eating patterns. While this is for more long term struggles with food, eating disorder therapy can be helpful to regain a more balanced eating pattern.
Remember- YOU ARE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN! Living on planet grief is so destabilizing. It can feel like the world is moving so much faster around you, and you are just clawing your way by. Every day with grief is different, and supporting your mental health & wellness through the process is only a positive. If you are still looking for a trained grief therapist click our contact link below.
Notice: Please note that we keep tips and ideas for prompts vague and brief because deeper thought points are done in the personalized space of private therapy. All our posts are meant to help provide ideas, but should not be considered clinical or medical advice. If you are looking for a therapist to create goals and changes for yourself, contact us here!
