‘Morning !
Now that you got all the infos needed in my “mental health tag” that I’ve posted yesterday, I want to share the little things anxiety can do to you that isn’t talked about enough. Of course, anxiety and other mental illnesses can affect people in many different ways; This is how if personally affected my body.
For the records; one happened before I was even diagnosed so we had no idea what was happening, while the other one was shortly after I was medicated I believe (so my body was still adapting to the meds)
Stomach problems
This one occured while I was still in College/first job, so around 2014-2015. I had went to the hospital many times and did all the different tests we could, and the drs continually said my stomach, my blood, and anything else in my body was completely fine; no problem there.
However; I clearly remember that after only a few bites, my stomach felt really heavy and 9 times out of 10, I would throw up all that i’ve had eaten within minutes. One christmas in particular, dad had made us some lobster as he knew that would make me happy, and not even 2mins after I sat down, my body decided to threw it out. I was so pissed… I’ve been weighting the same for years at the time, 120lbs, and during that period I had dropped down to 110lbs in the span a week! That was the first time I had went to the hospital for tests, which my blood got tested and all my percentages was fine. So they were like ” Well … we don’t know what to tell you. ”
What made me notice the weight loss was how when I looked down on my belly, it was flat instead of the little pouch I was used to for so many years. I had always been fine with my body and the way it looks, it never really bothered me, and the worst part is i’m not even working out !! I was working sitting at a desk all day, with no exercice at all, so how in the hell had I lost 10pounds in a week ??! I just panicked. this was NOT what I had wanted, what was happening ?
This is the picture that created my panic; I had gotten a belly button piercing, so I wanted to take a picture of it … and I just couldn’t believe this was how thin I was. Which lead me to weighting myself and noticing the 10lbs off.At some point I was fearing I had a eating disorder, when I knew it couldn’t, as I wanted to eat !! yet I couldn’t as my body didn’t wanted to keep it. So this lasted a while.. and completely dissapeared as it came, when I got diagnosed and got my first medication for anxiety. I then stumbled upon some “side-effect” of anxiety later in life, which included the stomach problems. That’s when I knew, and everything just made sense..
Rashes
This is the one thing that pushed me to do this post. When I changed my computer, I was sliding through my pictures and saw them. You gotta know that I never was one to have acne, of course I had tiny buttons on my face, but it cleared up when I got on contraception pills at 16 years old.
Again, my doctor had told me that anxiety and such usually came with skin problems. This had been mine for a while until we found out what medication worked on my body. I was working in the public; as a produce clerk at a grocery store. As food was involved, I had no way to cover my face; and cosmetics was out of the question as the rash itself was dried and crusty.. which we can all agree foundation and such would make more harm than good in my situation.
It went from under my mouth, all the way to under one of my eye; covering one cheek entirely. I’ll admit this had been a hard take on my confidence and I didn’t wanted to take any pictures and deleted most of them… but if you pay close attention on the picture i’ve included; you can see it a bit on my left side.
I was also using eos lipsticks, which had caused some “extra” fuss around my mouth as I apparently was allergic to them. After I’ve stopped using that, it had came off a little better; but the main rash was still present. I’ve had tried many face creams, with and without cortisone in it.. nothing was happening.
Thanksfully, it eventually all cleared up months later after I had changed and/or upgraded the dose of anti-depressant I was taking.
It can take a while to find what works for you, but when you do find it, most of the problem get resolved and you CAN be better than you were.
Have your mental health created some “not enough talked about” symptoms ?
My mom, daughter, and I all struggle with anxiety & talk often so I’m not sure about symptoms that aren’t talked about, but of the 3 of us, I was the only one to experience the weighy loss. I struggled to hit 100 lbs (I was 5’7″ at the time) even though I was constantly eating & hungry. I didn’t have it come back up like you did, though. It actually caused osteoporosis and I shrunk almost 3 while inches (I’m now 5’4 1/2″).
Oh wow ! that’s insane …
It took me years to get them back though, as of which only happened after I became truly happy again (which was, start of 2017 actually !)
I didn’t start gaining weight until just a few years ago…so over 15 years of being very underweight. I was super self conscious about it. I remember breaking down crying in a store when I was 19 because the sales person made a comment about them not carrying anything below a size 4. That store now regularly carries size 0 and sometimes 00 but I’ll never shop there again (which I know is silly cause she probablydoesn’t even work there anymore)
Oh wow ! I totally understand, I dont think I wouldve had went ever again either… both of my issues made me super self conscious. When I had my rash on my face a guy I was working with DARED asked me what the hell was that on my face ….. oh my god.
Wow. People amaze me with how blantantly hurtful they can be to others sometimes. Especially when it comes from the ones that can’t handle others making not even half as cruel things to them.
This is such an honest post, it’s definitely helpful to everyone in regards to mental health especially anxiety. I suffer from anxiety and I can totally relate the weight loss, though I’ve come to terms that being healthy and feeling healthy is good even if the body sometimes shows signs like it’s not healthy…do I even make sense? Haha, I try 😀 Anyway, great post, Kristina! <3
Thank you so much xx
That’s why I wanted to write tis post, it might be helpful to someone in a way!
Wow! I can’t believe you had the same problems! Even the skin rash :O for years I didn’t know what my rash problem was. Until a month ago, when one doctor finally said, this happens to people with stress. And I’ve had the stomach (and weight) problems since being 16. So I know what you mean.
I have never taken anxiety medicine (it’s very hard to get help in this country… I mean, I couldn’t get my rash treated for 5 years. So I’m not going to look into anxiety matters with doctors I don’t trust… it’s very sensitive stuff.)
It’s awful you had to experience this as well, but it also feels good to know I am not alone, if you know what I mean 🙂
P.S. that is an awful feeling when you can’t use make up because of the rash (because it just looks worse!) Everyone tells you “use make up to cover it”, but it literally makes it worse. I used to feel so inferior because of it…
!!!! Oh my gosh!!! How crazy, eh ..
Yes, bad we both went into it but nice we arent alone in that.. im so sorry your country is bad for that 😪 no one should endure to be unhelped because of the medicine ..