# Why do you lose your appetite when upset?



## great_pudgy_owl (Apr 20, 2015)

Generally speaking, when someone's angry/depressed/upset in some way, they're no longer hungry. Why does this work that way? I know some people end up eating a lot in these cases, but in personal experience it was out of finding something to do rather than actual hunger. Wouldn't just experiencing anger make you more hungry rather than make you lose your desire to eat? Is it related to fight-or-flight?


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## Laze (Feb 19, 2015)

I suppose your mind is simply preoccupied with whatever is causing you to feel so angry and depressed and upset. I guess there's also a lot of chemical reactions going on inside of you during such emotional times, perhaps they have something to do with it as well? I'd Google it but it's late and I can't be bothered. This is such a useless post lmfao. Still pressing that reply button though.


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## Pressed Flowers (Oct 8, 2014)

Definitely. When I was first traumatized I lost fifteen pounds.


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## Simpson17866 (Dec 3, 2014)

Oddly enough, I've noticed that I tend to be the exact opposite: hunger making me more upset is more common than sadness making me less hungry.


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## Thalassa (Jun 10, 2010)

I am the opposite. My sister is like you though, she stops eating. I'm like yay food.


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## Thalassa (Jun 10, 2010)

But you know, some people also fight or flight. I fight. I'm like why would an idiot hide under the covers if they thought a murderer was downstairs. Maybe it's connected.


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## great_pudgy_owl (Apr 20, 2015)

Thalassa said:


> But you know, some people also fight or flight. I fight. I'm like why would an idiot hide under the covers if they thought a murderer was downstairs. Maybe it's connected.


lol, all or nothing seems a better choice. I will admit, if I knew there was murder in the house, I'd high tail it out the window--or else drop a pan on his head from upstairs


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## Kyrielle (Mar 12, 2012)

great_pudgy_owl said:


> Generally speaking, when someone's angry/depressed/upset in some way, they're no longer hungry. Why does this work that way? I know some people end up eating a lot in these cases, but in personal experience it was out of finding something to do rather than actual hunger. Wouldn't just experiencing anger make you more hungry rather than make you lose your desire to eat? Is it related to fight-or-flight?


With depression, lack of appetite has to do with energy conservation and fighting off pathological microbes. I know this sounds weird, but psychological depression is an extension of natural depression when you're sick or injured. When you're sick, you usually don't want to eat, especially if you have a fever, because your body is using up all of your resources just to fight the illness. It does not want to waste energy on digestion when energy reserves are readily available. Furthermore, fever tends to destroy the enzymes and proteins responsible for digestion in an attempt to prevent any further invasive substances. In the case of an injury, the body again is using all available resources to heal, and does not want to waste energy on digesting food.

Depression in this instance, is a natural process designed to keep you from moving very much, eating very much, or feeling very much as it turns inward (and so too does your mind turn inward). Needless to say, you aren't going to feel very good in the process. Unfortunately, psychological depression is this same system on overdrive without the appropriate signals to shut off the system.

In the case of fight or flight, the body once again must conserve energy for immediate use. If you're ready to run or ready to fight, your entire body is on a hair trigger. It doesn't need to be wasting energy digesting food. Interestingly, I think the tendency to throw up when nervous might very well extend from a need to lessen body weight (to make you lighter and therefore a bit faster) and as a possible diversion to predators (gross but a predator might become more interested in the vomit). This is also why terrified people might pee/shit themselves--to loose excess weight.

That said, usually after you have recovered from an illness or have come down from an adrenaline high, you do tend to be quite hungry. Now your body needs to replenish the reserves it used up, and since you are in a place of safety there is time and energy to devote to digesting.


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## Bluehealer (Feb 3, 2015)

Sometimes I eat less. When someone i love is seriously ill and in crisis I don't even think about eating. In general I eat more when I'm stressed, lonely, depressed. 

I bet personality type makes a difference.


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## Darkbloom (Aug 11, 2013)

Lol that's when I want to eat the most


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

great_pudgy_owl said:


> Generally speaking, when someone's angry/depressed/upset in some way, they're no longer hungry. Why does this work that way? I know some people end up eating a lot in these cases, but in personal experience it was out of finding something to do rather than actual hunger. Wouldn't just experiencing anger make you more hungry rather than make you lose your desire to eat? Is it related to fight-or-flight?


I think it's a survival tactic. If you are upset, or your survival is threatened in any way, it isn't a good time to also be hungry. You need to focus all your resources on resolution/survival.


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## outofplace (Dec 19, 2012)

I've always wondered how "emotional eaters" can eat during times of depression, sadness or just being nervous. I'm completely the opposite. I only eat when I'm calm and content. :happy:


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## Metalize (Dec 18, 2014)

Lots of very good responses related to psychological-biochemical links. 

In addition, it may not necessarily all be nature since most people tend to hold on the eating habits they had established in childhood. So if someone comes from a family in which food is seen as a comforting or even "special" thing (like a reward), or there's an association with food and family, that person will unconsciously probably try to seek it out more when they're in a bad state.


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## jeb (Jan 6, 2014)

My appetite doesn't deminish whether I'm depressed, sick, upset, whatever. I don't understand how that happens for some people. The only time I didn't eat much was when I was sick with a weird combination of things and putting food in my mouth made me nauseous. Still choked down enough, though.


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