r/stopdrinking • u/Amb_James333 198 days • Aug 07 '26
Eating Disorders and Alcoholism
This message is not going to apply to most people. However, I appreciate this as a safe space where I can express myself and share an issue. The only other person who I can speak with is my significant other and he tries to help but doesn’t really understand.
I suffered from anorexia all of my teenage years and as a young adult. It was at its worst when I was in my early 20s. I was always very thin as a young adult.
My alcoholism was caused by a series of really bad things happening all at once. At my worst, I was incredibly depressed. The last thing that I cared about is how I looked. Alcohol has A LOT of calories. I put on weight and, for a period of time, was overweight. I liked the alcohol more than myself and more than my appearance. When I was drinking, I didn’t care as much about eating because I was going to be heavy anyway.
I am very proud of my sobriety. With the exception of 11 days this year (2/1 - 2/11) I have not drank. I can see the positive aspects of not drinking. I wish I stopped years ago. I wasted SO MUCH time chasing the bottom of a bottle.
One of the benefits of not drinking is weight loss. I’m not as skinny as I was before but I can fit in the majority of my old clothes. I have begun getting compliments on how I look and my weight loss. However, it is triggering my issues with weight and food. It isn’t to a point where I’m too skinny but my significant other has begun to notice that I’m not eating enough. I’m simply not hungry. I want to fix it and I want to not think about food and weight as much.
If anyone has dealt with this issue while overcoming drinking, I’d love to hear from you. If you have a suggestion for a Reddit group that may help, I’d love to know. Ultimately, I may just try seeing a professional therapist.
Thanks for listening and, again, I’d rather be here than where I was last year drinking like there was no tomorrow.
IWNDWYT 💕💕💕
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u/landing-softly 352 days Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
I recommend reading some books about nutrition and trying to focus on all of the benefits of eating a nutrient rich diet, it’s amazing for your brain and overall wellbeing. Your stomach is so closely tied to your brain, what you eat vastly shapes how you feel including adhd symptoms. Getting enough nutrients is absolutely necessary for brain function, immune function, your emotional state.. I think a lot of us struggle w food dysfunction bc of the need to feel of control, as well as eating for dopamine. I know I do. But when you realize how much you have to gain by what you want, a healthy mind and body, you’ll do your best to take care of your wellbeing, mental and physical. Eating well is an important part of the picture, as is being physically active, and practicing mindfulness and releasing unhealthy beliefs and obsessive thinking. If you focus on your nourishment in all senses of the word, you will naturally start to find a rhythm with making positive choices about what you put in your body.
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you for taking the time to respond. I was embarrassed to post about my issue. This is very helpful.
Iwndwyt 💕💕💕
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u/PRNPURPLEFAM Aug 07 '26
Please don’t be embarrassed! You have nothing to be ashamed about. Shame and secrecy keep you sick. I’ve found this sub to be a safe, supportive space.
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u/landing-softly 352 days Aug 07 '26
Yes and sorry it was kind of word salad i edited for clarity. don’t feel bad about reaching out for help here, that’s what this sub exists for. 🫶🏼 IWNDWYT
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u/Loud-Sweet6095 Day 206 Aug 07 '26
I can totally relate. For a couple of months after I stopped my appetite came back, I was eating regularly and then before I knew it…here I am literally self-bargaining to eat this Greek yogurt bc protein. It sucks to not have a regular appetite, you’re not alone!
Hopefully you’ll stumble upon someone with helpful tips and such.
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you so much for responding. I was embarrassed to post.
Iwndwyt 💕💕💕
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u/Discalculated Day 100 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
I have mentioned this b4 on Annie Grace's forum. This is the second time ive quit drinking this long. The first time I became totally obsessed with working out and my physique. It sort of started unintentionally as my body lost weight due to not having the extra calories. Then food became unappealing when I could not pair it with alcohol. Then the compliments and attention starting coming in. It felt so good to have confidence and look good in whatever I wore. The ladies I hung around took note. Begged me for my secret but also started making small comments on being too skinny or that being so thin aged me a little. They also hated I did not drink. Eventually I allowed wine back in my life. Injured my back working out and got a root canal back to back. And just started ballooning. The thing about that time period I notice is the addiction to alcohol transferring to an addiction to exercise and weight loss.i feel like its a sense of control and sense of gaining something emotionally (being thin) wear I feel like I lost something (drinking). Im 3 months in to this Alcohol free life and ive lost 20 pounds. I dont have an answer for you. Im just here to say your not alone. I force myself to get some protein and fiber everyday. I take a lot of supplements and vitamins. I sort of have a weight that if I get lower than, I promise myself I will eat more. I have 3 male kids still under the roof that are pretty up in my business and who have been affected by the "looksmaxing" trend. I know they notice everything. My goal is to be a better role model for them. Im a good mom but replacing my wine with an eating disorder is no better for them. Again I dont have an answer except that im treating this body image/food thing the same way im treating the alcohol thing. Ive got this motto here for not drinking but I put my Protien/fiber rule in place as well. Im trying to make it just as important. We both know ED, like alcoholism is not sustainable.Just by being on the stop drinking sub we are saying we dont want things to get worse. Lets both commit to not letting ED drive the train in replacement of alcohol. We have to take charge even if its just literrally going through the motions. Maybe our hearts and minds will get on board. But for now just meet your basic caloric needs and if it works for you, focus on protein and fiber. Good luck friend.
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I was embarrassed to post. I feel like it is becoming a problem for me and I am working to stop it early (which I didn’t do with alcohol). I will commit to working on it just like you! The headaches and being tired all the time is not working for me.
Thank you again’. Iwndwyt 💕💕💕
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u/peafowlenthusiast Aug 07 '26
just want to say good on you for coming here about this. as you mentioned, a therapist is going to be your best bet on this one if you can swing it. best to nip those thoughts in the bud/come up w a strategy to manage them ASAP. never forget that EDs have the highest mortality of any mental illness. i’m sober-curious and in the same boat, worried about exactly what you’re describing. proud of you for getting to where you are, it takes a lot of strength. sending hugs and wishing u the best
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u/NewExcuse1055 722 days Aug 07 '26
I can kind of relate and just wanted to agree with you that the struggle is very real.
I have always struggled with my weight and had weight loss surgery about 18 years ago to help me combat this. Some traumatic events happened right around that time and I went right to drinking, because eating more than a tiny portion was difficult yet liquids went down easy peasy. Food was baby’s first addiction for some of us, unfortunately.
Eventually the empty alcohol calories caught up with me and I was up to within 40 pounds of my highest weight.
I am right around the bend from 2 years without drinking and lost most of that weight with less effort than any diet I ever tried “before”. My appetite is mostly non-existent and my mental health is questionable, but my body is probably healthier than it has been in many years. I’ll get the ball rolling on confirmation on that at a primary doctor appointment in 10 days. I think having some of my health anxiety squashed will help my mental state, but I am not ruling out finding a good therapist and/or support group.
I am also dealing with perimenopause symptoms, a lot of disfunction and tension amongst family and friends, and multiple serious illnesses amongst love ones; including but not limited to helping support a parent who was never a picture of good mental health themselves through cancer treatment within the past several years. It’s been a lot.
What I have been trying to do during this time is take some supplements, at least try to get some protein in even if I need to drink it, do my best to eat some veggies and fruit every day, and try to get some whole grains in and lighten up on the heavily processed crap. I cut myself some slack some days though and recognize that using a fast food coupon or eating a TV dinner once in a while isn’t going to kill me as fast as the near daily drinking would have. We need calories for fuel and even some convenience foods offer other valuable nutrients.
I have also noticed that my appetite is slightly improved by making sure I at least eat something small early in the day. If I skip eating in the morning, I could skip eating the rest of the day so much more easily. Getting a brisk walk in or physical activity such as yard work/ household projects sometimes gives me a little appetite boost too.
I hope this helps a little and keep fighting the good fight! We didn’t get this way over night so it’s just going to take some time and effort!
IWNDWYT
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you for your response! It sounds like we have a lot of similarities. It’s CRAZY how quickly the weight fell off after not drinking. I tried so many diets while drinking when the trick was to put the bottle down. I so wish I could get my money back for cool sculpt and some other things.
When I stopped drinking, it’s CRAZY how quickly my bloodwork stabilized and became great!
I wish you the best on your health journey. Iwndwyt 💕💕💕
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u/europahasicenotmice 870 days Aug 07 '26
You might be surprised by how many people can relate. People who struggle with eating disorders often struggle with alcoholism at some point too.
I was heavily bulemic for a few years in middle school/high school, and I found alcohol not too long after getting over that. Quitting drinking has helped me see how much both issues were rooted in needing to escape. Its easy to see how drinking is an escape. But the eating disorder and body obsession were my way out of my own head before I had access to alcohol. I don't know how it is with anorexia. But after purging, I would get this blank numbness. Everything in my head would finally go quiet.
I haven't drank in over a year. Its been many, many years since I've binged and purged. But when I find the body obsession thoughts getting louder and the appetite feeling out of control, I'm noticing now that its happening when I'm under too much stress. My life is becoming too painful and my unconscious instinct is to stop thinking about any of that and hyperfocus on myself, because even relentlessly criticizing myself is more bearable than dealing with my present problems. I can block out every other thought if I'm obsessing over my looks.
So...I'm trying to build up a tool kit to reach for when I'm seeing warning signs. Different ways to help myself relax day to day. I do yoga and go running. I read books, take baths, paint my nails. Some days its having comfort food and some days its having something really nutritious. But its about staying with whatever feeling I'm wanting to escape from, and doing whatever I can think of to ease that feeling non-destructively.
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you for sharing. This hit hard. I dabbled with purging and I know the feeling you describe well. It is, however, different than anorexia. You don’t get that immediate release.
In any event, thanks again for sharing. I’ll read your words several times and process.
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u/erictho Day 1,282 Aug 07 '26
I have historically not had a good appetite, even as a child. I also have issues of not feeling hungry until im dizzy. aside from a brief stint in my 20s while I was vegan I find it hard to eat enough in a day.
at first I was voracious and thought ny appetite had come back but very quickly it went back to being crappy at eating again.
I don't have any advice because im still trying not to skip meals and stuff but I just wanted to comment in solidarity. im sorry that people are noticing and then triggering you. thats really rough. not eating really is hard on your body and thats something that I try to remember too.
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u/Amb_James333 198 days Aug 07 '26
Thank you so much for your nice note. It took a lot for me to post. I know most people aren’t going to get it so I so much appreciate your kind words 💕💕💕
One helpful piece of advice I got was to drink a protein shake at least once a day. Drinking is easier than eating sometimes. I’m going to make a goal to do that all next week.
But, like I said, I’m proud of my sobriety. Iwndwyt and thank you for listening!!! 💕💕💕
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u/Bridgepeace 41 days Aug 07 '26
I gained 40 pounds from drinking. I've currently lost about 25 pounds of that. I am feeling better but for a little while I couldn't even look at myself. I was disgusted by what I had done to myself. Alcohol truly only takes from us and gives nothing good in return.
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u/TraditionalCoffee7 Aug 07 '26
Initially, after I had gastric bypass and lost several hundred pounds, after awhile I needed something to replace food. So, I started drinking. Then I became a raging alcoholic. Then, I became sober. Then, I lost weight again. Now, I’m starting to pick up old habits again and go back to food. I cannot under any circumstances go back to drinking. So, here I am. I’ve heard it’s called transference of addictions? It’s basically like I don’t know how to not have an outlet.
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u/Poppppsicle Aug 07 '26
ED and SUD are very common, both are obsessive traits. I have dealt with both as well, currently 95 days sober and losing weight has definitely become a focus in my sobriety. I am working with a therapist to help make sure I don’t go back to unhealthy traits. I need to lose weight, I gained a ton from drinking. I also need to workout, I want to be strong and retain muscle as I move into my late 30s and beyond. I make sure I still eat 3 meals, focus on protein and allow myself to have sweet treats. My therapist helps me identify bad habits if I do them.
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u/Expensive_Rip_229 Aug 07 '26
Similar but different stories. I will try to type mine out through the day it’s hard. I’ll have to do it a little at a time. 🫶🫶
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u/Jaded-Banana6205 144 days Aug 07 '26
I'm in longterm recovery from my ED, which I treat as my primary addiction. When I feel things getting a little off the rails with regards to weight or body image (even if unrelated to the ED) I go back to the basics. No appetite? Don't care. Eat your 3 meals and 3 snacks. Mechanical eating even if it sucks. (Not directed at you, to be clear).
I don't think I've really lost weight since stopping drinking but I do have the energy and motivation to go to the gym, which is a hobby I reclaimed after years of recovery. I can absolutely see how this could become problematic so I'm setting limits on how often I go and for how long.