Anxiety After Eating

Anxiety After Eating: Why Does it Happen?

It’s fairly common for people living with anxiety to report feeling anxious after a meal. If this is something that’s happening to you, you might be avoiding food because of it. A healthy diet is something that’s needed to manage anxiety, so if you’re struggling with this issue, it needs to be addressed. Let’s talk about some of the reasons why you might feel anxious after eating:

1. You might have Gastrointestinal Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). If you have frequent stomach discomfort, heartburn, or nausea, you might have GERD. GERD occurs when acid from the stomach makes its way back up the esophagus and into the throat. Your body might be sending you emotional signals through anxiety that something is wrong. GERD is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it causes anxiety, and sometimes anxiety contributes to GERD.
   There are many treatments available for GERD. It’s an incredibly common ailment, and treating it might mean a decrease in your anxiety. Medication is available that will decrease the acid levels in your stomach. If you don’t want to take medication for it, your doctor might recommend a healthy diet rich in probiotics and fiber. You may also want to avoid spicy, fatty foods and alcohol. Food that’s rich in saturated fat also contributes to GERD. Some foods can give you immediate relief, like ginger root or peppermint. If you are living with this and you address it, your anxiety shouldn’t flare up after a meal.
2. You might have past trauma involving food that you haven’t addressed. Trauma is sneaky, and it’s the number one cause of anxiety triggers. Usually, when we’re triggered, we’re remembering something uncomfortable and painful from the past. There are a number of reasons why food could be triggering your anxiety.
3. If you have a history of anorexia or bulimia, you may still have residual discomfort surrounding your meals. If you were previously bullied for how much you ate, eating may not feel enjoyable. For some, food wasn’t often available when they were children. Eating may bring back some of the feelings that occurred at that age. Getting to the root of what’s causing this anxiety will break the cycle of discomfort after a meal.
4. You might be eating foods that are high in sodium. Eating sodium-rich foods puts you at risk for a sympathetic nervous system response. This is because sodium naturally increases your blood pressure. In some cases, the spike in blood pressure can lead to a racing heart, which can trick your body into thinking it’s anxious.
5. You might be experiencing guilt surrounding food. Many people who struggle with anxiety also struggle with perfectionism. You might hold yourself and your personal health to a high standard, so eating foods that you know aren’t healthy might trigger your anxiety. You may feel guilt for straying from your diet or eating too much. You may also feel guilt for eating foods that you know impact your body poorly. Wherever the guilt is coming from, when you address the anxiety and work through it, the guilt should dissipate.

You might have social anxiety. If you notice yourself feeling anxious when dining with others, this might be a sign of social anxiety. This is the most common type of anxiety, and it’s something that 15 million Americans are dealing with. It’s also something that’s highly manageable with treatment.

There are a variety of other things that could be causing your anxiety after eating. You could have food sensitivities or allergies, reactive hypoglycemia, or you could be drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. The main thing to remember is that all of these things are treatable. If you’re having trouble deciphering what your triggers are or why you’re feeling this, don’t hesitate to call your doctor. Sometimes, just having the scary things ruled out is enough to keep you from feeling anxious. A qualified therapist or counselor can also help you identify what’s going on and what you can do to prevent this from happening.