Is anxiety to blame for your loss of appetite?

Our minds and bodies use food as fuel to function. When we don’t have an appetite, it can be harder to meet our nutritional needs. Appetites fluctuate for all sorts of reasons. For example, you might be extra hungry after a strenuous workout. Or, if you’re feeling emotionally strained or upset, you might not feel like eating. 

Most of us are familiar with that anxious “pit” that can form in our stomach when we’re worried. Anxiety can also lead to nausea, which can make food seem unappealing. Losing your appetite once in a while isn’t necessarily a problem. For example, if you don’t feel like eating a heavy breakfast before a big presentation at work, that’s OK. 

However, if anxiety is making it hard to eat all the time, it could seriously affect your health. Learning more about the relationship between anxiety and appetite can help you get the help you need to keep your mind and body strong.

What it’s like when anxiety curbs your appetite

Here are a few examples of scenarios that may curb your appetite:

• Ever since you decided to break up with your partner, you haven’t felt like eating. You know they’re going to be crushed when you tell them that the relationship is over. And you have no idea what life will be like when you separate. As you prepare to deliver the news, you feel physically nauseated.

• You’ve been unemployed for several months and have run out of savings. You’re worried about how you’re going to pay for groceries, rent, and other expenses if you don’t get a job soon. Finally, it feels like you might get a break when a friend asks you to apply for a job at her company. The morning of the interview, you feel shaky and you’re sweating. Just the thought of eating makes you feel sick.

• Ever since the COVID-19 lockdowns, you’ve had difficulty relaxing in social situations. But when your friend invites you to a get-together for their son’s birthday, you timidly accept. You want to see your friend and celebrate with their family, but you worry you won’t know anyone else at the party. You feel so anxious in the days leading up to the event that you’re unable to eat.

If any of these examples are relatable, know that you’re not alone. We all feel anxious sometimes, and that can make it hard to eat. But if your anxiety is constantly affecting your appetite, it’s probably time to seek professional help.  Here are some examples of when anxiety may indicate a need for professional support:

• When anxiety is constantly high, the body stays tense. Some people describe it like a knot in their stomach that makes food unappealing. For example, someone might regularly skip lunch at work because their stomach feels unsettled every day around mealtime. Over time, this can cause unintentional weight loss or weakness.

• Chronic stress hormones can mute normal hunger signals. A person may go hours or even a whole day before realizing they haven’t eaten. For instance, someone juggling school and caregiving might look up at 5 p.m. and realize they’ve only had coffee, simply because their anxiety kept their body on “alert mode” all day. This can leave them feeling dizzy, irritable, or lightheaded.

• Sometimes anxiety creates a cycle where eating feels risky. This can show up as worrying it will trigger bloating, stomach cramps, or even a panic attack. For example, someone may avoid eating before social events out of fear they’ll get sick or embarrassed. Over time, this avoidance can become dangerous if it leads to rapid weight loss or dehydration.

Chronic undereating can lead to:

• Mental health concerns like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Social isolation and withdrawal

• Loss of libido

• Trouble with focus and concentration

• Cognitive difficulties or irrational thoughts

• Heart problems

• Trouble regulating one’s body temperature

• Fertility difficulties

• Loss of bone density

• Digestive challenges

• Sleep difficulties

• Low blood sugar

How anxiety and appetite are linked

A survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that about 30% of adults occasionally skip meals due to loss of appetite. This is because when we feel stressed, we go into fight-or-flight mode. This is a response to potential threats in which our mind and body are trying to keep us safe. 

The stress response causes the release of brain chemicals that affect the way we think, feel, and behave. These chemicals can also affect appetite. And a loss of appetite appears to be more common among people with clinically significant anxiety.

Addressing anxiety-induced appetite loss

If appetite loss is negatively impacting your health or daily functioning, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Talk to your doctor, and ask them to evaluate you to make sure your appetite loss isn’t due to a medical condition. If it’s not, the next step is to talk to a mental health professional and/or nutritionist. 

Therapy and other professional support can provide a safe space to uncover the source of your anxiety and learn healthy ways to manage it. You and your therapist can create a list of coping strategies to help you get your anxiety under control. In the meantime, here are some tips to increase your appetite when anxiety arises:

1. Identify your triggers. Write down the days, times, and situations that make you most anxious, and therefore, less interested in eating. Then, consider when the opposite is true. When do you feel the least anxious? When does it feel easier to eat? These insights can help you create an eating plan that works for you.

2. Eat small, frequent meals. You may not have an appetite for a full meal and that’s OK. Try smaller portions of nutrient dense foods throughout the day to maintain your energy. 

3. Try to manage stress. Whether it’s through practices like journaling, meditation, breathwork, or yoga, stress management is a powerful way to maintain your appetite. By making it a part of your daily routine, it can be easier to keep anxiety-induced appetite loss at bay.

Clinician’s take

One small, practical step you can take is to start with something light and easy to tolerate, like a smoothie, yogurt, or a handful of crackers. Framing it as ‘giving your body fuel’ rather than ‘having to eat a big meal’ can make it feel less overwhelming and more doable.

Ashley Ayala, LMFT

Clinical reviewer

Find care with Rula

Anxiety doesn’t just affect the mind. It can affect the body too. And in some cases, it can lead to appetite loss. Occasional anxiety-induced appetite loss isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. But if it happens all the time, it can lead to serious health complications. 

If you’re experiencing long-term eating difficulties due to anxiety, talk to your doctor. They can evaluate you to make sure your appetite loss isn’t due to a medical concern. If it isn’t, you might consider seeing a therapist. A therapist can help you get to the root of your anxiety so that you can get it under control. In addition, strategies like identifying triggers, stress management, and eating frequent small meals can help increase your appetite when you’re feeling anxious.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best. 

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we're here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.