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lots of extra stress for the past 6-8 months - gained 20 lbs and it wont come back off hard to take care of myself physically when there is so much mental/emotional turmoil
I can relate to your post and have learned that it might be hard taking care of yourself but taking care of your self is the first best thing to do. Keep practicing.
florida wrote: lots of extra stress for the past 6-8 months - gained 20 lbs and it wont come back off hard to take care of myself physically when there is so much mental/emotional turmoil.
I understand your problem with weight gain as a result to stress. I have went from 125 lbs. to 210 in two years. A lot of this is medication that the doctors have put me on, for depression and mood stabilizing, due to stress.
I was underweight for most of my life, so this is a new experience for me. I am 5 foot 10 inches tall and almost always have never weighed more than 125 lbs., so could eat whatever I wanted and not have to exercise.
Now in order to take some of this weight off, I'm realizing I'm going to have to change my diet, exersize more and maybe try to get the doctors to let me off some of this medication. But if that's not an option for me right now (to get off the medication) then I will have to do the best I can to take care of myself in other healthy ways.
Thanks for your post. Java
-- Edited by java on Thursday 28th of May 2009 03:41:06 AM
YES, stress does deeply affect us, physically. Many things contribute to our physical health and un-health. Physical, emotional and spiritual- those are the points of the disease of Aism AND al-anon-ism. One of the best ways I know to deal with that turmoil is to attend al-anon meetings several times a week. This is what worked for me. Combined with new eating and exercise habits in addition to lifestyle habits made a big difference, one day at a time. hugs, J.
It is my guess, that this is why some people use and abuse, a reaction to stress and anxiety.
We're about to foreclose on our home and I am a little stressed about that and I have been eating more than usual (the equivalent to using??) I recently noticed that I multi-task when I eat, usually I'm on the computer. Just this week, I have decided to just focus on eating when I eat, doing nothing else, just savoring every bite and giving thanks. What I've already noticed, is that I'm eating less, I'm recognizing when I'm full. I think it's all about awareness and presence.
I've read that it's helpful to become aware, and just say to yourself, "I am feeling anxiety in myself." Then notice what I do with it. I've had to determine an alternate activity to eating. Now, I play the piano, sit and read, or exercise. This week, I've lost 2 lbs.
The house will officially be in foreclosure on Sunday. Program teaches me,it's gonna be okay if I get with God. God will fill the hole. Let faith replace the fear.
My experience is, finishing off the chips and licking the bag doesn't help.
-- Edited by glad lee on Thursday 28th of May 2009 10:28:30 AM
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The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
Emotional Eating is a HUGE problem in the world. It's weird to me b/c you have some people who eat to soothe their emotions. There are others who cannot even think about food when they are upset or stressed. I will tell you, the meds are probably your biggest culprit to your weight gain. When my daughter was 18 months old, my doc put me on an anti-depressant b/c I was so cranky that I couldn't even stand to be around myself. I had lost all of my baby weight up to that point.....only to put on 20 lbs after going on the meds. Needless to say, I quit taking the meds. They made me feel icky anyway...plus with the weight gain, I went from being angry to being depressed!!! I would rather be angry and thin vs fat and depressed. I eventually found ways to work through the anger - treadmill, pilates, martial arts.
That is just my experience w/the meds. Sometimes I wonder if they do more harm than good and I now really weigh the pros & cons before I take anything any more.
Keeping you in my thoughts & prayers. Sincerely, QOD
All of you guys talking about the affects of stress, well I have post trauma stress disorder and it is NOT curable...All because he was too lazy to go out and find an adult sex outlet...
Now I suffer with ptsd..the anxiety..the sickness I feel when I am having an "episode" Like the pressure in my head, the "spaciness" ..There isn't any hell like ptsd...
Yea, I can relate to what all of you are describing..I am sure my condition is why I don't tolerate toxic or bad behaviour..If boundaries do not work, I am GONE!!! I won't even deal with an alcoholic or a duggie...ANY abusive personality, I stay way from!!! Bad people messed up my brain and nervous system and also my adrenal glands...there is nothing like over producing adrenalin..It makes me so sick, I have to take my meds until I can supress it enough to quiet me down...then cleansing diets and excercise to get rid of all those bad chemicals....
Eventually this condition will start attacking my body and I may die from it!! I don't know...Ptsd is what caused my old sponsor to get heart condition and cancer and also she has diabetes...
so the best I can do is eat clean...pray/meditate..excersise and STAY AWAY from toxic people...Just avoid folks who trigger my symptoms....I want what is left of my life as peaceful as I can, with the help of my God, make it...
I work this program seriously because if there is ANY chance of my finding restoration, I am going to have it..I know I have to do the work...Take care of me and reach out to my God..
Child offenders should be killed for the damage they do to the poor little victim!!! I drew a life sentence all because of evil choices...I look to my Lord to reverse it because I can work on me/ take care of me and then I have to give the rest over...this program has helped me tremendously come to a place where I can honestly say "IT WAS NOT MY CRIME"...I was a beautiful child...All I did was have the bad luck to be in the path of EVIL....It was NOT about me...I am just as loveable as the next person.....AND, I know I won't see him where I am going when I leave this earth....
The tremendous stress and terror I felt all during my teen years and even B4 with the abuse and violence has taken its toll...I will probably always have trust issues..Feeling safe is an issue...Fear is always in the "background"....I just keep working on me...ONE DAY AT A TIME.....
This past Tues. I was at work and I was having trouble with my ptsd...Sick to my stomache..That "inner tube" feeling pressure in my head and the anxious/spaciness...I had to just keep doing pieces of my meds until I could get it under control...Then, luckily, I had 2 days off to rest and nurture me....Now I am ok...I just "go it" one day at a time and surrender my little body to God for his restorative powers....Somewhere in the bible it says "I will give back the years the locust and canker worm have eaten"...I cling to that promise....I know I have to do the footwork...Stay away from toxic people...DETACH and turn over people and things and places I cannot control....Work my program....Love myself and reach out to my God....Fellowship with my recovery mates and other healthy people....I can choose who I have in my life...I can choose how I respond to events that come up.....I do have a choice as to whether or not I take PROactive measures to take care of me....and I do