Scared to eat

[DysonFury]

Absolutely insane I know but, though we have a full fridge, cupboards and freezer (Brexit stockpiling and top up shops), I'm so nervous about running out of food and DD going without that I daren't eat anything other than value cereal.
Psychiatrist appointments are off until further notice and GP is a no go. Don't know what to do. Will I be fine living off pure cereal for however the Corona virus situation carries on? Full disclosure I suffer severe depression, anxiety and BPD.

First of all - from what people say in Italy, there are no signs of food shortages as yet. Just shelves are being emptied by people who are going to be self isolating - the elderly are preparing for 4 months of lockdown.So there might be short term shortages, but the stock will be replenished.
Secondly - there are lots of things you can do to try and help your mental health. Exercise, fresh air, sunlight/daylight are freely available. Lots of free meditation exercises - Headspace, Insight Timer, try youtube. I am trying to just sit and breathe with my eyes shut every so often. It helps.

Have you a garden, OP? Or a windowsill? Could you plant some cress, forage for some food?

I found growing food, gardening, and foraging are helping me feel a bit more in control.

Have you got some vitamin pills?

Sending you all the best. We will get through this. You will be okay.

I totally get you. We have plenty of food but I don't want to use it (which is ridiculous as we have shops at the end of our road which are well stocked and there doesn't seem to be any deep shortage of food). What a would say is that you need to be in the best possible health not just for your immune system to operate but also because malnutrition can have all sorts of adverse health implications and I'm sure you don't want to put more pressure on the NHS. I struggle with eating (and anxiety/depression) but I'm trying to focus on being sensible and eating as well as I can because the last thing I would want is for precious resources to be diverted to me when they're needed elsewhere.

I wish.
I’m stress eating and going to be so fat if this continues.

My family is in a country which is on a proper lock down. If anything there is now more food in shops because no one is panic buying.

You won't run out of things to eat. There are always neighbours....

I posted something very similar recently. I have no advice except I'm reminding myself that I need to be healthy to look after ds. I'm definitely eating less than I should be though.

My appetite is vanishing but OP please make sure you eat. It will help you stay well, and in the event you get sick you will be in a stronger position to recover quickly.

Nutrition is important. Eat small quantities of good food. Cereal and nothing else isn't a smart move. You don't want to get run down.

I feel the same, I am just having what every Dd leaves on her plate. And a sandwich for lunch.
I felt tearful in shops today when I could not buy a bag of pasta as the shops have been ransacked.
I did buy porridge oats though which is filling .

@bodies, do you mean eat the neighbours??

You can eat op, even countries on lockdown have access to plenty of food...they won't close food shops.

This is actually reassuring. I’m the same - smaller portions, no snacking etc. I’ve always been a very controlled eater but I’m worried about it triggering my long dormant full on anorexia. I’m currently SI due to symptoms so no idea of what it’s like in my area. Hearing there’s lots in corner shops / or when we’re on Lock Down is reassuring. Thank you.

I know I’m a bit the same. Felt mega guilty about opening some tinned tomatoes for the sauce I made

I've just been to Sainsbury's. In central London, on my way home from work (for possibly the last time for a few weeks). Let me tell you what I saw:

There's not any dried pasta on the shelves, or tins of beans/tomatoes. Difficult to get raw chicken or bread flour.

There are loads of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, biscuits, crisps, packets of ham, coleslaw, salads, sandwiches, drinks, sweets, milk, cheese and yogurts. (Actually when I was there the security guards were chortling amongst themselves about the run on tins and the fact that nobody was buying any bananas or carrots.)

Don't stress. Eat normally. Plan as if you were going to do your big shop stretched a bit further out, but don't worry. Buy a couple of butternut squashes, those things last months!

I have to admit that my DH is very worried about stocking up on pasta, but I keep telling him "between the spaghetti, fusilli and the lasagna we have three bags of it. And we haven't even eaten it once in the last seven days."

@catwithnohat I cannot confirm, nor can I deny that it was a suggestion to bbq your neighbours

I’m exactly the same OP. I’ve been in recovery from an eating disorder for nearly 10 years now but the anxiety I feel about running out of food coupled with my seemingly hard wired tendency to seize on any excuse to restrict my food intake means I am really really struggling at the moment. I have eaten 3 healthy meals today but it was a monumental effort. I keep reminding myself I need to eat to have the best chance of staying healthy but it’s very hard.

I work in a school and come Friday I will no longer have that routine to keep me distracted. I’m very worried my mental health with completely nosedive.

I hope it doesn’t sound callous to say it helps that others are in the same boat.

I'm the sort whose appetite disappears when stressed and I'm definitely not eating with the long term in mind even though my freezer is full etc
What I am eating is good though, we're low on treats and crap so hopefully I'll come out of this at my target weight at least
(I am actually quarantined cos of a temp in my household, we're only on day 2!)

I am struggling too eat too the fear of everything getting worse and not having food is taking over. To the point I don’t want to eat anything that I might not be able to replace.

I would try and eat some fresh fruit and vegetables, OP, and some protein. It's very important to maintain a healthy immune system and actually parents need it more than children in this situation (though I know that goes against our instincts to feed our children first), because adults are more at risk of this particular virus. And of course our children need us to stay healthy in order to look after them.
I was in a supermarket yesterday and there was plenty of food though not much tinned stuff, but we prefer fresh food anyway.

I'm not sure if it'll make you feel any better, OP, but I'm in NYC which is properly on lockdown and where the supermarket situation is ropey at the best of times, and we have food. Loads of food.

I suppose because of supply algorithms, weird things like leeks and bread yeast keep selling out (can't get either for love nor money near me) but overall, plenty of food and no panic buying.