No morning appetite!

Hi, i'm an 18 y/o in first year of college, which has got me a little stressed out, living alone and so far from home! I usually never ate breakfast but I could at least get myself to eat an apple every morning for some energy.

Now that i'm in college I wake up the same way, no appetite, only now I wake up with a dry mouth, slight dizziness and If i try to drink some water or take a vitamin I puke it back up minutes later no matter how hard I try not too, and once in a while ill still dry heave in the morning with an empty stomach.

are there any solutions to this problem, maybe something I can take that will get rid of the dry heaving and dizziness every morning.

Hi tmg and welcome,

I am sorry to hear of your anxiety and awful symptoms. Living away from home and dealing with the pressures of shcool can be very challenging. A lot of people you age and in your situation often have anxiety for the first time during this phase of their lives.

I agreee with Joshua with the advice of seeing your doctor if you have not already had a recent check up to rule out anything physical that could be causing your stomach issues. It is most likely anxiety, but this is the logical first step to take.

Once you know for sure that stress is the culprit, then I would recommend trying self-help coping mechanisms (see our Resources) to relieve overall anxiety levels, and therefore, symptoms.

Anxiety naturally is higher in the mornings due to Cortisol. This is the stress hormone that gets us up and moving after a night's sleep. Without it, we wouldn't get out of bed...but some of us with anxiety for example, either produce to much, or become sensitive to it, and it makes us sick, shaky and miserable.

Using the coping skills in our Resources (main page, 1so post) should help. The breathing and progressive muscle relaxation are very powerful stress reducers. Meditation/quiet time shouldn't be overlooked either. Do these everyday for a week and see how you feel.

Good sleep, regular exercise, proper nutrition and other healthy lifestyle habits are also essential.

Keeping a journal is a great way to decompress and get stressful or negative feelings out...as is posting here, so keep up with us!

Finally, check with your school's resources and see if there is someone you can talk to. like your counselor...or maybe a group that you could get in touch with for support.

Otherwise, we are a great group for understanding and listening anytime you need it.;)

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat