Trigger Warning Stimulants and weight loss/EDs

[opiiumdiet]

Hey!! Please tell me if this is not appropriate for BL, or if I am in the wrong section of the site

My name is Dash, and I am a 19 year old (20 on 3/10!!) and I struggle with Poly Substance Abuse Disorder (PSAD) and an eating disorder. I notice a major connection in my drug use (mostly stimulants/(M)AMP) and my ED. I notice this in quite a few other people as well, especially on forums for people who struggle with eating disorders, however this is something that I do not hear/see often mentioned on drug forums or in treatment centers for either issues.

I guess my questions are:
1. why is this such a taboo topic? i truly think the lack of conversation keeps myself and many others "sick" in both directions (EDs and drug abuse)
2. does anyone else on BL deal with the same issue, or know someone who does?
3. if so, how has this effected your/their recovery in either disorders?
4. is there a reason this topic is under-discussed? I see many threads on BL and MPA2 on drug use for weight loss (hell I see it on reddit, LM forums, and other basic social media) but not about specifically linking SUDs to EDs. Same with treatment centers. Tons of people here talk about loving the weight loss they got from drug use/hating the weight gain from sobriety, but never anything about disordered eating.

Again if I am in the wrong part of the site with this thread, or this is just overall not a topic that's okay to discuss here, please let me know!

 

[deficiT]

Yeah, I have struggled with it a little bit in the past. Mostly due to stimulant use. Mine manifests more as compulsive eating, and then going a long time without eating, kind of going in cycles.

Can't speak as to why it's not more specifically paid attention to. I know at least at the rehabs I went to, when I brought it up, they made sure I had access to ensure protein drinks and things like that, if I really wasn't trying to eat regular food. Might be different in different places though, but I agree the intermingling of the two disorders is not really talked about much. Definitely could use some more exposure for sure!

I'm gonna move this over to Health & Recovery, as it's probably better suited to that sub forum. Great question though!

 

[opiiumdiet]

Yeah, I have struggled with it a little bit in the past. Mostly due to stimulant use. Mine manifests more as compulsive eating, and then going a long time without eating, kind of going in cycles.

Can't speak as to why it's not more specifically paid attention to. I know at least at the rehabs I went to, when I brought it up, they made sure I had access to ensure protein drinks and things like that, if I really wasn't trying to eat regular food. Might be different in different places though, but I agree the intermingling of the two disorders is not really talked about much. Definitely could use some more exposure for sure!

I'm gonna move this over to Health & Recovery, as it's probably better suited to that sub forum. Great question though!

thank you !! yeah i didnt know where on the site to put it, but i figured it be still something useful to mention on here.

and yeah, in rehab they put me on meal watch but made no effort to really talk about my eating disorder i mean my PSAD and EDNOS are both from the same thing (mostly trauma coping) but only addressing the PSAD/PTSD link does nothing for my EDNOS/PTSD link.

Hopefully more people have some input!!

 

[Mr. Krinkle]

So you're wondering why you don't eat right when you're taking a bunch of drugs, mainly stims?

 

[deficiT]

So you're wondering why you don't eat right when you're taking a bunch of drugs, mainly stims?

No, they're saying they have an eating disorder that is exacerbated and concurring with their drug use. Have to assume the eating disorder exists when they're sober too, otherwise it would be normal stimulant induced anorexia.

thank you !! yeah i didnt know where on the site to put it, but i figured it be still something useful to mention on here.

and yeah, in rehab they put me on meal watch but made no effort to really talk about my eating disorder i mean my PSAD and EDNOS are both from the same thing (mostly trauma coping) but only addressing the PSAD/PTSD link does nothing for my EDNOS/PTSD link.

Hopefully more people have some input!!

No worries! Yeah, I've found that a lot of the counselors in rehab you find, really just aren't capable of doing very deep dives into their patients psyches. You might have a counselor that's cool that you have a decent rapport with, but at the end of the day, you're only there for a month, and they see dozens of people every week/month/year.

So honestly you can really barely even crack the surface in that time. I'm sure you'd have much better luck discussing this with a counselor or therapist that you are seeing long term.

 

[opiiumdiet]

So you're wondering why you don't eat right when you're taking a bunch of drugs, mainly stims?

what @deficiT said, i have EDNOS outside of stimulant abuse, its just exasperated by (M)AMP usage and is one of the main thing that draws me back to it. i know im not the only one who struggles with such on some level either, but it commonly not talked about from what i can find online/hear in real life.

i was more trying to open a conversation about it, im well aware of why stimulants cause appetite suppression

 

[opiiumdiet]

You might have a counselor that's cool that you have a decent rapport with, but at the end of the day, you're only there for a month, and they see dozens of people every week/month/year.

So honestly you can really barely even crack the surface in that time. I'm sure you'd have much better luck discussing this with a counselor or therapist that you are seeing long term.

Yeah, luckily my outpatient therapist also works for a private practice outside of here so ill be able to continue seeing her after I discharge. Very greatful to not have to start all the way over with a new therapist for the umpteenth time

 

[BrdWithHats]

This right here. This is exactly how I fell into a full blown amp addiction I started in order to reduce hunger cravings and severe fatigue caused by anorexia. At first it felt like a secret to effortless weight loss, but obviously it spirals into an addiction to the speed itself. I’m glad I can commiserate with someone else

 

[Jeanpauldash]

I have used them during my eating disorder. I have ednos- bulimia, purging disorder, restriction.

Once these people were trying to threaten me with my meth stash they found and I had to tell them I was an anorexic rape victim.

 

[Hannah Capps]

Oh man, I know from personal experience all about this... (hug) I too had EDNOS and it became BED... In the end the stimulants (ephedrine does the same thing in a high enough dose) gave me an increased appetite, totally defeating the reason I started in the first place. In my case, autism, I noted it made me more 'outgoing' for these two reasons and addiction, I had issues throughout my 20s and into my early 30s.

Now thank god I'm recovered for the most part from eating issues. I still have my bad days. For me, weightlifting (nothing crazy) and kickboxing have helped so much. Reaching that feeling in a natural way and then coming down naturally. I agree this isn't spoken of enough. It does need to be addressed. In the end, uppers just gave me more energy to eat. (eye roll) my weight shot up, and I became pre-diabetic.

Weight loss surgery, after preparing 2 years for it and exhausting every other option, has helped so much. A change in lifestyle, proper eating (as best I can) and working out have helped as well.

My goes out to you. I know exactly what you're talking about.

 

[insufferablenerd]

i had a bulimia diagnosis although i’d self describe as EDNOS (at different points i would’ve met criteria for A-AN, bulimia or BED) and i thought a lot while i was ill about getting into drugs for weight loss. luckily while i was sick my social circles were so non existent that it wasn’t really possible, plus i didn’t have the money for a drug habit.

i was actually an alcoholic at one point because i was forced into ED recovery. this was not the end of my ED years though and luckily i did end up getting out of that pretty quick. i didn’t get into drugs until i was already recovered, and that’s where i’m at now. i think if i continue i will end up going back into old ED patterns because it’s so tempting to be more dysfunctional if you’re already dysfunctioning (hey i already ruined my life, what do i have to lose?) and my DOC (ketamine) kills appetite. but i am trying to stop using anyway.

idk why it’s so taboo tbh i think EDs do still carry a lot of stigma especially if you’re not skinny (which i never was, my BMI ranged from 22-35 through my ED years). it can be embarassing for people to admit they want to lose weight or don’t like their current bodies. it feels like a very “teen girl” problem for some. and if someone admits that their drug problem is partially weightloss related, it can feel invalidating.

i think also ED folks tend to not be the sort of addict who struggle for years and years continuously because they tend to have unhealthy coping mechanisms that they bounce between (like their ED getting better and picking up self harm, or getting out of drugs and into EDs).

you mentioned not seeing this conversation a lot in drug use spaces but i definitely see it in ED spaces! idk if you hang out in places intended for people who don’t intend to recover like EDC/EDSF (or lord forbid twitter or tiktok… yikes).