Anxiety/Mental Illness and the Whole 30

[Jane Coaston]

Hi all,

i've been paleo for a while, and i'm on day 15 of my second Whole 30, but i'm facing some issues and could use some help.

i have chronic anxiety. it's omnipresent, all day, every day, just endless fear and anxiety over virtually everything (based on having really, really, really low self-esteem). i've been dealing with this for about ten-fifteen years (i'm 24), and before i went paleo, i used food to medicate my anxiety. but now with being strict paleo, the foods that i would normally use to soothe myself (cereal, pasta, bread - i'm a recovering binge eater) are no longer options. i can't sleep and when i do, i'm having really disturbing nightmares. i feel like i'm about to take the SATS every minute of every day, and i don't know what to do or how to handle it without binge eating.

help!

[Tom Denham]

I used to be a mental health professional and worked with lots of people with anxiety disorders. Here's what I think you should do... Go to an MD for an evaluation. You sound like you need to be on medication and in therapy. Your MD can refer you to appropriate providers. I can't stress enough how important it is that you get into therapy and onto medication at the same time. You can experience healing from the kind of anxiety you are describing with good help. If you try to do it by yourself or with herbs, supplements, chiropractic adjustments, yoga, etc., you could stay anxious for another decade or so. Please seek help from your doctor.

One note: some doctors are foolish enough to put you on anti-anxiety medication without your being in psychotherapy. That is not adequate. Medication only helps you function and get some sleep while you work on resolving the things that make your anxiety so high. Medication without therapy does not lead to healing.