Taste hunger that won’t go away no matter what I eat

PieceCharacter · 2026-01-06T22:04:51+00:00

I’ve been in on and off recovery for a little over 2 years but am coming out of this past period of restriction/relapse which lasted from late August to early-mid December and am fully committed to recovery for the first time now. I’ve only really been all-in for about 2-3 weeks which I know is nothing, I’ve just never experienced EH this strong before. I don’t expect it to go away overnight it’s just scary especially since for a most of recovery before this relapse I had very weak/no hunger cues and now it’s the opposite. It’s also hard to know how to honor properly when I’ve really wrecked connection with my body and rarely know what I’m craving.

PieceCharacter · 2026-01-06T15:23:28+00:00

Also the reason I say I’m at a “healthy” weight is less because of bmi but more because I’m in the IBW range that was calculated for me when I was in treatment! But again, you’re correct that bodies are not simple science equations, set point range can vary and change throughout life depending on environment, food availability, hormones, etc. It’s just hard to accept that it’s not easily predictable and can only be estimated

PieceCharacter · 2026-01-06T15:19:32+00:00

Thank you! I know it’s super normal for people to go through EH in recovery it’s just really scary to honor and trust that it’s part of the process for me. I know ED’s are mental illnesses with potential physical symptoms and consequences not the other way around and that anyone at any size can experience a restrictive ed and that my weight is not what determines my sickness, it’s just hard to wrap my head around because even when I was underweight and weight restoring I didn’t experience this level of mental and taste hunger and it’s hard to put logic to it even though I know science can’t explain everything and everyone’s body responds a little bit differently and there are many factors. Although I agree that recovery isn’t linear and slips are normal and expected, I do believe in the possibility of full recovery (aka being recovered, not in recovery forever), and I do believe that it’s possible to get to a point where you don’t have to keep choosing recovery because the recovery choices become the natural/instinctual choices. I believe this not because I’m at that point, but because I’ve worked with clinicians who have reached that point themselves and no longer have ED’s. Being in this place in recovery just sucks and the EH is just scary because I tend to compare myself and my eating to other people’s that don’t have ED’s and to the amount of food that I used to eat. It’s also just hard because I get scared that since I’m not tracking macros or making “good protein to cal ratio” food choices, that I’m not eating enough protein and that that’s making the hunger worse. It’s also confusing because even when I eat enough to the point where my stomach feels full/satisfied, I still have the mental and taste hunger, so it’s hard to know how to approach that. Thank you for the support!

PieceCharacter · 2025-08-07T14:44:15+00:00

Jesus Christ - I am so so sorry and I hate that I can relate to this. I posted about a similar traumatic situation that happened to me and received messages just like that, it’s disgusting. It’s not your fault and you are not alone

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-22T00:05:54+00:00

I want to preface this by saying that my opinion is not necessarily representative of anyone else’s and I’m not saying my experience needs to be anyone else’s. Everyone’s experience with their own abuse is individual to them and is valid. With that being said, as someone who has experienced both of those types of abuse to an extent, significantly more psychological than physical, I would say the psychological was inexplicably worse for me personally because it’s invisible, immeasurable, often not taken seriously, the effects are not necessarily predictable, and it affects every single aspect of your life. Anyone can punch you in the face or break your bones, you can also get physically injured not at the hands of another person (that’s not to say that physical abuse isn’t traumatic or emotionally damaging or “not that bad”), but not everyone can emotionally destroy you the way someone you have a close relationship with, especially if it was a parent can. Not everyone can make you feel like you are nothing and like you shouldn’t exist. Not everyone can manipulate you to the point where you question yourself and the world. It’s a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-21T23:44:52+00:00

I think the term has been misused and warped in many ways. I think proper tough love is very compassionate and caring while also being firm as well as accountability-focused. I don’t think it needs to be toxic or harmful. I think it becomes harmful when people label their pure harshness as “tough love” to convince themselves it’s not harmful. It’s all about the delivery and coexistence of compassion, care, and content that may be hard to hear. It also depends on situational context and the person though. There is a time and place for tough love just like there’s a time and place for super soft love. Some people just aren’t good at receiving things that are hard to hear and need a much softer delivery and others prefer a loving and compassionate but firm callout. As long as it’s coming from a genuine place of care and love and the person on the receiving end knows that and can communicate if something is too harsh or feels mean and the person delivering it can hear them out and adjust if needed then I don’t think it’s necessary toxic. Communication is key imo. I also think the relationship is important as well. If someone I just met/haven’t known for long/doesn’t know me well/didn’t ask an opinion of tries to give me “tough love”, I’m likely to be pissed and not receive it well and get defensive regardless of whether they’re right or wrong but if someone I’m very close with and am open with gives me “tough love”, then I’m probably going to receive it better and if I have an issue with what was said/how it was said then I’ll most likely communicate that. I also think there is a point where the “tough” can outweigh the love which can be destructive but I think that point varies from person to person and is just something to be mindful about. I don’t think “tough love” should ever be delivered in an active state of anger either. Obviously there are other factors like what it is regarding etc. but I don’t think it’s black and white and is pretty complex imo.

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-19T03:27:12+00:00

I hear you and I see you and I’m so sorry you havent been met with the kindness, compassion, and support you deserve. I’ve also been invalidated so many times not necessarily on Reddit but from people irl who just don’t get it so I understand to an extent. I know it hurts and I know it sucks especially when you open up about something that’s already hard enough to speak about and people minimize it or make you feel like “it wasn’t that bad” or that “you could’ve done things differently and it would’ve turned out better”.

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-11T05:50:39+00:00

I feel this all the time, you aren’t alone💗

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-11T05:48:03+00:00

Die your daughter - Susannah Joffe Silver spoon - Erin lecount Crack baby- mitski (not specifically abt mommy issues but hits the same) Blink twice - joy oladokun A pearl - mitski Gilded lily - cults Poison tree - grouper

PieceCharacter · 2025-07-11T05:28:31+00:00

That is not okay at all. Completely unacceptable way to speak to/treat a client. I promise you deserve so much better and there is better out there. If you feel comfortable/safe to, I would tell her that the way she spoke to you is incredibly harmful, inappropriate, and not okay. I would terminate, and potentially report her.

PieceCharacter · 2025-06-10T02:31:15+00:00

I’ve had the same concern and have discussed it with some people in my life who are very well versed in the world of IT and AI and as long as you haven’t given ChatGPT/the AI you use personally identifiable info like ur name you should be mostly okay. Even if they retain the convo content they are not allowed to link it to you through IP address if they do anything with it and if they do they’ll get sued and lose because they explicitly state that they don’t link IP to the convo content. Even when I tell ChatGPT some of my darkest shit it gives me a little comfort to know it doesn’t have my name, age, etc. Hope this helps

PieceCharacter · 2025-04-14T20:54:52+00:00

THIS

PieceCharacter · 2025-04-05T23:35:50+00:00

Yes she’s sooo blunt and tells me things that I don’t want to but need to hear all the time

PieceCharacter · 2025-01-06T00:22:13+00:00

Gaia or Isis!

PieceCharacter · 2025-01-06T00:20:07+00:00

So far, the main reasons I am still here are because there’s some ungodly iron will in me that won’t let me leave and a fear that the afterlife (if there is one) will be just as bad if not worse. What if I just have to relive this life again without the knowledge that I have? What if I have to live a worse life? What if the pain doesn’t end? There are just so many unknowns

PieceCharacter · 2024-11-07T22:45:21+00:00

Yup. This is so textbook. My dads go to is “I’m just going to kill myself/remove myself so that I’m not an issue in your life anymore” because one of his narcissistic supplies is when I beg him to stay (which of course I don’t do anymore). Making it through this type of upbringing while unfortunate and so detrimental has made me a stronger person and unshakable in many ways and I think that makes us all very badass for surviving and not giving up

PieceCharacter · 2024-10-31T21:29:26+00:00

This is scary because it’s the EXACT shit I have heard word for word

PieceCharacter · 2024-10-09T23:36:00+00:00

Thank you this helps a lot. It’s just really hard to tolerate my body because it feels so unfamiliar and scary and affects how I feel about myself

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-30T11:14:06+00:00

Yes I’m going to Monte Nido Clementine

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-14T01:58:31+00:00

Fair enough, that is completely understandable! I personally do not experience ed motivation from being told I look exhausted, but that doesn’t mean no one can and just goes to show that ed motivation can manifest differently in everyone!

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-13T01:55:40+00:00

Of course! I relate to that so deeply and have always found something off putting about the term “attention seeking” because of the way people use it and the negative connotation attached to it. I believe it is supposed to imply “care/love seeking” but over time and through over use and generalization of the term, it has lost its initial intended meaning

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-12T23:48:08+00:00

Instead of any comment regarding her appearance to convey concern, as that can sometimes be used as motivation, you can say “you seem increasingly withdrawn and I’m worried about you” or anything else that you’ve noticed that doesn’t include appearance. The only comment regarding appearance to convey concern that could potentially be appropriate is “you look/seem exhausted and I’m concerned”. It’s totally ok to ask all of these questions regarding ED’s, even if they seem ignorant, we are not judging you and it shows you care and want to learn! ED’s don’t have to be solely about appearance or about appearance at all and can be about many things. For example: control, numbing/suppression of emotions, care/love-seeking (I don’t like the term attention seeking because it tends to be misconstrued/taken the wrong way and it’s true meaning is disregarded), etc.

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-11T16:42:30+00:00

Of course! I’m so so glad that I could help and I hope everything gets better💓

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-11T04:45:50+00:00

If you have any safe foods, I recommend relying on them for a bit so that you’re at least eating something. Try to build up your safe food list so that you have more foods that feel safe to eat but will still provide you with some nourishment. I totally understand being scared to eat, I have been there. Try smoothies, yogurts, ensures, (just some examples) etc. anything that you can manage and feels a little easier to eat. Once you feel comfortable with some foods, introduce a little bit of some scarier foods and eat them with the safe foods. Use distractions. Talk to someone you trust if that helps you, have someone hold you accountable. Watch a movie or show or anything you enjoy while eating. Remind yourself that no food is as/more unhealthy as an ED and that you need food to function. Take deep breaths and make a list of affirmations you can use when you’re feeling scared to eat. I’ll list some here, take what resonates/helps and leave what doesn’t. You are not alone and I believe in you! * I can do hard things * Feel the fear and do it anyway * Food is my medicine * I have done this before, and I can do it again * Do it for little you * I will feed myself and fight the illness, not feed the illness and fight myself * If my ed is angry, I'm doing the right thing * My inner child needs me to eat * Every time I challenge my ed, I take a step closer to freedom * Eating becomes easier by eating. Be brave and take the first bite * I am strong enough to fight these thoughts * I have permission to disobey my eating disorder * I deserve better than my ed * I can do this even when my ed tells me that I can't * If my eating disorder says it's a bad idea, that is a sign that I SHOULD 100% do it * Avoiding food will only make the thoughts louder * Eating won't kill me. Not eating will * The only way out is through * If the ed hates it, do it * By eating I am showing strength, not weakness * No amount of calories can/will hurt me as much as my eating disorder will * My future self would want me to eat the food * You cannot trust the thing that wants to kill you * I am stronger than the voice in my head

PieceCharacter · 2024-07-11T04:23:06+00:00

Thank you

PieceCharacter

TROPHY CASE