How to increase appetite and avoid overthinking?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 21 years old, a student, and a woman. I have been experiencing some challenging times lately. Lately, I have lost my appetite. I wanted to eat but did not because my body did not want to accept food. I do not know why I always want to sleep or sometimes have difficulty sleeping. There is no time that I would not think of something that makes me overthink things like it was full of negative thoughts that always come to my mind. I only see darkness, and I feel like I am drowning and screaming for help, but no one wants to help me. Kindly help.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

You may have a major depressive disorder. There is non-pharmacological management for your depression, and you should try to follow the below guidelines to deal with it. It will help you.

You should exercise 30 to 45 minutes daily, like at least going for a walk. It will improve your mood.
You should do meditation for 20 minutes daily. Just sit in one place in a comfortable position and try to concentrate on your normal breathing. Do not stop or force yourself to stop your thoughts; just let it be. It will help you to relax and improve your memory.
You should eat healthy home-cooked food and avoid junk food. You should increase food frequency if you need help eating correctly at the right time. You can take a small quantity of food every two hours so your appetite will improve. If you have not eaten enough food, then it will undoubtedly lead to easy fatigue and tiredness. The body needs meals to work.
You must drink enough water.
You should spend quality time with friends and family daily.
You should spend time on creative hobbies like reading good books, writing journals, painting, drawing, and learning new skills or language or musical instruments.
You should get enough sleep for seven to eight hours daily.
You must avoid tobacco, alcohol, or any substance abuse.
You must stop overthinking.
If you are a student, you must take the help of seniors or a teacher to prepare for your exams.
Do not study alone. You can study with a good partner or friend.
Everything will be fine. You must have faith in yourself.
If you still have symptoms that persist after following the advice for four weeks, then you need to start medications for a short duration.

I hope this information will help you.

Thank you.