Mental Illness and Grocery Shopping

It can be really hard at first to balance mental illness with everyday activities. For someone with mental illness, food can be a huge task - a challenge that is often misunderstood. It can be hard to follow simple steps or getting to the store to get ingredients. If anorexia or belimia is an issue for you this article may not help. Anorexia and Bulimia are specific illnesses that present thought processes I'm not familiar with. Regarding food my struggle has been due to anxiety and depression.

Grocery shopping can be really hard! One of the issues with the daunting task of grocery shopping is the amount of stimulation. Flourescent lights, close quarters, and so many decisions! For someone with a mental illness such as depression and anxiety the amount of stimulation in a grocery store is sometimes too much. For me I shut down and have a reaction that somewhat mimics low blood sugar - it is a panic attack.

2004 there was a time when all I had in the fridge was a jar of peanut butter for several weeks. Though starving, I couldn't leave the house. I tried a few times - went up the street to Safeway (two blocks away) but oh-so-many decisions and "should'n'shouldn't gets" clouded my way. I tried making a grocery list but could never get very far. My brain chemistry was not funtioning properly and meal preparation was an insurmountable task. This is why mental illness can be dehabilitating - considered a disability.

When you walk into the neon-lit box store like Albertson's, Safeway, or especially Winco the amount of decisions are incredible. There are a lot of forces against a person with mental illness in a grocery store but if you are at a place where you can see it as a fight for your survival than it wont be as hard. If it's been a while since you've gone shopping, take it slow. I suggest Buying One Meal, spend a full hour or 1/2 hour in the store, outside, or in your car eating that meal. Taking time is very important and will encourage you to pace, go slow, and digest the food. It also allows you to sit with the environment, breath deeply, and see if you overcome the initial feeling of "I can't do this." You CAN do this.

Need Some Suggestions on a starving stomach?

once-daily multivitamin (suggest taking after you eat)

any juicy fruit or organic baby food - (baby food bananas are my favorite)

mixed with organic yogurt (any but this is my favorite)

distilled water...a big jug!

*also: Ensure, Slimfast, or other Meal in A Bottle has been suggested to me. It helps to get nutrients right away but it hasn't been my first choice. Whatever you can do to get to the next step.

Other suggestions are to look up when inside the store. And, before you even leave the house there are things you can do. Go online and research a particular food you like, make a protein collage, fruit collage, vegi, etc. and stick them around the house. Make sure though that they are good, colorful pictures. Maybe too, you need to talk with your doctor about an anti-anxiety treatment, or invest in some relaxation cds. Hypnotherapy and passion flower were my saving grace - and affirmations. If you can't get nutrients in your body the illness can get worse and your ability to manage other areas of life in a healthy way are jeaporadized.

Preparing one's own meals and nutrition are only part of mental health recovery. Finding ways to get past the initial block is incredibly important. Once you start feeding your body what it needs in all areas, you're ability to trust and listen to other needs will be clear too. God luck and bon appetite!

Need support? Here is a great group that is dedicated to helping young people with mental illness: Impact