Low Self Esteem

[Chloe77]

I don't know if anyone is going to be able to empathize with my situation or be able to identify with it at all.

First of all, since I have become gluten-free, I have felt very depressed and seem to have low self esteem. There are many times that I feel like I am ugly and that people are disgusted by me. I have no idea why, but I have become extremely self-conscious, especially around my boyfriend. I find that I don't really get ready and dressed up like I used to because I feel ugly and no matter what I do I cannot change that.

I also experience what seem to be panic attacks in relation to it.

This may completely un-related to celiac disease, but I did notice it start to happen after going gluten-free. I feel like I was more positive and more satisfied with the way I looked.

Anyone have similar feelings?

[woolwhippet]

Chloe--I am so glad you brought this up in this safe place with these wonderful, supportive people. What you are talking about is called distorted body image--and you are NOT alone. It effects thousands of people. Usually people have these thoughts or feelings when something else is not quite right for them. It's complicated! If you ever used food to soothe youself prior to going gluten free there might be a connection. There is a book out there that is wonderful. It was written for people with eating disorders. I have read the book (no, I don't have an eating disorder per se but ike you was having some bad body thoughts I wanted to get to the bottom of and I was also using food to cope) and it really helped me overcome these thoughts and anxieties. You can look at this website: Open Original Shared Link to learn more about the book.

Take care of yourself!

LK

[ravenwoodglass]

How long have you been gluten free? And are you having accidental glutenings? Gluten can be a very neurotoxic substance and in addition to the withdrawl that we have to go through even small amounts can reactivate the depression and anxiety that is caused by gluten. Be sure to check your meds and toiletries for gluten and add a sublingual B12 to your daily diet. This is an uncomfortable effect of going gluten-free for many of us but it will pass.

[Chloe77]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I am getting my Master's of Science in Counseling Psychology at the moment and have had to work with eating disorder patients in the past.

I am pretty well-educated on body dysmorphic disorder and in a way, I am glad you brought it up. I am afraid that I have it, but was interested to see if others with celiac disease were having the same thoughts. I felt that it could be a result of accidental glutenings that I may be having without really paying much notice to because they never are eliciting a digestive response; rather just presenting neurological symptoms.

I have been gluten free for a year. Now, my house is not gluten-free. I live with my fiance who on a occasion still eats gluten-containing products. He has cut down, but I was reading in an earlier post that you could be getting glutened by cast iron skillets. I could see this being the culprit of glutenings because we are pretty darn careful with anything else. Also, I am teetering on whether I am sensitive to casein or not. I do not know if casein could produce neurological symptoms or not?

Thank you so much for your advice, and yes it is sort of an embarrassing issue to discuss, but I am hopeful that this is a safe place.

[CarlaB]

Could depression be contributing at all to your feelings? I used to take St. John's Wort and it helped me on many levels. If you try it, check for drug interactions. I even had friends notice the change a couple months after I started taking it .. and my hubby could tell if I stopped.