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Young person’s view: Eating habits

We hear from 2 young people, Jack and Emma, discuss how their eating habits have changed when they've been depressed.
12.8
When I was depressed, it really had a knock on effect on how I was eating and what I was eating. I’d skip breakfast, I didn’t want to eat in the mornings, where I was just tired. And then when it came around to lunchtime, I’d only eat a little bit. Most of my plate was still there once I’d finished. I wasn’t hungry. And it didn’t taste good. It didn’t taste the same. It just tasted like nothing, like cardboard, really. When I was low, I would just be so much hungrier all the time. And at lunch, I’d want to eat more. And at dinner, I’d ask if there was seconds.
52.3
Dinner time is like a massive time for us to come together, talk about our day, and just sit and eat, really. And I wasn’t really partaking in it. We’d get into arguments, and my mum would ask me if I was dieting, if I was having a mad diet that you see on the internet and stuff. But I tried to explain to her that it wasn’t a diet. I physically didn’t feel the need to eat. And I think that really confused her. There was quite strict rules in my house for eating junk food. So I used to hide wrappers under my bed, and just food under my bed. I had a little hidey-hole.
89.8
And I used to get quite embarrassed of that. And my mum even said that she thought I was putting on weight.

In this video, Jack and Emma describe how depression affected their eating habits. Do any of their experiences sound familiar?

Please note: For the purposes of the course, these characters are played by actors but based on real case examples

Have you noticed a change in eating habits in your young person? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Understanding Depression and Low Mood in Young People

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FutureLearn - Learning For Life

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