The stress of a divorce and the rising tide of fascism have caused me to seriously regress in self care skills over the past few years. I am currently struggling with eating/“meal planning.” I am intellectually capable of understanding what is necessary to grocery shop/plan out meals, and used to be able to do so, but am struggling with executive dysfunction to the point where I cannot.

For the past two years, my diet has been fast food, chips, beer and candy. I had a few “safe foods” - specific brands of frozen meals that were reliable, but of late they are not working. Eg, I have been lying on the floor for the past five hours feeling absolutely famished, have considered going to the refrigerator and making one of the frozen meals that is usually “safe” - and am utterly incapable of doing so. I don’t think I could even eat it if I made it.

I’m guessing this is autism - I’m guessing I’m autistic - but there has never been any means for me to be evaluated. I have talked to my therapist about this, and have not really found the advice helpful.

The most effective thing has been stocking up on things like lunchables to at least get calories in. Sometimes even lunchables will stop being “safe” though. It gets harder to function when I’m hungry, so I get caught in a loop of lying in bed hungrier and hungrier. I know I can’t live off of gas station pizza and Monster, but there have been days where that’s all I feel capable of eating.

  • karthnemesis@leminal.space
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    10 hours ago

    I’ve found with my ADHD friends, as well as my (autistic, bipolar, ?maybe adhd?) self, that “doing something for others” is somehow easier than doing it just for myself. That might put into perspective why it felt easier to make meals before a divorce. Feel like there’s a way to hack that quirk, solo, but haven’t figured it out exactly yet.

    Coming a bit from the opposite angle-- I haven’t eaten well for my entire life, and I’m trying to learn how to create a diet on my own, from scratch.

    I rely on a lot of soup. Just cut veggies, freeze them. Dump them all in broth when I have energy. Spices are “whatever feels right.” Cutting and cooking does not need to be on the same day. Very simple, gets me veggies, reliable. It’s something to build from. Does not require much planning.