Originally Posted by
niamh
Hi, I know I haven't had my surgery yet, but I've been thinking about this issue and trying to mentally prepare.
I figure that because at the moment I have such an 'instant gratification' relationship with food, it's going to really confuse me at first to have the opposite relationship. Particularly when I'm sore post-op and my tummy can only take fluids etc, it will be so weird that I can't use food to cheer me up.
However, I think rather than thinking of food as my 'cheer me up friend', it's probably more appropriate to think of it as my sleazy sex-friend. So, it's like having meaningless sex with someone - feels good at the time, but afterward when I'm on my own, I feel kinda cheap and tawdry for having given in, and it provides me with no longer term benefits. It's an addictive relationship and all the long-term effects are bad.
So, I'll not just be coping with the change in eating which will be a challenge in itself and create some difficult feelings, I'll then no longer have access to my habitual way of dealing with these difficult feelings.
Are there other sensory things you can do which feel good to improve your mood while your dealing with this loss and adjustment? Music, favourite movies (for me it's musicals all the way) warm baths, aromatherapy, a good book, mental stimulation (sudoku etc). I'm pretty sure I'm gonna need lots of nurturing after this!!
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