Carson

537d

ok this is a really weird question but i was talking to my therapist about this today and it really got me thinking. so, does anyone else with any sort of depression really, *really* like spicy food? i know this may seem random but hear me out. i always find myself craving spicy foods whenever im in a depressive episode and i was telling my therapist about this during our session and she said a lot of her other clients do as well. again this may just be a coincidence but i found it really interesting and wanted to get other peoples' input.

Generalized pain

Depression

Dopamine

Chronic Generalized pain

Capsaicin

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Top reply
    • Toko

      532d

      100% but I think its just because I grew up with it, not related to depression lol. Only of my only points of confidence is how I can handle super spice stuff haha

    • InnocentRobot

      536d

      I love spicy food with a burning passion.

    • Bun

      536d

      i don’t but that might just be because i’m super white lollll

    • uriboo

      536d

      spicy food triggers pain receptors on the tongue so its a sensation we can have without actually doing sh and it feeds us so win-win

    • noelieg

      536d

      bruh all i do is eat spicy food... hmm lmao🤔🤔

    • Carolshine

      536d

      Yeah but I think correlation doesn’t equal causation lolol

    • UnluckyUnicorn

      536d

      I mean I’m Hispanic so I always crave spicy food since that’s really just my family’s home cooking. I always thought I craved it because I lacked the energy to cook while in my depressed episodes. I keep a jar of my mums jalapeños in the fridge so when I lack the energy to cook, I can just snack on them

    • jelly

      534d

      i am not a fan of super spicy food and thought it was weird/interesting that some people crave spicy food during a depressive episode and i literally had severe anxiety earlier today and was craving chips and salsa soooo maybe?? but correlation doesn’t mean causation; that’d be an interesting research study

    • mew

      534d

      yeah! i always love spicy food. i got the tip from a therapist once to eat something really spicy when i felt like self harming since the pain could sometimes be enough to distract myself

    • Lis

      534d

      I honestly have never noticed it until you said it. But yes I do get random cravings for spicy foods while I’m in a depression state

    • Twitch

      534d

      Loveee spicy foods!

    • Susanne

      534d

      Yes, my guess is that we get a dopamine hit from it.

    • nikocada

      534d

      I freaking LOVE spicy food. I mean, I’m Hispanic. But interesting

    • Alois

      534d

      I like spicy food! My favorite is using chili garlic paste when I make soba noodles

    • monstermash

      534d

      i dont like spicy food, is that like a symptom of depression or a symptom of being white

    • Byron

      534d

      I wouldn’t say I really *really* like it, but I enjoy eating spicy foods!

    • Edens48

      534d

      No I don't like hot things on my tongue.

    • kendra

      533d

      capsaicin has been found to stimulate dopamine release in the brain! i found that when i noticed it myself & wondered if it was physiological lol

    • Shimari

      533d

      I mean I crave it because it takes the attention away from my emotional pain that I cannot stop

    • Disorganic

      533d

      For me, food I normally like often tastes way more bland when my depression gets bad. Adding a lot of spices to it helps it taste more interesting and less dull, so maybe that's part of it?

    • padparad5cha

      533d

      same here. i theorize that, for me, it could be about the pain factor?? i eat a lot of spicy food that i cant handle but i still love the taste lol

    • Elisa

      533d

      Oh yeah I love spicy food. I crave it when I'm down. Probably because it causes a spike in serotonin levels.

    • Toko

      532d

      100% but I think its just because I grew up with it, not related to depression lol. Only of my only points of confidence is how I can handle super spice stuff haha

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