I recently ate a big lunch and I feel full (even too full) but I also feel hungry somehow. There's a lot of saliva in my mouth and I have the urge to go to the fridge, but if I do and look inside then the thought of eating any of the foods that I'm looking at feels unappealing. I leave without eating anything but then I feel the urge to go right back again.

This isn't unusual for me but I don't know why it happens. Maybe it's because I'm feeling anxious and the anxious part of me wants to eat to feel better even though my stomach is full? Or maybe I don't feel satisfied because I didn't eat the right nutrients?

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[–] 40 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • How's your water intake? Sometimes the thirst signal gets confused.

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  • [+] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 4 months ago)
    [–] 9 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Since my marriage started going downhill my need for treats far exceeds my natural hunger. So maybe you are eating your feelings like i do. Maybe not.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    I agree with everyone saying its thirst. Drink a big glass of water.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Yeah. Because I smoke a lotta weed and get the munchies, even if I just ate.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    I have felt full still wanted to eat tasty things.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Are you maybe thirsty?

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Most common reason for this is thirst.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago

    Yes, it's why I'm fat

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago*

    I feel this way often. I don't eat very often, so I always figured I was hungry for more than I could physically eat at once.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I get food cravings while full, but that's what gum is for.

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  • This might be relevant, but I was like this for almost my entire life until my 30s. Found out I have a kidney disorder that makes me lose potassium way too fast. Started treating that and most cravings went away.

    My takeaway was that cravings can be driven by nutritional deficiencies. Figure out what you're missing and eat more of that, or supplement. The cravings can also be totally wrong about what to eat. I would crave purely salty stuff but what I actually needed were bananas, avocados, and strawberries (bc they're crazy high in potassium). A lot of the foods I craved were actively worse for my cravings (very starchy foods lower potassium levels; worst offenders are pizza and alcohol).

    I'm not saying you have my specific thing, it's crazy rare; all bodies are unique, however, and yours might be missing something. Keep an eagle eye on what you actually consume and try to correlate cravings to your eating habits.

    Completely unrelated, but if you have ADHD you may have also ingrained the "food=dopamine" correlation deep into your psyche. People often use food to regulate their mood unwittingly and it becomes a destructive habit.

    Sometimes it can be both of these things. So good luck and godspeed.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Your parasitic gut microbiota hissing conspiracies to your nervous system

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Some possible reasons:

    Nutritional factors:

    • Lack of protein, fiber, or healthy fats, which help promote satiety

    • Highly processed foods that are calorie-dense but nutrient-poor

    • Blood sugar spikes and crashes from refined carbohydrates

    • Insufficient micronutrients, though this is less likely to cause immediate hunger

    Other common causes:

    • Dehydration - thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger

    • Habit or routine - eating at certain times regardless of actual hunger

    • Emotional eating - stress, boredom, or other emotions triggering food cravings

    • Sleep deprivation - disrupts hormones that regulate hunger (ghrelin and leptin)

    • Eating too quickly - not giving your brain time to register fullness (takes about 20 minutes)

    • Certain medications or medical conditions

    Food composition matters: Foods high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats tend to keep you satisfied longer, while foods high in refined sugars and simple carbs can leave you feeling hungry soon after eating, even if you consumed plenty of calories.

    If this is happening regularly, it might be worth tracking what you eat and how you feel afterward to identify patterns, or consulting with a healthcare provider if you're concerned about underlying issues.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I used to get this sometimes. Turnes out my body doesn't process fructose well. Look into FODMAPs if none of the other suggestions work for you (usually the FODMAP thing requires an elimination diet, I just lucked out due to weird circumstances)

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  • [+] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 2 months ago)
    [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    With food? I don't feel empty after eating enough.

    Theres one another, specific need where I can feel empty and full at the same time though...

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I find that if I really pay attention, I feel true hunger from my abdomen/stomach and craving food from my mouth. I think what you are describing is being full but WANTING/CRAVING more food.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)
  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Usually I feel a more normal "I'm full but I could eat more because that was tasty." I have also felt "I haven't eaten all day but the thought of eating disgusts me," but that was definitely a side effect of a medication I was taking at the time.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Since you put a sincere effort into answering me, I will retaliate.

    Usually I'm in a state of "I could eat." This is even true if I intellectually am aware it's a bad idea. If you put something my taste buds enjoy in front of me, unless I am physically at capacity, I will probably consume it.

    I don't really have a healthy relationship with food.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Yeah I've felt similarly before. I agree with the other though, drinking more water helps.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    I think what you're describing is appetite

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