I have a weirdly good memory for things I hear said in conversation.
More interestingly, it took me many years to understand that I did not experience hunger in the same way as other people. I feel no physical sensations associated with it (nothing like a “hollow” feeling in the stomach, or rumblings, which are apparently more common symptoms). When I haven’t eaten, I just find that my thoughts just keep turning towards food items. I have recurring thoughts of fruit, or something like that. When I was a kid, my parents didn’t understand the way I was eating. I would never get seconds at meals. I would just eat whatever was on my plate originally, even if it was tiny, and then get up. A couple of hours later, I would be getting an apple from the refrigerator.
I remember learning what hunger feels like; I was probably around 8 years old. It’s not that I hadn’t had those sensations before. I just hadn’t consciously made the connection between the sensations and the amount of time since my last meal, thoughts of food, etc.
Incidentally, more recently I’ve refined my hunger-related sensations. In particular, when I’m under stress I often tense my abdominal muscles which can lead to[1] sensations that are similar to hunger pangs, with predictable results. Intentionally relaxing those muscles and paying closer attention lets me discern which sensations are due to hunger (low blood sugar or empty stomach) and which are due to stress.
[1] Though actually, I’m not sure if that’s the correct causality.
I have a weirdly good memory for things I hear said in conversation.
More interestingly, it took me many years to understand that I did not experience hunger in the same way as other people. I feel no physical sensations associated with it (nothing like a “hollow” feeling in the stomach, or rumblings, which are apparently more common symptoms). When I haven’t eaten, I just find that my thoughts just keep turning towards food items. I have recurring thoughts of fruit, or something like that. When I was a kid, my parents didn’t understand the way I was eating. I would never get seconds at meals. I would just eat whatever was on my plate originally, even if it was tiny, and then get up. A couple of hours later, I would be getting an apple from the refrigerator.
.
I remember learning what hunger feels like; I was probably around 8 years old. It’s not that I hadn’t had those sensations before. I just hadn’t consciously made the connection between the sensations and the amount of time since my last meal, thoughts of food, etc.
Incidentally, more recently I’ve refined my hunger-related sensations. In particular, when I’m under stress I often tense my abdominal muscles which can lead to[1] sensations that are similar to hunger pangs, with predictable results. Intentionally relaxing those muscles and paying closer attention lets me discern which sensations are due to hunger (low blood sugar or empty stomach) and which are due to stress.
[1] Though actually, I’m not sure if that’s the correct causality.