Wednesday, March 30, 2011

My family versus the volcano

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The headache starts first, followed immediately by an overwhelming urge to snap at anyone who talks to me. I feel irritable and annoyed without knowing why. I am put out if I have to answer even the most simple, basic question. It is all I can do to not throw a giant tantrum at the horror and injustice of having to speak. Then, if enough time passes, I start to actually feel hungry.

I don't know what it is, but I feel the irritation first and the hunger second. Am I alone in that?

My kids have learned to recognize it and McKay will often say, "Mom, do you need to eat something?"

The Husband will warn everyone that, "Mom is hangry. Better watch out."

Usually the word "hangry" prompts them all to either clear out and head for high ground or offer the beast some food.

It's like I'm an insatiable volcano - and they fear for their village if they don't offer some sort of sacrifice. Pretty much anything will work. As long as it's food. Or diet coke. Or both.

The Hangry? It feels sort of like the uncontrollable pregnancy hormones (though, um, no. Not what's causing it. I am not now, nor will I ever be again, thankyouverymuch). But it's like the Hangry is raging a war, and I am the vessel with which it attacks. I can no sooner control it than I can part the Red Sea.

Seriously, girlfriend has tried. (Tried controlling it. Not parting the Red Sea. Though it would be awesome if I could, right?)

Best thing to do is just not be hungry. Snack, drink lots of water, and stay on top of the beast.

Anyone else get the Hangry? Please say I am not alone in this?

SAY IT. OR I WILL EAT YOU.

23 comments:

Juli said...

Absolutely with you here. (Although I had no idea there was a word for it)

My worst is when I come off refined sugar and (gasp) Diet Coke. I actualy go through withdrawals. And along with that comes, well, the crazy psycho that we all just love. Sadly, I'm detoxing again after Easter (must get the Diabetes under control again)

Youngest has actually been checked out for this. Seems he's extremely sensitive to blood sugar levels. He has to snack about every 2 hours and balance his carbs with protien. We're watching this close, as my sister was also like this, until at 17 her glands up and died all together, and she became a Type 1 diabetic.

Although, please don't think I'm saying this will happen to you... just that I can totally relate.

Just go grab a snickers, I hear it really satisfies.

Tristan said...

Yep I've been there! You are not alone. Although mine isn't that often. I just do the same as you and snack here and there. I guess the key is to have healthy snacks, but that is no fun right? ;-)

Thelma said...

I am with you. I love the word hangry. It describes me. I have been sent to my room (with a snack) before because I was hangry. We just didn't have the word for it.

Christie said...

Yes, the Husband coined the phrase and it just might be my new favorite word. If I could eat it, I totally would...

bedelia said...

I totally get hangry. I'm sure its frightening to see. And I also agree with the other commenter about it being blood sugar related. I get that way when its low...except now I have gestational diabetes and I'm that way when its high sometimes too which is kind of odd.

Stefani said...

I have 2 sisters that suffer from this. I'll have to let them know the diagnosis. Thanks Doctor.

Li said...

Oh man, I. am. the. WORST. My husband just pats me on the shoulder and tells me I should eat something... which makes me hangrier. Glad to finally have a word for it. :)

Karey said...

I love it when a new word is created that is so perfectly fitting. Great word!

I suffer from this on occasion, but both of my daughters are insatiable beasts when they get home from school until they eaten something. Don't ask them how school was until they've had a snack. I'm going to start using that word on them. But not until they've eaten something or I might not live through it.

brooke said...

I'm showing my husband this post.

Fast Sunday is not pretty at our house.

Annemarie said...

You are not alone...

Michael said...

I was in a dinner group in college with a girl who would get "crungry" (cranky/crabby + hungry) Very similar to "hangry," and could only be solved with food. Strangely, she was also a terrible cook (or not so strangely, since taste probably was a factor in staving off her "cranger.")

Michael said...

That is to say "taste probably WASN'T a factor..."

Lisa said...

My kids used to BEG me not to fast! The biggest fight I ever had with hubby was at JFK airport after a long international flight...he wanted to go hang out in Delta's VIP Crown room. I just wanted food...he was ill-advised to mess with hungry mother bear! Haha!

Stine said...

Runs in our family too. Dad's and husbands know not to mess with us until we've eaten around here (and specifically eaten protein). I've only recently figured out that it has made me turn to food when I'm feeling yucky in other ways too, not so great for the waistline.

Jessica Rodarte said...

I was just talking about this to my sister yesterday! She and I both get hangry! ha! Perfect word.

Lauren in GA said...

As always, I have to mention that I love your humor!

The Husband is clever! I love that he coined that phrase.

It happens to me, too. I am on a diet (Medifast) and I am not pleasant. The hunger is driving me to madness.

missy said...

When I get like that, we just call it PMS. If only it could be cured with food! However, I do have a couple of kids who suffer from your aptly named syndrome. Somehow I rarely remember the cause and we just end up getting more and more frustrated with each other. The name helps. I'm going to remember!

Beckie Steele said...

I love you hangriness and all.....

Travelin'Oma said...

Especially if I ever diet, which I don't for this very reason. The hangry is the perfect description for the shaky, tense, try-to-control-it anger that comes over me when I'm in need of a sugar fix or a coke. I also get light-headed. I need a prescription for donuts.

Becky said...

Mine is more of a HANGRY/HAINTING kind of a feeling. Like today for instance, I DID prepare by bringing a couple of snacks with me on my loooong errands. But, the string cheese and can of V8 didn't touch me. As I wheeled out of Sam's Club, my eyes were going blurry and my head about to explode. I don't know. I had plenty of water, too. I think I have confirmed my true addiction for sugar. Not kidding, and getting ready to kill THAT beast starting tomorrow. It's scaring me now. Gotta feed my brain some other amino acids to pacify my body, addiction.

Will Murdoch said...

ABSOLUTELY, and now I have a word for it! :)

Christie in Dallas, TX said...

This word is genius! I have suffered from hangry attacks for years. My poor husband can just see the look in my eye and will start offering me peace offerings of different snacks, trying to talk me down from the ledge. We will definitely be stealing your word!

Mel said...

Oh my gosh, I totally get hangry!! Such a perfect word. When I went into NYC for Getting Gorgeous I think some of my Philly mom friends saw the hangry me come out in full force. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one!!