chocking

[flos]

hiya

i am terrifed of chocking on food, to the point where i cant eat sometimes . i dont know where it came from as i cannot recal ever chocking. i cant even swallow my contraceptive pill whole (and ladies you know how small they are) and i have to chew all tablets.

any idea how i can overcome this

[titch]

Hey hun..when i first started getting all the physical symptoms of anxiety, chocking was my main fear.sometimes i just couldnt swollow and others my throat would just tighten up..over time it got better i just you to make sure that whenever i had anything to eat, that i had a drink nearby then if i did choke it would go..this seemed to help and i dont get it that much anymore hun..but a doctor once told my mum that when you first get anxious your throat is the first thing to suffer!! good luck..try keeping a drink handy..pm me if u ever need a chat hun..xx

[Cathy V]

It could possibly be that if you are an anxious person anyway, your mouth could possibly be dry...classic anx symptom and this could give you the choking sensation. You dont say if you always take tablets dry or with water. I find it impossible to swallow them without a drink.

Best wishes
Cathy

[flos]

hiya

thanks for the tips

cathy i take tablets with GALLONS of water, tea, squash lol

[Cathy V]

well you're not alone with this one flos anyway, alot of ppl have the same problem with swallowing tablets...daft innit? maybe the bigger stuff is easier than the smaller stuff to swallow when you think about it. xxx

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Flos,

I'm so sorry you are going through such a rough time right now. I know this is a horrible symptom of anxiety and I also sort of get this feeling. My issue is not with food but I feel like my throat is closing up. So perhaps the same sensation just not having food involved. I find myself tearing at my clothes around my neck thinking that somehow they are constricting my neck and yet they are not.

How to help. What I have found that works for me is to truly relax. If it is a situation that is making me feel this way, if I can, I remove myself from the situation. I also try to focus on the present. I find that when I find my anxiety acting up the most is when I am focusing on the past or the future as the "what ifs" really do me in. For me, worrying about my children, others driving cars, flying, bridges oh I could go on and on are issues for me. I have finally come to realize it is all about control.

For you, I would try to really eat small bites of food. Chew them up until tiny tiny bites. When swallowing think of a most relaxing place. I always think of myself in a field of lavendar. Also try deep breathing to relax. Another thing you might want to do is distract yourself while you eat. Read a book or watch tv.

You could also eat baby food on the days that are truly difficult. Fruity smoothies are also good nutrition and I would imagine you would be able to swallow those down too.

I hope this helps and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes,

Laura

The point is

[Lou17]

I thought taht I was the only one! I had my first panic attack in ages whilst I was eating, normally I iknow that Im not chocking and the panic decreases but that day I really did think I was choking. Since then about 6 months ago, Ive been terrified of choking on my food, its a whole new anxiety. Ive tried to cater to it by only eating soft foods, the only problem is Im starting to feel weak. But I just cant shake this out of my head at all, even though it sounds bizarre. I really do need to start eating properly but the second I do my throat kind of dry's up and rejects it. Even small tablets i.e. diazipam I cant take, and I really do need them at the minute with my anxiety.