So scared of swallowing saliva. Can anyone help

[BornWorrier]

Hi - I'm so hoping that someone out there will be able to relate to this and offer some advice, 'cos I'm really, really struggling with this at the moment.

I've suffered with anxiety for years and years - usually connected to my health in some way. I have to say that this side of things has lessened considerably - and, while I'll always be sensitive about my health, I no longer have panic attacks about it (touch wood).

But something else has reared up over the past year or so which is awful, and I'm not sure what to do.

I choked briefly on a marble when I was about 7 - and swallowing has always been an issue since then, but not particularly seriously. I've found that, when eating in public, I would need to wash everything down with water, but I could cope with this.

About a year ago, I was walking back from swimming with my son and I suddenly felt overwhelmed with panic about swallowing the saliva in my mouth. I spat it out, but was left with a dry feeling throat and a full on panic attack.

Since then, everytime I'm in a situation that is even slightly unusual (a day trip, the hairdressers) I start to feel my mouth fill up with spit and I'll start panicking. Even having a bottle of water with me doesn't help because I feel scared of even having a mouthful of that!

Things have now come to a head as I started as a mature student at university last week. In my first lesson, I felt that I did quite well - I chewed gum, and gently swallowed when I needed to. But then, right at the end, a full on panic attack descended and I nearly ran out of the room - a really humiliating thing to do in front of 50 people I don't know!

When I'm alone or at home, I don't even think about swallowing - it's completely natural. But when I'm in public, it's all I can think of. I know that all I need to do is distract myself - but I'm not sure how.

Please, guys, if you have any insight I would be soooo grateful. Also, has anyone ever taken medication for anxiety - did it help at all?

Thanks

[bananas13]

i had a similar problem, only mine was about breathing. i became very aware of my breathing, and i felt like i was controlling my breathing and that it would just stop if i became unaware of it. weird, i know. i know its not exactly the same as your problem, but i know what it feels like to take something harmless and natural and turn it into something weird and scary.

what i can tell you is you WILL get over it. its purely anxiety. i know when youre in the midst of it, it feels like itll go on forever, but it wont.

heres something that might help: imagine, what the WORST possible thing that could happen if you choked on your spit? well, you'd choke, but the saliva you produce is not nearly enough to make you drown in spit. what would literally happen is you would just start coughing until youd coughed it all up. your body wont let you not cough when you inhale something like that.

just like with my breathing, i began to think "whats the worst thing that could happen if i stopped breathing?" then i realized that my body would force me to inhale if i even tried to hold my breath.

i know you'll get over it soon. best of luck! ; )