Food phobias

[Birdiegirl]

I feel rather stupid about my phobias which are connected with food. Not sure how it started, perhaps with a 'bad' visit to the dentist about 8 years ago when a clean with the high pressure water thing went badly wrong and I ended up nearly choking on the water, having a panic and the dentist then having a 'pop' at me for making a fuss. Since then, I have been very guarded with anything to do with my mouth, particularly watery food like fruit as if anything watery goes towards the back, I immediately think I am going to choke on it and panic.

That's bad enough but I am just, to be honest, a bit afraid of eating now and just hate doing it. Which is bad news if I want to stay alive. I don't like eating out as that involveds talking and eating which is a right no no for me now. I can't even relax when eating indoors with my partner, i tense up as soon as the food appears and then it's really hard to swallow. I used to love my food and hate being like this but i don't know how to tackle it.

I have thought of two things - firstly I've been trying to desensitise my gag reflex by eating watery things in a controlled way. It's going okay but I have good days and bad days. Secondly, I'm considering hypnotherapy to see if the therapist can find the root of the problem and sort it out.

One other thing. If i'm preoccupied with something else, the 'fear' recedes and I can eat normally. For example, a friend was taken ill just before we had people round and I was worried about her all through the meal - and ate it, no bother. But of course, you can't have that sort of thing on your mind all the time.

Does anyone else have something similar or am I just a solo mad person with this phobia. Anyone??

[frickchick]

This is not a cause for my anxiety but when i'm anxious i occasionally get this, especially when in company, i've had food in my mouth and seem unable to swallow! Then i get anxious as i think people can see there is something wrong but then i just try to relax as it is quite hard to choke yourself especially if you chew everything properly which i make sure i do and if you can drink then just see it as that in a way and you don't choke on that. You just need to relax, easier said than done i know. I'm really awful at explaining things. My main phobia is illness, mosting feeling sick and the build up to vomiting. xxx

[Spacey]

I can really relate with food phobia ! I tend to believe that my food is going to have an adverse side effect and give me symptoms/food poisoning. Or somehow the food may change the chemistry in my body.

I was on heavy heart medication a 4 years back for 8 months and they gave me severe side effects, mostly in a deep depressed zombie state of mind. My anxiety also sky rocketed always thinking I needed to stay awake, if I asleep I might not wake up. Eventually, I did fall asleep, but woke up with panic attacks. Ever since those pills, I've been afraid to put anything in my mouth !

I've had panic attacks after many meals, mostly self induced I think.. I will feel tired or have "food coma" and my anxiety will shoot up and I will believe that it's more than just "food coma." I even inspect cups and cutlery to make sure there isn't anything suspicious with them, I almost feel like interrogating them :P

I know some people may think it sounds ridiculous, but I've been seeing a therapist for 2 years now for this issue and deeper issues and it is completely normal
Today, I've made more progress I finish close to 2 meals a day now. In the past it was close to a glass of water a day and that was scary. I lost 25 pounds all together and have gained 10 pounds back, 15 more to go !

I fully understand even when people tell you, "you'll be fine" and "you have nothing to worry about" but the feelings and the belief is etched in our minds, it takes more than just positive thoughts to shake off. Take things day by day and be extra gentle with yourself in those moments, if you don't want to eat something, then don't. And let yourself know that it's okay, you did not fail yourself by not eating something. Eat when you feel safe enough, there is no need to rush something like this

Take care xxx

[Dissolved girl]

Hi there

I totally understand.
About three years ago i had a root canal filling and basically the taste of the enamel and pressure water thing caused me to have a panic attack.
I had to stop and my dentist put some anti-septic stuff into my tooth and put in a temporary filling.
Then when i was in work, i was eating a doughnut and part of the filling came out. I could taste the anti-septic and it drove me over the edge. I didn't eat for like two weeks. I was living off of yogurt and grapes because i was too scared to eat anything 'big'. The dentist sorted out the tooth but i was in a bad way. I lost about a stone and a half and became a tiny stick and for ages afterwards i was too scared to eat anything. The doctor put me on anti-depressants, valium and beta blockers and i couldn't leave my house for a little while because i was too scared to have an anxiety attack. The after effects were getting anxiety in restaurants or if i had a bad taste in my mouth or toothache etc.

I am better now and am eating normally again but it took time and i still worry over things to do with my mouth. If i start getting anxious over my mouth/throat or a problem with it i start to worry that what happened before will happen again.

I wish i had some advice for you but for me it just took time to get back to normal. If there was ever any problem with my mouth/throat i would think of it as something 'silly' to make it seem less serious to me and that did work.

I am on here today because i am scared about a problem with my mouth and needed to get some advice. The problem i have has been there for years and has never caused me any harm but i guess because of the previous incident anything sets me off these days!
Bloody anxiety : )

I do hope you get over this anyway. PM me if you need to chat

XXX