AntiLove_SuperStar
28-10-09, 20:08
Dear All,
This is driving me crazy at the moment.
I always knew this as an intellectual fact, like "alcohol can damage the liver" and "the sky is blue", but recently I can't stop thinking, when I eat, that I could develop (in theory) a severe reaction to anything at any point in my life. Its a scary thought. I am not clear - can't find an authoritative enough source - whether or not you get "warning reactions" first and it gets worse over time, or if it normally just hits one day.
I'm getting nervous about eating, especially new things. And the worst thing is, I get the anxiety-induced itchy/burny feeling and I "feel like my lips are swelling up and my eyes hurt" when in reality everything looks normal and I know in my logical brain this is just anxiety, but you know, it is really lousy.
Its not so bad that I'm losing any significant weight or anything like that, but I fear that in a few weeks I'll get worse and worse about food.
I think this has been going on since about ..the start of August? I remember having a panic attack about it on the 14th because I went to a wedding that day, but that wasn't the first time. So about 3 months because it was reasonably new fear back then.
It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't something you can need IMMEDIATE attention for as in "oh my god thats a real life threatening emergency". I'm not afraid of say cancer or diabetes or whatever like some people with health anxiety are, its a thing about allergic reactions for me...this year anyway, haha. Before this food worry, it was about my medication I take (have never reacted to, its not logical).
I feel better if someone is with me but it still sucks. I have "safe foods" like a particular branded sandwich, yogurts and pasta (again illogical because they could develop to be triggers) but I'd like to eat new foods with no wretched FEAR.
What personally has worked for you or others in overcoming this?
This is driving me crazy at the moment.
I always knew this as an intellectual fact, like "alcohol can damage the liver" and "the sky is blue", but recently I can't stop thinking, when I eat, that I could develop (in theory) a severe reaction to anything at any point in my life. Its a scary thought. I am not clear - can't find an authoritative enough source - whether or not you get "warning reactions" first and it gets worse over time, or if it normally just hits one day.
I'm getting nervous about eating, especially new things. And the worst thing is, I get the anxiety-induced itchy/burny feeling and I "feel like my lips are swelling up and my eyes hurt" when in reality everything looks normal and I know in my logical brain this is just anxiety, but you know, it is really lousy.
Its not so bad that I'm losing any significant weight or anything like that, but I fear that in a few weeks I'll get worse and worse about food.
I think this has been going on since about ..the start of August? I remember having a panic attack about it on the 14th because I went to a wedding that day, but that wasn't the first time. So about 3 months because it was reasonably new fear back then.
It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't something you can need IMMEDIATE attention for as in "oh my god thats a real life threatening emergency". I'm not afraid of say cancer or diabetes or whatever like some people with health anxiety are, its a thing about allergic reactions for me...this year anyway, haha. Before this food worry, it was about my medication I take (have never reacted to, its not logical).
I feel better if someone is with me but it still sucks. I have "safe foods" like a particular branded sandwich, yogurts and pasta (again illogical because they could develop to be triggers) but I'd like to eat new foods with no wretched FEAR.
What personally has worked for you or others in overcoming this?