Choking Fear

[ZMan]

I do indeed know that Globus Hystericus is a big part of anxiety to people, and it most definitely is a big part of mine.

But does anyone else really really feel worried/anxious about choking?

I know it may sound silly but such thoughts scare the crap out of me, which kicks in Globus Hystericus, which as you can imagine makes it worse. Most times I manage to put it to the back of my mind, but it results in me always needing to have a bottle of water handy too ensure I'm swallowing right etc.
Can be a big pain if such fear kicks in while I eat, results in me chewing very very thoroughly and paying too much attention to swallowing, I know this isn't right but it's a fear that stays with me a lot.....

[agnes]

I know just what you mean, ZMan. I've been going through it yet again over the past few days and it scares me so much.

By the way, I really like your signature

[ElizabethJane]

Zman I'm sorry that you are feeling like this it is important to try to relax whilst you are eating for various reasons. Anxiety will cause you to have a dry throat and not be producing any saliva. Drinking water with your meal is a good thing. It is the saliva that helps us digest our food and stops us choking. Are there any reasons why you should be afraid of choking? In my case I have a perfect reason to fear choking. My mother died in this unpleasant way because she had MND. It sometimes helps to get behind the fear and see what is causing it in the first place. Unless you have an illness where you are not producing saliva or the 'gagging reflex' then it is very unlikely that you will choke to death.

[ZMan]

I know just what you mean, ZMan. I've been going through it yet again over the past few days and it scares me so much.

By the way, I really like your signature

Thanks for making both points.

The quote in my sig was one that I saw on here and it immediately touched me, it's now what I tell myself every day, such a reassuring and brilliant quote.

The choking thing indeed can be very scary and a burden, but it's a habit that will die. :hugs:


Zman I'm sorry that you are feeling like this it is important to try to relax whilst you are eating for various reasons. Anxiety will cause you to have a dry throat and not be producing any saliva. Drinking water with your meal is a good thing. It is the saliva that helps us digest our food and stops us choking. Are there any reasons why you should be afraid of choking? In my case I have a perfect reason to fear choking. My mother died in this unpleasant way because she had MND. It sometimes helps to get behind the fear and see what is causing it in the first place. Unless you have an illness where you are not producing saliva or the 'gagging reflex' then it is very unlikely that you will choke to death.

Thanks for your reply.

I most definitely agree on the relaxing part, the more I think of it while eating the more of a worry it is.

As for reasons of fearing it, I convince myself I do. When I was under a year old my sister who would've been two at the time stuck a load of coins down my through when I was lying in my crib, but luckily I was taken to hospital there was no damage. When aged 5 or so I choked on a battery, was stuck in my throat but I coughed it up. And this year I swallowed a bit of metal from the ring pull of a can, but the hospital checked me over and I was fine.....
I suppose I've always always had a fixation with subconsciously putting things in my mouth, pens, bottle tops etc.
However it was after the metal incident this year that I really started to get anxiety, and fear of choking comes with the other anxiety's I have.

Thanks for your reassurance.

[Fly away Katie]

I had a massive fear of choking for about a year.. lost so much weight from it, cus I was living on soup... and then shortly after that I couldnt swallow. (that was even worse)

But you will get through it. Relaxing and being with your friends when you eat helps alot x x x

[ZMan]

I had a massive fear of choking for about a year.. lost so much weight from it, cus I was living on soup... and then shortly after that I couldnt swallow. (that was even worse)

But you will get through it. Relaxing and being with your friends when you eat helps alot x x x


Thank you.

It was a lot better today.

[zeb]

Ive got a choking phobia and Ive had it for ten years its so bad now that I live on supplement drinks and chocolate and soups e.t.c. I got into a vicious circle of worrying about choking, worrying about losing weight and worrying about whether I was getting the right nutrition, my doctor prescribed seroxat which worked but it also sent me crazy I became manic craved alcohol and drunk like a fish, blacked out often got arrested and so on, I was then taken of that and put on ciprimil same thing happened then went onto mirtazapine which I'm much better on but it only relaxes me a bit, enough to swallow fluids but not solids. Ive stopped drinking now as I know this has caused most of my problems with being arrested but it was hard to stop whilst on ssri's. I'm feeling a lot better now as I was worrying you couldn't live on supplement drinks for ever but I have found out you can so all my worrying has lessened to just worrying about choking but what we have to do is try to ignore or refuse to listen to the negative thoughts in our heads and replace it with positive ones, its hard but with persistence recovery will not be far away. What I also remind myself with is that I got myself in this state with worrying now I'm sure I can get out of this with the right way of positive thinking, but you have to work hard with yourself to achieve this and it is very hard, also don't be too hard on yourself either small steps at a time. I'm waiting to go to a clinic that deals with this but in the meantime I'm just practising to be positive instead of I cant I replace it with I can if I try. Positive thinking is the key to success I think and is the answer to our problem but it will take time to change you cant do it over night.

[hardtime-heather]

hey there , i was a suffer with globus hypercius .. it does go away but its mind over matter. i lived on soup for 2 months and it was awful but keep thinking positive and say to yourself theres others out there with it and you can get better , when you feel confidant on eating do not rush into it! ive just recently started eating again and im living on mash potato's just take it slow and keep thanking yourself when you do try something

if you need to talk i am here
all the best
heather xx