Fear of eating in public

[Keep going]

Hi, over the past year or so, i have made great progress in my overcoming SA. At the moment i have great trouble in eating with friends and in public places. So much so, that i dont eat with friends or in public anymore. Anyone else suffer from this?? Or even overcome this?? I would love to know your story??

[Gemma T]

Hey

I dont suffer from this but i wanted to show support anyway. i had a friend who wouldnt eat in front of boys. i have the opposite prob. ill eat anywhere

Good luck x x x

[i hate panicking]

Hiya Keep going


I had a big problem eating in front of people years ago especially if it was someone I was involved with ...I think it was the thought of dropping food down my top or something like that .
Also if we ate out I would pick somewhere In the corner where I was hid away or if it was too crowded I would just walk straight back out again.

Take care

[Mully]

I used to have a terrible fear of eating in front of public or 'boys' haha.. I had just cause too. As one time I was having Sunday lunch with my new boyfriend, I was about 14 years old. We had chicken and peas with chips. And I remember trying to cut this chicken and feeling nervous when my knife slipped and Chicken and peas went flying everywhere.. I wanted to die ! ..

Then, another time, I was in McDonalds and on a first date with a really gorgeous boy I wanted to impress and tried desperatley to be normal and not afraid and stuttery.. on a busy Sat afternoon .. I put a tray on the table that contained two cokes and burgers, fries and sat down. I bit into my scary chicken burger..mayo dripped on my chin and lap and lettuce fell out and i stood up in a panic! the tray that was sightly hanging over the edge of the table went up ..and the coke and everyting else went all over my date and everywhere else....

I laugh now, but at the time I was mortified!.. I'm not sure how I got over the fear.. I think I remember a time with a bunch of friends we were all eating Spag bol and making a mess.. lol.. and I realised that no one really cared!.. it put me at ease and I think I just got better over time. Now i don't care and will gladly sink my teeth into a extra creamy bun and get it on my nose and chin in a public place!.. So long as I can see the exit and have knapkin handy of course

[PoppyC]

Hi
I have social anxiety and have always hated eating in public. 29 years on and I still wont eat in public!!! I hate it if someone watches me eat, including my partner of 2 years! I first noticed this when I was about 14 years old and found it embarrassing eating in front of others. I still am not sure what it is all about - whether it is due to me looking like a pig eating or what! lol

[Wenjoy]

I have had this panic about eating out since I was 18 - I am now 49 - I do eat out but usually in pubs which I feel less initimidated by- I hate restaurants and have to sit by a window or door as I get so hot and breathless when I panic!! Silly really when you think about it - also I only ever eat one course claiming Im not hungry just so I only have to worry about one plate of food. My fear came from being a child when my parents made me eat everythign on my plate in restaurants coz they had paid for it and they had little money so I grew up panicking about not finishing everything on my plate. Now my attitude is "so what if I leave half my food - who cares!" wenjoy x

[pete69]

i hate eating out-i have to sometimes but meds n booze has to be consumed first-not loads but enough.i kinda enjoy it once im there-and i do like eating outdoors in pubs in the summer.and i still have issues sometimes in front of g/f at home,mainly when im anxious anyway-i dont want to shake or make a fool of myself-even in front of her-crazy i know-i think i have been hiding it all my life so its a defense mechanism now-dont show fear!

i hate eating out..ok reding back it seems i dont hate it that much,i hate the idea of it,but i would never ever eat in a resturant without a few drinks etc,so in that respect my SA on this issue has not gone away..i need to tackle it.

[Meewah]

Hi Keep Going

I hope this is helpful, I find that being in a small group of people when I think I am being watched by people in the group very difficult. Sitting in the Pub with friends, I have to get a small drink that is easily handled and then if I feel uncomfortable I cant pick it up.

With the eating in public. I find breakfasts at hotels the worst. If I am with my wife in can be OK but sometimes I have to go away on Business and sitting with business colleagues for breakfast or saying that lunch would be a no,no. If I did I would be so concious that I would find eating a slice of toast embarrassing as I would shake which would make me more self conscious and I would shake more until the point where I could not even pick up the toast.

I will say that I keep trying to overcome it and some days I can bear it just and others no way.
Evening meals with my wife and friends can also sometimes be difficult but if I choose my friends carefully I find that there table habits take my mind off me.

The main problem at the moment seems to be drinking in public...

Wheres the help you may be asking?
I say to you just keep trying to eat out...soon you will realise which are bad days and good and you can order dependant on how you feel.

All the best

Mee

[RachaelShambles]

I have this fear due to my fear of being sick in public. I can eat in a restaurant but i need to be near the exit and it cant be that busy. I wont eat a lot and I worry throughout the meal. I wont go to any of the partys at work because of this, i dont mind eating with my mum but with collegues - thats a big no no.

[sMINT]

Mully, your stories made me laugh lol. It must have been awful at the time though.

I have a fear of eating out in public or away from home. I can eat so much at home. But when I go out I eat bare minimum. Its not that I hate people looking, its like rachaelshambles, its the fear of being sick. I don't mind so much in the summer when I can sit out side in the restaurant as its cooler and less people, more open.

I also dont eat sweets, chocolate, crisps or fizzy drink when I am away from home incase I feel sick afterwards. I just drink water and eat fruit or maybe some chips. I think this fear about the sweets came on from when I was in school and one day after eating chocolate at break time and being sat in class feeling really sick. Ever since then Ive never eaten sweets or chocolate when Im away from home on a journey or a holiday.