For past few weeks I’ve had issue eating again. My throat feels tight often worry food will become stuck sometimes I freeze when eating and have to wash the food down with a glass of milk. Not really enjoying food I have been battling it but I am due to eat out at a restaurant in a few weeks so worry it will be worse. It started I could eat when my wife wasn’t watching. Breakfast is easier as is lunch it’s more takeaway food or bigger meals I struggle with. Tried relaxation and magazines nothing helps I just don’t feel human at the moment. Anybody else felt this way to any tips?
Eating issues
- Thread starter Phil10
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TruthHurts
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I feel like this also I'm always the last person finished eating. I just try to chew my food really well and keep something to drink near. That's pretty much what you've been doing already.
Cuchculan
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Can I ask Phile, is this all connected with everything you have on your mind at the moment? The whole wanting to do more, but not been able to because of Covid. We know that is all getting to you in a big way. Just wondering are the two related? One is bringing you down big time and that might be causing the other.
I have two issues with my anxiety at the moment:
Eating I struggle to eat every since my throat froze when I was eating and I felt I couldn’t force it down for 5 secs I struggle. I have to wash the food down with milk and can’t enjoy it the same. Often it takes me so long to eat the food goes cold. Any tips?
Secondly the adrenaline anxiety attacks I get when travelling I’ve not been anywhere long distance for a while as even a short journey I feel “maybe I’m going crazy or I can’t cope” and it lasts maybe 20 mins but it makes me fear future journeys any tips for that?
Eating I struggle to eat every since my throat froze when I was eating and I felt I couldn’t force it down for 5 secs I struggle. I have to wash the food down with milk and can’t enjoy it the same. Often it takes me so long to eat the food goes cold. Any tips?
Secondly the adrenaline anxiety attacks I get when travelling I’ve not been anywhere long distance for a while as even a short journey I feel “maybe I’m going crazy or I can’t cope” and it lasts maybe 20 mins but it makes me fear future journeys any tips for that?
Jonathan123
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Once again those words come up. 'Battling', 'Struggle'. Just the opposite to what you should be doing. To go into battle however you put it increases the flow of adrenaline, the fear hormone. A soldier will go into battle with a heightened adrenaline level, which is good in the circumstances. It's not good in yours! You anticipate problems and consequently they happen. I went through that phase of not being able to eat in public until I began to accept. I found that the situation has to be faced. Go out and order a meal, but one with softer food that you can swallow easily. Even maybe just soft dessert. If others find it strange hard luck. But, above all calm yourself by accepting, for the moment, it's how things are in anxiety.
My throat tightens but more often it freezes when I try and swallow food and I become very aware of food going down. I usually have to wash it down with a drink but feel I have to force myself to eat anybody else had this?
I really struggled to force my lunch down today took around 40 mins as my throat was so shallow I worry it’s serious or something I have good and bad days but struggle
I really struggled to force my lunch down today took around 40 mins as my throat was so shallow I worry it’s serious or something I have good and bad days but struggle
This is an anxiety symptom unfortunatley. Do try and eat. If you're really struggling, yoghart mix with oats. Soup. Even those protein milkshake things. Things that are easy to swallow like that.
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Phil, I went thru the same thing, I even had to get the opening to my esophagus stretched during a endoscope because it was so small. What I believe, and my doc agrees with me, is that the tension we have in our bodies due to the anxiety had caused my throat to constrict from the constant tension. I was so tensed up and tight that I couldn’t take a deep breath at all, but could only use my upper lungs to breathe. After I started doing relaxation meditation daily, gradually it became easier to breathe and swallow, and the pain I experienced in my throat lessened. Now I am free from the pain and can swallow easily and can actually breath normally. I’m not saying this will help you, but you could try. It’s hard to meditate at first, but it’s not the meditation so much as it is the effort to do it that helps. Practice every day is the key. I lay down and relax my body as best as I can, take a few deep breaths and quiet my mind as best I can. I let the thoughts and feelings wash over me, trying not to engage with them, but to note them and let them pass. I try to concentrate on my breathing. Start out at ten minutes and increase the time gradually. The results are slow, but it does work eventually. Remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, when you find your mind wanders off, just redirect without judgement and continue. Anxiety is not something that came on us all at once, it took time to develop, it’s only logical that it takes time to recover too. I hope this can be helpful to you.
Camden
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I went through a phase where I had a hard time eating with others or out in public, due to social anxiety. I can understand how eating can be daunting especially with the fear of choking.
Just be patient with yourself. Do your best to eat normally and don’t hesitate to change your diet or experiment with foods that agree better with you. Eating lighter and milder foods such as yogurt, salad, oatmeal, rice, and most soups may help as they’re easier to swallow and easier on your stomach.
Something like this is a process to overcome, so please remember to be patient and be kind to yourself. If you’re planning on eating out with friends or family soon, try to communicate with them and adjust your plans so that you feel more comfortable.
I know this is a hard thing to deal with and my thoughts are with you as you move forward. Thanks for sharing.
Just be patient with yourself. Do your best to eat normally and don’t hesitate to change your diet or experiment with foods that agree better with you. Eating lighter and milder foods such as yogurt, salad, oatmeal, rice, and most soups may help as they’re easier to swallow and easier on your stomach.
Something like this is a process to overcome, so please remember to be patient and be kind to yourself. If you’re planning on eating out with friends or family soon, try to communicate with them and adjust your plans so that you feel more comfortable.
I know this is a hard thing to deal with and my thoughts are with you as you move forward. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve had a salty taste like when I cut my teeth or something in my mouth can this be a symptom of anxiety? I’ve been getting worked up about it tonight. I did forget to brush my teeth last night sometimes that may not help? I googled it and it said things like colds can cause it? It goes away if I forget it or brush my teeth
I couldn’t see any blood but worry my insides are bleeding or something? Could it be serious? I’ve been feeling anxious about it and having mints to take taste away? Could be a cold too I had a slight blocked nose?
Want to discuss my latest anxiety attacks. I have cracked skin on my hands and I get odd cuts but sometimes it makes me panic if I feel weak I have a blood fear. Makes me feel weak if I get a cut so I panic so I rush to buy chocolate. Or if I’m hungry and feel weak it drives a panic attack. Each time it’s very fearful takes a while for the food to take away the hunger or weakness. Anybody else had this and any tips for when these attacks come? In my head I worry I’m dying every day so that’s also an issue which makes me panic. Today the cut made me feel low energy all day?
Cuchculan
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What is it about a cut that makes you feel that way? Do you imagine you are losing blood and that is causing low energy? i think over the past few years we have all had little cuts from washing our hands. I wouldn't even class them as cuts. Is more the skin just. Never any blood at all. Hand cream is what you should be looking to use. To help repair the cracked skin. Something I use a lot of. Can be worse during the Winter months.
Well today I was better but I started looking for the low energy symptom so it came back despite no cuts today. I had salty taste other day and that seemed to be all in my anxious mind the more I think about this the symptoms come on. Someone said I need to understand my anxiety more. Being honest I was on a till felt weak at work I struggled to serve customers but I felt better after some chocolate. I often have these weak feeling anxiety attacks they come every 3 months maybe longer. Most of my panic attacks start with breathing or feeling weak. I wonder if there is a way I can better handle this without worrying?
Cuchculan
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Why does chocolate do that for you? Have you ever been checked for diabetes? Not saying you have anything like that at all. Just the low energy level fixed by chocolate. Could all be in your mind too. Just something you ate that you found made you feel better, so you simply kept on doing it. That can happen too.
Not sure well I looked at old forum posts and I’ve had similar issues for over ten years? Is it possible for diabetics to go unchecked that long? My dad does have diabetes he got it at around 60 but maybe it can run in family? I hope not I often get the symptom with anxiety too
I mean I have had a blood test in past 5 years as I had bipolar so maybe they would have noticed it then
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