I’m scared to eat food and it’s taking over my life.

[beccaannxo]

This is my first time posting so I hope I do this right lol. I’ve dealt with anxiety my whole life and up until about 6 months ago it’s been on a whole other level. 6 months ago I moved 8 hours away with my boyfriend, away from my family. He works and I do not, so I am home alone most of the time. This is when it started...health anxiety. I’ve actually gone to the hospital because I was so anxious about having a heart attack(I’m only 24) so it is highly unlikely that I would ever have a heart attack at this age. Yet, in my head that doesn’t matter. I started taking Paxil and it really helped me a lot(I’ve taken Lexapro & Zoloft but they never really helped me) and I was starting to cope very well. Well, me and my boyfriend ended up getting pregnant and I had to stop my Paxil medication. For weeks and weeks I was okay not taking anything & then I suffered a miscarriage at 8 weeks. That’s when my anxiety about food started. I’ve never had a food allergy in my life and for some reason in my brain I feel like I’m allergic to anything or could be somehow, some way. I fear of going into anaphylactic shock CONSTANTLY. I went and saw my primary doctor and she put me on Prozac so that when I did decide to try for a baby again that I could continue to take that but it didn’t help me it made things worse for me so I stopped taking it. Now I am on nothing and this new found anxiety I’m experiencing is so unbearable. I’m so afraid to eat, & I LOVE to eat lol I’m not a tiny girl! My quality of life is deteriorating and I feel as if I’ve lost my mind and that I’m crazy.

So my question is, have you or anyone you know experienced this? & what did you do to cope with this. Thanks!

 

[Cuchculan]

I did once stop eating due to other issues. During that period of time I actually began eating baby food. Might sound a bit childish. But it done the job. It was not heavy food and it was easy to eat. I am not saying to replace normal food with baby food. More use it just when you can't eat. So at least you are getting something into your system. That was my whole thinking on it at the time I done it. Then we have to try and find out what scares you about eating? I always had this big fear of throwing up. The babt food was more just a stop gap answer until I began eating again. it does taste nice too once you get used to it. Because it is not heavy food, you have it a few times a day. Smaller meals made up with it. Instead of one big meal. But still try and work on eating a bit of normal food here and there. As to how to deal with it? I had to learn to trust food. because of what my problem was. Depending on why you are not eating, the approach might be a bit different. Bit like learning to eat all over again.

 

[chickentender]

I did experience this after an accident that started my health anxiety. I have had anaphylactic shock in the past though (only once thankfully). I survived. Most people do if you look up the stats. You just have to go to the hospital when it begins. Hopefully, this gives you peace of mind.

However, you don't need to be worrying about this anymore than any other person alive has to. You haven't had it happen to you based on your post, so you are not at elevated risk. Worrying about something does not at all mean that it's more likely to happen to you.

Take it from me though, worrying can manifest in rashes, hives and increased skin sensitivity, which can make this particular form of health anxiety worse.

You mention getting prescriptions from your doctor and it is good that you are speaking to someone about it and getting help for it. For me though, I need/needed therapy for this to help me rationalize it and deal with it better. Maybe it's a little different for me due to PTSD that involves a few things including having gone into anaphylaxis, but this is what helps me.

 

[matisworried]

i'm really sorry that you experienced that. that had to have been a pretty gut-wrenching time for you guys. for many of us, our HA was triggered by traumatic events surround health like a loved one dying or being diagnosed with a serious illness.

while food allergies can come on suddenly, only 4% of adults have them. that means you have a 96% of NOT having them. that should be pretty reassuring in and of itself. also try to keep in mind that the majority of that 4% suffer from mild symptoms like itching, rashes and upset stomach.

 

[beccaannxo]

i'm really sorry that you experienced that. that had to have been a pretty gut-wrenching time for you guys. for many of us, our HA was triggered by traumatic events surround health like a loved one dying or being diagnosed with a serious illness.

while food allergies can come on suddenly, only 4% of adults have them. that means you have a 96% of NOT having them. that should be pretty reassuring in and of itself. also try to keep in mind that the majority of that 4% suffer from mild symptoms like itching, rashes and upset stomach.

Thank you so much. I didn’t realize only 4% of people have them lol makes me feel better

 

[matisworried]

Thank you so much. I didn’t realize only 4% of people have them lol makes me feel better

...and of that 4%, only a tiny portion of them have serious allergies!

worrying about stuff like this is really no different than worrying about getting struck by lightning or something.

 

[beccaannxo]

After you saying that I don’t feel as worried and afraid to eat anymore. I thank you for that!

...and of that 4%, only a tiny portion of them have serious allergies!

worrying about stuff like this is really no different than worrying about getting struck by lightning or something.

After you saying that I don’t feel as worried and afraid to eat anymore. I thank you for that!

 

[matisworried]

After you saying that I don’t feel as worried and afraid to eat anymore. I thank you for that!

After you saying that I don’t feel as worried and afraid to eat anymore. I thank you for that!

awesome! live life! enjoy food! it's delicious!