Fear of Eating

[Anxious_Fay]

I've been suffering with emetophobia for a long time now. I've found during particularly bad bouts of anxiety, I'm so fearful that I can barely eat. I'm 26 years old and underweight. I can't afford to lose more weight. I recently had a colonoscopy and lost a number of pounds because of the prep involved. Then yesterday, while heading home from a lovely vacation with my boyfriend, he got s***. I felt terrible for him and managed to keep it together. I'm still not sure if it was a sv or food poisoning. I've been fine thus far, but I haven't eaten much today and ate literally nothing yesterday. What a nightmare... Anyone else have this problem?

[RIV]

I've been suffering with emetophobia for a long time now. I've found during particularly bad bouts of anxiety, I'm so fearful that I can barely eat. I'm 26 years old and underweight. I can't afford to lose more weight. I recently had a colonoscopy and lost a number of pounds because of the prep involved. Then yesterday, while heading home from a lovely vacation with my boyfriend, he got s***. I felt terrible for him and managed to keep it together. I'm still not sure if it was a sv or food poisoning. I've been fine thus far, but I haven't eaten much today and ate literally nothing yesterday. What a nightmare... Anyone else have this problem?

Hi there,

You are not alone. This happens to a large majority of Emetophobia sufferers.

However, you must eat. When you're fasting and stressing your immunity will fall, just make sure you take some probiotics, and continue to do so, this will make your tummy healthier so if you do become **** you wont be too bad.

Remember that some of us emetophobes have an incredible amount of self control regarding **** so there is no need to stress, remember to deep breathe and relax.

Remember the simple skills like washing your hand correctly - soap cannot kill viruses alone, so you need to wash them with enough time (recite the alphabet) to wash the virus off your hand and down the sink - with warm - NOT HOT water. When you wash your hands correctly the chances of becoming *** decrease dramatically.

Also, moisturise your hands before bed with good moisturiser - healthy skin promotes oils that can break down the life of virus' and bacteria.

Sending thoughts your way - I know this is tough.

From a 23 year old MALE with emetophobia since 1999.

[DogLover8]

I completely agree with everything that RIV said. You must eat!! Please, even if you don't feel like you want to, try to eat something. I would advise eating something very bland - stick to the BRAT diet. Once you get something in your stomach, you'll feel much better. I completely understand the urge to not eat - once my husband and my two eldest kids (both young - number three wasn't born yet) were sick, and I hid in my room and refused to come out or eat (I've since gotten better with dealing with the sick members of my family). I lost 12 pounds in three days and almost had to be hospitalized, since I was now severely underweight. Please eat!!! You honestly do feel so much better after eating. Keep us posted!

Blessings,
DogLover8

[Anxious_Fay]

Thank you both for your suggestions. I'm still feeling fine today, so I'm just going to try and eat what I can. It's amazing how debilitating this fear can be.

[DogLover8]

Yes, this fear can just take it all out of you. We understand and we're here for you! Excellent that you're feeling well, so please do try and eat when you can. Keep us posted!

Blessings,
DogLover8

[RIV]

We must also give ourselces credit - we own this fear with honesty, that in itself is very noble and we should congratulate ourselves.

People don't understand how bizzare this fear is and how much it changes from one to another.

My main fear resides over the dreaded stomach b** (so sorry if that's a trigger I'm not sure of the lingo yet).

I'm a young male - a muscular one at that, weighing 85kg - and when I feel n***ous I will have to fight to eat as I do not want to loose my muscle but also you must replenish your body.

Also, get a zinc supplement from the store - this helps with immunity, that and probiotic and if you do get *** I promise it won't be that bad.

Another point when people tell you that they have had the ***** there is a massive fabrication - because they don't have a fear it's easy for them to go on and on about how bad it was, when in reality they probably were half as bad as they say. Like if they say they **** four times in the night - it probably was only two, etc.

We as emetophobia survive by training our minds. Don't go overboard, relax and don't obsess over how you think you feel.

Thinking of you both!

[Anxious_Fay]

I honestly have no problem using the actual words in my posts, but I don't do it for other people. The words aren't triggers for me. I only worry about myself getting sick. So I don't want to be around anyone that has or recently had a sv. I can be around people getting s*** from too much alcohol or anything not contagious. Seeing it doesn't bother me if I know the cause.

Overall, I don't believe my fear is the absolute worst. But when I don't feel well, which is fairly often due to stomach issues and anxiety, I go into total panic mode. And one of the worst parts is how my anxiety manifests itself. I have a weird habit of digging my fingernails into my right armpit... and worse than that I have trichotillomania that gets really bad when I'm stressed out and not feeling well. But I only attack body hairs... all I'll say regarding that is I'm probably never wearing a bikini ever again. Haven't been able to since 15-16 when the trich started and got bad.

[RIV]

Yeah the words aren't triggers for me either.

I am exactly the same - if i know its not contagious i'm not bothered by it.

And same too, however I know my n**** is only from my anxiety. I just fiddle with my earlobes, or back of my head.

Have you been seeing someone for you Emet + Tricho?

I have OCD as well and seeing someone since June has helped a fair bit.

[kaiilyn_23]

I know the feeling. About four years ago, I was so restrictive in what I ate, that I was severely underweight and malnourished. But can I tell you something? I don't mean to frighten you. But you need to eat. If your body needs to be sick, it will regardless of the contents of your stomach. And truthfully? It's easier with more food. V*ing on an empty stomach is painful and more uncomfortable than with food. I can tell you this from experience. I don't mean to scare you. I know it's hard, this phobia sucks and it's difficult to deal with. Please, please eat! It's so dangerous for your body not to. You risk malnutrition, iron deficiency (which I've struggled with ever since), and heart problems.

Just eat slowly. Eat easy foods to get back into the habit. 3 meals a day. It'll get easier with time, it's not overnight.

Hugs! I know this phobia is debilitating, but you can do this!

[emet-ana]

Hi Anxious_Fay,

Sorry you're having difficulty eating but well done for coping with your boyfriend's sickness.

Could you try eating "safe foods" from packets (e.g. biscuits/crackers, crisps/chips, boiled sweets) (they are wrapped in clean environments by people wearing protective hats and gloves). Alternatively could you try meal replacement drinks?

[Leslie735]

I use to fear eating, still kinda do but near as much as I use to. I feared everything could give me fp* or what if I came down with a sv* I wouldn't want "that" coming back up. Because of my fear I lost a lot of weight. I have since gotten past it for the most part and put back on the weight, and then some the fear is still there just not as bad. Restaurants still get me, I inspect my meat to make sure it's cooked all the way. If it looks slightly under done or "not right" to me I won't eat it.

[Anxious_Fay]

Thank you for all the replies. I'm slowly moving past this experience. I was doing pretty well with my fear for a while, but this experience with my boyfriend really set me back a bit. I'm slowly eating more and more each day...mostly because I was getting full really fast at first.

Although I do fear fp, I've for a long time forced myself to eat things that more commonly cause it... sushi, burgers that are slightly pink in the center (nothing worse than medium well and only at reputable restaurants), seafood, etc.

I try not to let this fear control my life, but I have the brain of an emetophobe. And sometimes I lose my cool... now I just have to get back on track.

[NaiveAndTrue]

I've been there, but unless I'm really sick, I don't let it happen anymore. Remember that every time you don't eat, you're letting the anxiety win. Remind yourself that emetophobia is irrational. You have to face it. The more times you eat and don't get sick, the stronger you will be. We may always be afraid of the act, when it happens, but we don't need to let that fear take over the rest of our lives.

[courtneykay]

I definitely know the feeling. When we are in the height of SV season and I know someone who has it or I know it's going around where I live, I get so anxious to the point where I struggle to eat. I sometimes think, if I don't eat, maybe I won't get sick?

I think its pretty clear that you know you need to eat. But I understand how anxiety can get in the way of that. Here's what has helped me force myself to eat, may potentially be triggering...

I was chatting with a member and they reminded me how important it is to eat, because if you don't, you still can v*, and it will be much worse because it will be pure stomach acid.

Gross, I know. But that scared me into eating. Also when you don't eat, you aren't getting nutrients, weakening your immune system and making you more likely to catch a bug!

I don't say any of this to scare you, but I'm hoping it will help you think more rationally about the importance of eating. I know hearing that did the trick for me.

Hope you are feeling better and your bf is as well!

[Anxious_Fay]

It is good to know all of that! And he was all better the next day fortunately. And although I suppose part of the reason I don't eat is that irrational part of my brain telling me I can't get sick on an empty stomach... Part of it is also my anxiety telling me I'm nauseous and can't eat. I'll just look at food and think, "that does not appeal to me at all."

Sometimes I can eat everything... And weird combinations of everything. And other times not so much. But I'm going to work on eating past the anxiety. I ate plenty today. Gotta make up for lost time!

[NaiveAndTrue]

Your body can still go through all the same motions on an empty stomach, which is what usually happens to me. I've been told by normal people that it's worse and more painful to v* with nothing to come up. So it's silly to be too afraid to eat - plus, if you go too long without eating and then eat, THAT can make you sick! Focus on being healthy first and foremost above everything - eat well, exercise, sleep well, and you'll get stronger.

[there-still-hope]

I don't really have a fear of food, but I am kinda picky. Try to eat something small or sensitive like crackers or a yogurt. Then try to eat a little more after that.

[SanjayaWickramasinghe]

Good suggestions by everyone. Well it is good to have no fear for eating. I also like to eat everything specially fast food and have no any fear of eating. We should eat everything but only healthy food.

[SanjayaWickramasinghe]

Good suggestions by everyone. Well it is good to have no fear for eating. I also like to eat everything specially fast food and have no any fear of eating. We should eat everything but only healthy food.

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