- Date posted
- 1y
Choking Phobia
I ate a sandwich and choked a bit on it and now I have a choking phobia. Having a hard time eating. Anyone else going through this?
I ate a sandwich and choked a bit on it and now I have a choking phobia. Having a hard time eating. Anyone else going through this?
I've dealt with this on and off since childhood. Back then it always happened in the cafeteria, related to some social anxiety. I don't have any great answers at the moment, other tjan gradual exposure and easy-to-eat foods in the environments that trigger the fear the most. (Like soup/chili/yogurt/etc)
And also staying hydrated, always having water nearby while you do those exposures. Helps your throat stay have better conditions to begin with. :) You've got this and you aren't alone.
@em__ Are you able to eat better now without the fear of choking?
@Audrey/33 Overall yes, much better. Once in a while that old fear pops up in a new social setting, where I get hyper aware of my throat/sensations. But it's not as intense as childhood. I also never took meds until the past 3 years. Zoloft has made a big difference for me with physical symptoms of anxiety and some sensory fears.
@em__ Definitely consult your therapist/a clinician as well. Throat tension and swallowing challenges are surprisingly common, I learned. And alsl very treatable ✨️
This happened to me recently. I choked on sushi and now every time I get sushi I’m anxious that I will choke again. I think it is a fear of embarrassment more than a health fear, but I still feel that worry!
@Anonymous Let me add, I choked on the sushi like 3 years ago, but I still panic
@Anonymous Yes it is an awful worry, it’s worse when I am eating out. I actually seen a man choke in front of his family. He survived but it was traumatizing. It’s only sushi you have a fear of right? Any other food?
@Audrey/33 Mostly sushi. Or anything that’s difficult to chew, steak or chicken that is dry:/ I refuse to eat steak
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@Rita D. That is what happened to me too right now with my dad, he died a few months ago and literally 2 days ago I found out my friend died. Thank you for this comment it really helps me. I am forcing myself to eat now.
@Rita D. I am so sorry I missed this. A lot better now by God’s will but still have it. It just sucks because now I feel like all my themes are merging together.
6 months ago I had a severe panic attack and it’s changed my life. Scared of 99% of foods, can’t take meds out of fear, been hospitalized a few times cause of blood sugar drops and other health scares due to poor eating. I’m constantly scanning my body finding any little thing that’s uncomfortable and then fixate and panic over the smallest things. Whether be a smell I’m unfamiliar with, a weird sensation in my arm literally anything freaks me out….. who has had success with exposure or has dealt with similar issues. I feel like I’m unintentionally slowly killing myself but I’m too scared for meds and therapy doesn’t seem to make much of a dent right now. Please share some success stories I need hope.
Recently, I’ve been struggling a ton with what I eat/put into my body? I’m a first year college student with a few different health issues (including IBS), and lately it’s been hard for me to find food on campus that doesn’t upset my stomach. I also have pretty severe emetophobia, and feel extremely anxious when I feel sick. The ironic thing is that being anxious makes me feel even worse, so I end up sticking myself in an impossible loophole. My OCD has taken hold of these fears over the past few months, and it’s been such a struggle. Especially since people have been getting food poisoning from various dining halls on my campus lately. My OCD has gotten so bad that sometimes I’m too afraid to eat food other than what I buy myself. I feel so trapped. I don’t want my OCD to affect my physical health or prevent me from eating, bc I love eating!! It’s the fear of getting sick that’s the problem. And it’s even harder when everything is so unfamiliar. Just wondering if anyone could relate. Advice is appreciated!
Has anyone ever had an intrusive thought of thinking you’ve might’ve swallowed something dangerous and you can’t trust your own mind? And you feel like you need to go in to get checked out? Any advice or reassurance?
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