My name is Sam and I have had a problem with my eating habits for about 11 years now, I don't know if it would be classed as an eating dissorder or a phobia, all I know is that it is a problem.
It always starts when I get ill, I'll completely go off my food because I am terrified to eat in case I am sick. It will take many months before I can eat properly again and this is with no help from doctors.
I have spoken to many doctors over the years and each time I get the same respons \"just eat\", but it's not that easy. No one has atempted to help me through this (even when I had gone down to 6.5 stone) I was just told to eat.
I would really like to fine out if there are other people who suffer with this problem and if so, set up my own self help group because I know from experience what it's like to feel like no one understands.
Hi Sam,
I know it probably feels like you are the only person to have this problem, but I can assure you, you are not alone. I had a phobia about being sick as a child. I had it fixed in my head that if I didn't eat, then I wouldn't have anything in my stomach and so couldn't be sick. It seemed logical to me as a child. It continued until I was 19 and had my first baby. I felt sick through the whole pregnancy and that sort of cured me.
If you can't find a shelf help group then it is a good idea to set up your own, because there are people out there who have the same problem.
Good luck
Tessa
Hi Sam..
Im 23 and also have some anxoius times when eating and drinking. I have recently been told i have a hernia in my stomach which doesnt help.
What i do when im needing to eat is i say to myself that its just food, its all in the normal days life. And through doing this i have managed to control the thoughts.
Have u spoken to your parents or GP about how u feel?
I know when i was 11 years old i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety then.
I hope what i have said helps you.
Keep in touch
Pami
x
Hi.
I have experienced anxiety / food problems in the past. On reflection, having tried to figure out what had overcome me, I came to view it in a way which might be helpful. Try to imagine that you have two control centres in your brain. One is the anxiety centre and it is your default setting, i.e. it kicks in whenever a doubt or confusion occurs. The other is your normal, rational centre which is the one you really want to be making your decisions for you. Now, try to get your normal, rational control centre to insist that your anxiety centre behaves itself and only
interferes in normal procedures when it is commanded to. In other words,
make yourself believe that your normal control centre is boss and is capable of subdueing any inclination towards unwarranted anxiety. It may sound patronising but, after all, anxiety is only a small element in our
mental capacity and yet , let loose, it can dominate behaviour in areas where it doesn't belong. If you internalise your thinking and try to visualise that there are elements in your thinking processes that can influence you negatively and that you are the creator of these negative
processes, then you will probably see the need to control them!
Hi,
I had a similar experience even if not food related. I have an anxiety related problem (my heart goes funny all the day.. it's a month now) and doctors identified it as a NON life-threatning thing. they said is anxiety and so they've decided it will go away on his own!!!
I suggest you see a psychologist, he/she will show that sensitivity that a normal gp seems not to have (i found english doctor very \"cold\"
and in the mean time you ask your doctor to prescribe you some anxiolitic.... all the \"unreasonable fears\" are anxiety-related and need their specialist and specific medicine!!
I also found therapeutic to take a pet! you'll need to feed him, so in some way you'll see the situation flipped around...
hugs!!