Why Am I Still afraid to eat real food

[Ceaser_Leone]

I eat muffins, chips, and candy but when i go on my lunch break or try to eat at night i get so scared and my stomach gets bloated and tight like im gonna be sick then when i do eat im so mindful of the time because my minds tells me to watch for food poisioning, and sometimes it happens when i dont feel anxious why why why why why i just waana eat and be normal

[Ceaser_Leone]

I ate so chicken pastry when i got home from work around 8pm. Other than that I have dranked 4 bottles of water a 20oz coke, a cup of kefir in the morning. a cup of coffee with a muffin and a bag of chips, I'm so nervous about getting sick but Im fighting the anxiety and telling myself that food is not gonna hurt me and that I needed it because its fuel for my body, It gets hard though

[Hidden in reply to Ceaser_Leone]

What exactly is it that you want as far as advice goes?

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a couple of snacks. That’s what people eat. You’re right, it’s not going to hurt you, because as humans we are supposed to eat.

[UFC80 in reply to Ceaser_Leone]

Do you think its a type of eating disorder? Men also get this,but even health anxiety can trigger it.

[hypercat54]

We have all given you lots of good advice such as having a healthier diet, cutting out fizzy drinks coz they bloat you out and so on but you seem to be ignoring it? You are over loading your system with junk food and fizzy drinks and then complain your stomach is bloated!

I can't see the point of giving you good advice if you won't consider it.

[Ceaser_Leone in reply to hypercat54]

Excuse but I cant afford but so much, i am trying to make sure i have a place to stay, i dont get assistance from any state agencies, i do the best i can and im sorry if my complaining bothers you but i really am trying to get better with the resources and the lack of resources i have. i thought this was a helpful environment. this is my first time ever dealing with and i thought people would understand but i felt the frustration in your reply. thank you but i can be frustrated by myself.

[Hidden in reply to Ceaser_Leone]

I think the frustration stems from not knowing exactly what sort of help you are seeking. You’ve been given advice as far as what you could be doing as far as nutrition goes. We don’t comprehend what the problem is. You’re afraid to eat. You ate a salad at 1:00am one night. You had stomach pain and then ate a salad and the pain stopped and yet you were looking up nausea symptoms on the internet. You had collard greens, bbq, corn, slaw, and you were afraid to eat ‘real’ food afterwards. That WAS real food.

You’re not afraid to eat chips, knowing chips aren’t the healthiest of snacks. Instead of chips and muffins have some carrot sticks and celery with a bit of ranch dressing. Cut up an apple and dip it into some peanut butter if you crave something more.

You’re afraid of food poisoning. Have you suffered from food poisoning in the past?

We don’t understand what you’re looking for.

🤷🏻‍♀️

Please explain.

[Ceaser_Leone in reply to Hidden]

Yes I have in the past, my frustration is because even though I am asking for advice this is a new process for me, this anxiety came and has disrupted my whole life. If you knew my situation in detail maybe you would understand better, I lost both parents, a grandmother, and sibling in a span of 4 years close to each other. I took care of my grandmother who lived to be 100 until she passed, i have been homeless and hungry and have stood on corners asking for change and by the grace of God i overcame that, then I was in a relationship that ended bad when my ex decided to move out while i was at work. I have been responsible for my brother's children since he passed. I have been a rock for my family for years so now that this is happening and Im having to focus on me it is hard when you really dont the means to see a therapist or doctor because of no insurance, i have a job and im trying to catch up on bills because i lost my job in may of 2019 and didn't start working until september. yes i eat the way i do and its not by choice i literally eat to try and make it. I dont have money like that for groceries so i eat what people are kind enough to give me until i can get on my feet, again I say this is not intended with attidude but i see all these exclamation marks and capital letter words and i sense frustration, i have done nothing but try to find some answers to prevent me from crying at night and staying up all night from being afraid of what i ate. and then sleeping sitting up when i do sleep because im afraid of laying down. I never thought my questions would cause such controversy, I apologize. maybe this explanation will help

and i trust if you ever need help or advice i can be there for you

[Hidden in reply to Ceaser_Leone]

You sure have been through the wringer in life and I admire you for continuing to chug along.

I’m sorry for the losses you’ve experienced. I myself am going through what my therapist says is ‘complicated grief’ as I lost a sister in ‘09, my Dad in ‘14, and Mom 16 months after Dad in ‘16. Believe me when I say that I can empathize with you on the grief process.

I can tell by your posts that food is definitely a problem for you. That being said, you need to try your best to not worry so much about food. It’s not there to hurt you. Eat small meals, healthy ones. Cut down on all those chips and junk food. An occasional binge is fine, and in moderation even that won’t harm you. What is harming you is the obsession over every single thing you eat.

Breakfast can be a bowl of cereal with a banana cut up. Or a couple of eggs and toast.

Lunch can be soup and sandwich, or a chicken salad.

Dinner can be something more, like pasta and a salad, or grilled chicken with rice and green beans.

Snacks - grapes, cheese, crackers, chips and salsa.

None of these items will harm you.

Eat slowly. Savor each bite. Eat in the moment - taste the food, truly enjoy the flavors.

You WILL be OK. Food will NOT harm you. Don’t go online to look up symptoms that may or may not happen. It’s not the food causing you symptoms - it’s the constant obsession and worrying.

Make food your friend, not your enemy.

Hang in there.

[Ceaser_Leone in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I really do want to implement the plan you have given me, I also want to extend my empathy to you as well. I know losing loved ones can be tough. i know we don't know each other but we can be family and help encourage each other and then celebrate each other's victory over the things life tries to throw at us. The bloating really bothers me and the stomach rumblings make me nervous, but i believe its because i have researched so many symptoms and then also I feel I afraid of being alone , but not only will I make it, we will make it . Take Care

[Peacebewithyou]

Caesar-Leone, were you comfortable eating the chicken pastry, muffins, and chips, or did you feel worried about getting sick when you ate those too? If those foods did not scare you, can you figure out what is different about eating some things? Maybe you're not afraid of foods that are prepackaged because you never hear about someone getting food poisoning from eating a bag of chips?

My 13-year-old daughter is going through something similar. You are NOT causing this fear by "overloading your system" with the foods you are able to eat. Many people's diets are atrocious and consist of a lot more junk food than you mention here, yet they are able to eat full meals on top of it. This is a genuine fear, and it's actually pretty easy to treat with some help.

Here's a question: are you afraid of food poisoning because you are afraid of vomiting? That's called emetophobia. If your thoughts are dominated by the fear of food poisoning leading to vomiting, seek the help of a cognitive behavioral therapist. They can do exposure therapy with you, and the fear will go away. In my daughter's case, she was so afraid to eat foods that could possibly be contaminated, she would only eat food from a package or food that she could see had been heated to boiling.

It takes courage to reach out and ask for help and answers. Don't let people bring you down. For the time being, if prepackaged foods are all you can eat, just eat what you can and don't be too hard on yourself. One thing that helped my daughter was eating a lot of fruit. Oranges can't give you food poisoning because they're inside the peel. Apples can be peeled and eaten if you're afraid of the skin. Avocados are amazing sources of nutrition and yes, go ahead and eat them mashed up with a little salt and some chips. Meanwhile, call that therapist and get some help. The good thing about this problem is that it is actually pretty easy to treat with the right help.

One more thing: don't put too much pressure on yourself to sit at a dinner table and call what you're eating a meal. That in itself might trigger your anxiety. Just eat wherever and whenever you feel comfortable. If there's a TV show you like--especially one that reduces your stress and makes you laugh--fix yourself that bowl of chips and mashed up avocado, add a glass of kombucha, which is really good for your stomach--and dig in. Sometimes when you're going through food stress, trying to sit at the table brings up too many thoughts and makes it impossible to eat. I hope you find peace.

[Ceaser_Leone in reply to Peacebewithyou]

Thank you I really needed to hear this

[Hidden]

It all gets too much. I have similar issues stress like yours and stomach blown out by meds. It’s tough in burn out worried not feeling rested. Your reserves are taxed. If you can afford to buy some Pepcid it will help. There’s also a supplement called DGL Licorice root they’re chewable tabs. Take two 20 min before eating main meals it’s really worth it and take one before bed. Don’t eat before bed like two three hours. Don’t eat chocolate or chips and avoid dairy I drink rice milk it’s fortified with nutrients it’s got better nutrients than almond milk & inexpensive. Eat cereal it’s fortified with vitamins and spinach cooked. Eat low fat foods. Carbs are hard to process in nervous upset tummy. I make tuna on rice cakes and carrots. Cereal for breakfast apples grapes. I make roast chicken and rice or brown rice pasta with spinach or cooked kale. Stay away from broccoli and gassy foods. I rub my stomach do massage in it. I say nice things to myself I tell myself who loves me. I’ll even sit in the tub watch a movie. I do online eft tapping. No matter what I go through losing my hair my figure my money it doesn’t define my worth. It’s very hard I’m struggling too. I try to walk daily even if I can barely stand. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks they have no idea what you’re surviving don’t judge yourself love yourself and build. A roast chicken can last me 4 days throw in rice cheap. Cereal cheap. Proteins more expensive & veg & fruit I buy what I can digest and what’s on sale. For snacks fruit and rice crackers and cereal. I think it’s great you’re here you’re not alone in this.