My greatest fear

[Stephanie_M]

It’s been years that I have been having panic attacks cause i thought that my throat was closing. When I eat in a new restaurant or something unfamiliar I get the fear that I’m allergic to something and my throat is closing. I have even lost several kg when I went abroad cause i wasn’t feeling safe to eat. Does anyone have any help?

[Ironj]

Just take a non drowsy Benadryl

[Calm_mama]

Hi Stephanie,

Yes I have advice- first check out my resources so you can get information and education about anxiety and how it works. They are on my profile. Dr. Weekes' Enlightenment audio/video is my favorite. Once you take the mystery out of panic/anxiety it's much easier to stop fearing it. Then, as Dr. Weekes' talks about in her books/audio, you start slowly but deliberately going directly into the situations that make you panic. And you absolutely want to panic at first- so you can start practicing the correct reaction to your panic

A panic attack is first fear, followed by tons of second fear. You will find that as you practice eliminating second fear, a panic attack lasts a few seconds, and it's like a speed bump rather than a mountain. "Recovery to panic lies on the other side of panic- you have to go right through it, again and again" (Dr. Weekes). After enough exposure to the source of your panic (lots of new foods, lots of new restaurants!) and lots of practice having these panic attacks the correct way, you will find that eventually you will try to panic, and you won't be able to

A good therapist to help you with this can do wonders, too.

I have a loved one who had exactly your situation. All new foods rendered her paralyzed with panic and anxiety over a potential allergic reaction. She recovered completely with this approach.

All the resources I list have information based on Dr. Weekes' approach. She was a brilliant woman who had anxiety herself, and figured it out completely. The writing style, the concepts presented are all a little different in each of these resources, and therefore helpful since we all think and process information a little differently. Have a look. I think you'll be feeling better and eating lots of interesting foods without any worry very soon. Wishing you all the best!

[Stephanie_M in reply to Calm_mama]

Thank you for the advice I heard dr. Weeks audio book last night and everything she talked about I have felt them before. She is amazing although I need to listen to it again about 100 times to make me understand and few better.

[Whitewell1]

I get this too. I was advised to keep trying to eat different things like exposure therapy and to accept the anxiety whilst I am eating. It’s so strange what our own Brain does to us!

[Stephanie_M in reply to Whitewell1]

I had a Sunday brunch and it begun again and I kept eating and try to put it behind me. It worked. But it sure is a hassle panicking while eating.

[Whitewell1]

It most definitely is! I tend to stick to what I know to minimise the effects