Anyone have an issue that their ocd brain makes them have allergic reactions to things? Like certain foods bothered me. I got allergy tested, and foods like wheat that bothered me came back as a low positive allergy. When I got that result, wheat started bothering me a lot in my mouth and feels scary. How do I know what is pshycologycal or real? Anyone have this or have any tips?
thank you in advance!
Allergies and food intolerances are real - they have a physiological effect on your body. It's important to separate food intolerances from allergies - in the case of allergies, the allergen (foodstuff or something else) provokes an allergic response. A food intolerance is different - the body is unable to digest it properly and you may feel unwell as a result. Common food intolerances are wheat and milk.
It sounds as though there is a psychological element to your response to wheat as well. The intolerance is provoked when it reaches your stomach or gut, but if you're aware that it's something that may make you feel unwell, the moment you put it in your mouth your mind could tell you that it feels wrong, no matter whether it's wrong or not.
If, as the tests say, you have either a low allergenic response to wheat, or an intolerance of it, perhaps consider other options. Some older types of wheat such as spelt or emmer, or alternative grains, that have lower or no gluten (it's generally the gluten in some grains that causes intolerance), might suit your body better. A lot of these are easily available in health food shops or supermarkets. I'm not a doctor so perhaps discuss it with your doctor.
It sounds like your OCD may be acting up since you got your diagnosis and I think Sallyskins gave some good advice.
The one thing I'd be careful of is that I wouldn't want to develop a compulsion of avoiding wheat because of OCD. You may want to limit or avoid it because it's not good for you, not because OCD is screaming "DANGER, DANGER, DANGER". Talking with your therapist or doctor about what you're felling/thinking is probably a good idea.
Thank you so much!
You may want to read about sensory integration. My son has OCD and Tourette, and he sometimes feels disgusted by a certain food texture, aroma, taste, etc. And when he was little he would freak out if either parent were wearing a top with buttons! The author I like the best on this topic is Winnie Dunn. If you would like to be evaluated for this, try to find an occupational therapist with expertise in sensory integration. Not all OTs are knowledgeable in this area.
Thank you so much!
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