this might sound weird to you guys but have you ever heard of anxiety eating disorder? I have been having this disorder where I'm always anxious when dining out. It started about a year ago. One day I was eating out and I didnt have appitite. I thought it was normal thing. But after that day pass every time when I'm dining out I have this fear/anxiety that I couldnt eat. As a result I couldn't eat anything when I'm outside, because I lost my appitite due to my anxiety. Since then I have been avoiding dining out even when my friends call me to join them I always given them a excuss. I'm not fat or trying to loss weight by the way as I'm very thin. I seriously need help cause I keep avoiding social contact as when someone call me to go out I always reject them bacuse I fear that I couldnt eat. Worst part is, my anxiety came before I started to eat. For instance when someone call me to join them dinner tomorrow I feel the anxiety already.

Its has been a year I'm having this anxiety and I can't overcome it. Now my friends have been calling me anti social cause I didnt want to join them but then fact is I want to its just that my anxiety is stoping me. What should I do

Try talking to them, start with the ones that is closest to you first, you will be suprised how understanding they are

but how to overcome this phobia?

This post has been edited by annoymous1234: Sep 22 2009, 10:51 PM

did u feel ur anxiety when ur friends call you out for outings (cinema, shopping etc) instead of eat?

nope. just eating

Is it because of the smell or taste difference from the cooking or while you were at the eatry place?

If it is because after you've go to the eating place and the smell from the food or the stall,
then may be I can help.

yeah sometimes its because of the smell too. what's your solution?

Can answer some more question before I orovide some advice.

1. I suppose sometime you also feels that your head is feeling heavier and sometime you have serious
headache?
2. Sometime you feel like no appetite eating there?

If all the 2 answer is yes, then take a bath every early morning before you go to work for 3 days.
Use water heater if you feels cold.

Go out this sunday afternoon for lunch alone for your favourite food and see what the outcome and reply me
on monday morning.

I fthis still do not work, I have another solutions in mind...

First of all, are you a male or female?
Let me know if something happen before you have this feeling.
If your are intereste to share your experience in private, then PM me

You said you have a fear of dining out. But what if take aways ?
Do you eat take away food in the comfort of your home ?

sorry for bumping back this topic. didnt know there's new reply after i left.

seems its like those nervous feeling..

are you a therapist or something?

this is exactly what im experencing.. I can only eat if its take away. means I eat only when I'm at home. I have this fear of dining out

that's great. I'm still trying to overcome mine but its like so hard

well if you are only afraid of going out to eat then maybe its something like "eating-phobia"
if you are afraid of approaching people or having problem to talk to other then it is anxiety disorder...
i heard there is a successful treatment for anxiety disorder, forgot what its called, something called CBT
me i have this problem too, like sitting in a place just for talking, i will feel very bad (dining too)
but if going out to play something or watching then i think still better :/
but it is going to be worst if you just keep avoiding it..

good to hear i'm not alone.. believe it or not, i've been suffering from this since i was a kid and have been searching for a cure all my life. i'm 30 already.

when i'm outside, i always feel like throwing up whenever i need to have meals with friends (especially strangers), not only that i feel lack of appetite, i actually feel like throwing up/vomiting and i can't control it.

just the 'thought' of EATING or FOOD will make me feel nauseatic

and it only gets worse as time goes by, it's embarrassing and it's really affecting my life.

it's killing my social life too because when people meet up, it's usually in some kind of a restaurant.

strange enough, this only happens when i'm outside, i feel fine when i'm at home.

it's definitely some kind of an anxiety-problem.

this may have something to do with my nervous system + digestive system, i went to the doctor a few times but to no avail.

i went to a hypnosis center in KL once and they're trying to charge a ridiculous amount for the sessions and the dude was not convincing AT all, he sounded more like a scam artist, so i didn't went for it.

i've heard of stories about how hypnosis can tap into our subconscious mind and find out what's the origin or what exactly that is causing that problem. (lol really?)

i don't mind seeing a psychologist or hypnosist or something like that if they are REALLY good, if you have a good recommendation that can help in this area, please let me know.


This post has been edited by cucumber: Apr 11 2010, 02:20 PM

Yes as we keep avoiding it it'll just get worst.. I try not to avoid it but it's so hard and sometimes I feel that it's like becoming part my life. Which is what I'm afraid of

cucumber I know how you feel. And yeah it does affect my social life too as I keep rejecting invitation that involve eating. I don't know any psychologist around town but even if it does have I think the cost will be like
Anyway for now I guess just have to do what we can to overcome our problem.

btw.. no one in this forum can really help?