Eating phobia!!

[GennR]

I used to be terrified to eat in front of people- same thing, I felt like they were staring at me and was so afraid I'd embarrass myself. To be honest, I got over by forcing myself to. It took a long time. First I made myself eat in front of people I was close to, even if just a few bites. I'd save the rest for later and just chitchat until the meal was over, eating privately later. And I would try to only eat around others when they would be focused on something else like the TV in a dark room. After a long time struggling to do that, I pushed myself further and eventually further. Now I eat anywhere, anytime. I still feel discomfort when I'm eating with just one person, us facing one another and in close proximity, but I shut it off. It's hard. I'm with you.

[Lin]

I have the opposite problem- I comfort eat and put on loads of weight so totally unfit and unable to do the exercise I was doing before the depression hit in March 2011.
Undereating and overeating are such difficult problems.
I can understand not liking to eat in public, I hate even having to socialise with people so eating as well is a nightmare.
Well done for getting to the doctor, so much easier to give in and just stay at home, but you just have to push yourself. Never quite know how much to push though, some days I push myself too much and completely flip, another days I don't push and just blob all day.
Difficult when you need to work with all this going on in your head and often have to have a sticky bun at work to keep me going, whereas another day I forget to eat and drink at work at all.
Why do we all have these horrible problems!!!

[GennR]

It really is hard. I hate forcing through a particular anxiety. I never know what is going to be too much and put me in a bad spot for days. I have just my general anxiety and panic attacks that I can't simply push through, but the eating thing was one I could use that tactic on. It took many, many years. I have a serious bee phobia and every year I have to force myself to cope with the onset of bees as well as when the cold hits and they get really stupid and slow (aka really likely to land on you and freak out) I've been working on it my whole life and last year was still at the point of avoiding certain streets that had bushes too close to the sidewalk, avoiding grass on certain (rough) days, and often having to coach myself through walking out the front door. This is ridiculous to be so neurotic! Why can't they just cure this stuff?

[Lin]

I suppose cures are individual to each of us so have to find own ways that work. Even same illness can be so different in people.
We just have to keep trying out advice and help given and hope it works for us.