What really is food phobia? Food phobia, just like any other type of phobia, is associated with fear of a specific thing or in this case, food. Aside from being a phobia, it is also considered an eating disorder. Phobias stem from past painful or traumatic experiences, and there are times when the phobia starts in early childhood, it continues on to adulthood when left untreated for a long period of time. Fears are a normal occurrence in one’s life. Fear of the dark, snakes, heights and others are experienced by almost everyone at one point in time. These fears speed up the heartbeat and release adrenaline. But when these fears take over the person, they become phobias that are much harder to overcome than normal fears. Sometimes these phobias defeat the emotions of a person and suicidal tendencies and other situations arise.
There are two types of food phobia: aversion and inability to swallow.
- Aversion to food. This type of food phobia is not really a fear, but revulsion to food. When you are aversion phobic, you tend to get nauseous and you feel like vomiting when you see, smell or touch a certain type of food or foods. Food aversion can become very powerful as time passes. When not given proper attention at once, this type of food phobia can last a person’s lifetime. The most common types of food that people with food aversion dislike are greasy and meaty foods. In animals, food aversion is a good measure of protection. Aversion to certain types of food found in nature protects them from getting poisoned. To get rid of this type of eating disorder and food phobia, it is important for the person to immerse himself in the food that he dislikes. He has to somehow taste, smell, touch and get used to the food so that his aversion can be overcome.
- Inability to swallow. This type of food phobia is stronger than food aversion. The phobia stems from the fear of not being able to swallow and ingest food. Choking is another fear. Anxiety is what drives the fear in this eating disorder. When a person is unable to swallow, his throat tightens and restricts and sometimes air does not come in our out and his breathing becomes labored. Hyperventilation and panic attacks are other effects when someone tries eating but is unable to swallow.
Food aversion and inability to swallow are two general types of eating phobia. But there are more specific types of food phobia. Here are some:
- Geumophobia is a fear of taste. People with this type of specific food phobia do not eat anything because they fear the taste of any type of food. This eating disorder results in loss of appetite and weight.
- Ichthyophobia is a fear of fish. People with this food phobia do not eat fish and any other dish that has fish in it.
- Lachanophobia is a fear of vegetables.
- Mycophobia is a fear of mushrooms and all their types.
- Ostraconophobia is a fear of shellfish.
- Alektorophobia is a fear of chickens.
- Carnophobia is a fear of meat.
- Cibophobia is a fear of food in general.
Millions of Americans suffer from different types of phobias, including food phobia. Food phobias affect relationships of a food phobic and his loved ones and with people around him. When the food phobia is so severe, he tends to move away from others who eat the foods those he fears of. This in turn affects the way his colleagues deal around him, the food phobic.
Some people do not want their foods to touch each other on their plates. Some even refuse to eat what is on their plate only because they have touched and mixed with others. Food phobia is at times linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder, a type of mental health problem. Some people only certain kinds of food every time and are afraid to try on new types of food, either for fear of their tastes or because they are afraid that the foods may make them choke. Some only dine on cheese or fast food during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Selective eating disorder is one type of eating disorder that is associated with food phobia. As the term suggests, a person who has this eating disorder only dislikes or is afraid of a certain type or types of foods. It can either be an aversion or fear of being unable to swallow the said type of food. Psychological symptoms include, anxiety, depression and sufferers are afraid or do not want to go out and eat for fear of discrimination, aside from the phobia itself.
Food phobia is a very treatable condition and can be overcome depending on the willingness of the sufferer. Behavioral treatments and other types of eating disorder treatment are available for patients whose food phobia stem from mental issues and other types of behavior. If you know of someone who suffers from food phobia or if you have a food phobia yourself, do not hesitate to seek a food phobia treatment program so that it does not take control of your life, both socially and personally. There are many treatment options that you can choose from that will best suit your condition. Being ashamed of your food phobia is one thing that makes it stay with you forever. Seek the kelp of your family and close friends for moral support and ask them to nudge you every time you succumb to your food phobia. If you agree to be treated, you should be willing, cooperative and strict to make it easier for you to cope with it and eventually eliminating your food phobia from your life. Although food phobia is considered an eating disorder, treatment may vary from bulimia, anorexia and other types of eating disorder. If your food phobia commenced from childhood, it has a tendency to stay with you for life if you do not do something to get rid of it. Being in control of your self is the first step towards recovery from your food phobia.
