Eating in Front of Others=Anxiety

[kbug861]

I can't eat in front of people who I don't know, which is why I avoid dating. And it sucks because all my friends want to double date or set me up on a blind date. I use to eat in the bathroom at work. At my brothers birthday party yesterday, I ate in the side yard with the 2 dogs.

[extreme1is1me]

the only time i eat with others is when others are eating with me other wise i get unfomrtable and shut down and the food gets cold and i throw it away .

[HorsesRmyDRUGS]

:/ i dont mind eating infront of people who i know. but if had to eat in front of loads of people i couldn't do it :/ i hate lunchroom's, as soon as the bell go i get there so i don't have to face loads of people.

[variadLog]

My SA isn't as severe, but many times I couldn't eat in front of people. If the person is right in front of me, and I feel the table is too small, not wide enough, I start shaking inside, I kinda "forget how to eat"...I'll drop food, lose control over my jaw... All of a sudden, some foods become too much to handle, like pastas, steak, even long french fries. That's when it gets even more uncomfortable, and I can't talk at all or lose control over what I say.

I hope confronting it will help you.

[MegaDreamer88]

Yea I don't even know how to chew in front of others. I'm afraid I look like a pig or something. You have a realli good strong voice and express SO much. Keep up the great work.

[Badandy538]

I know exactly what you're talking about....i've been avoiding restaurants for years to the point where it affects my family. I love you positive attitude at the end of the video. Some of that positivity has passed to me and i will not avoid restaurants anymore.

Anxiety exposure is the only way to get through this...

[myartisfashion]

I understand a lot of what you're saying. My anxiety has gotten a lot worse, but I've also gotten better in many ways. If you don't mind me asking, do you have any close friends outside of family? I know anxiety makes relationships so difficult, I feel completely friendless usually, but every time I see my best friend (not often at all) I remember what it's like to feel happy and normal and the anxiety lessens enormously.

[AnxietyChick]

I feel the same way too I havent ate in a restaurant in years.

[tigerlilja1]

I have this exact same problem...back in high school I'd spend lunch block in the empty art room with my bagged lunch instead of eating the raunchy school lunches in the cafeteria. Even now in college, when I must to eat at the dining halls, I try to go at abnormal times so large groups of people aren't around, or I try to get my food to go and get out of there. When I sit in the dining halls, I try to face the wall when I eat if possible..

[Falcons8455]

you said some days ur anxiety isnt as bad as other days. Take note of what you eat or what you are doing different then the days where ur anxiety is really bad. Maybe something in a certain food or something that helps u

[Falcons8455]

wow im afraid of salad bars too! like 99% of the stuff you say on here i have the same problem.

[Aaron5of13]

Do you have any siblings? How do you think sibling size would be with your anxieties? I don't think I'll get better with my anxieties unless I die.

[Bestrong4]

Also I can relate to what you said about when your anxiety kicks in, and your hungry but then you lose your appetite

I have the exact same problem

[Bestrong4]

I can so relate to everything you said in this video

Im the exact same way when it comes to eating out

I get the same problems great vid

[myhalo123]

Thank you, I am not nuts! lol

When I go into a restaurant that is the first thing I do too. Where to sit, who can see me, etc. I have to eat out all the time, and it never gets easier. I even avoid ordering certain things because I think I will look weird eating it.

[theboombody]

Maybe you should drop your food on purpose a few times and see what happens. You get an idea of the worst case scenario that way. It might help you conquer your fears.

I like the stories of Diogenes the Cynic who had no shame whatsoever. I always laugh when I think of the time he gave a philisophical lecture on some theater stage, and after thel ecture was over, he squatted down and, well....let's just say he didn't believe in toilets.

[metals1337]

Thanks so much for sharing. In high school, id eat outside in a park alone - even in the freezing winter. Either that or id not eat anything all day

[asiaqueen4ever]

me too. i get so hungery during the day cause i cant eat in front of ppl especially at skool.

[magicalcharlotte]

Wow. I know exactly how you feel. x

[ClockworkSublime]

You will overcome this some day soon. Your thoughts are not necessarily your own. They are habitual thought patterns that come up every time your in the situation. Detach yourself from these thoughts. They are separate from the real you.

[breezyboo07]

i can totally relate!

eating in front of people is def the worst for me too

[kopadarmano]

I know your feeling. It's great your making videos. Thats really some of the helping. Thanks :) Elin

[iAnasazi]

Try to not take yourself and everything so serious. Try to laugh about it. I mean, after all these years, isn't it kinda funny? I would try to joke around all the time about these silly feelings, about that stupid anxiety bugging me AGAIN. I can't stay serious, that's all too crazy.

Now you look like a more serious person so it may not work out for you and it's hard to get into that mood in the first place if you're not relaxed enough already.

If this is all wrong, forgive me my ignorance.

[socialanxietyvideo]

It'll be helpful to people that you shared this. Lots of people with social anxiety have very similar fears around eating. I did a short article about it in my blog back in Sept '09 but I don't think I can post a link to it in comments.

[dragonflypower]

You look great!

[johee626]

nobody cares about the way you eat....they are with their own friends or family. they are more focused with their own food and own conversation