Food anxiety?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone besides me have a lot of anxiety around food safety? I have generalized anxiety disorder and one of the ways it manifests is this huge worry that I’m going to get sick with stomach issues. Food safety concerns are huge for me. I hate eating at parties where other people have prepared food. I get so nervous after I eat out, waiting for symptoms of food poisoning. Even food prepared at home occasionally makes me nervous.

Maybe this belongs more in health/medicine, but I’m just curious if other people’s anxiety manifests in this way as well. I am working with a therapist, FYI.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have this, OP. It probably is a question more suited to the health thread. But I want to commend you for being so self-aware on this issue. You obviously have what it takes to get to a more relaxed place, and I am impressed by you.

[Anonymous]

I eat food that has fallen on the floor. I have cats and DW wears shoes. So, no, I don't have food anxiety.

[Anonymous]

No, I'm quite the opposite. I cook late, and my kids (college-aged) often eat later, so I'm usually in bed before they finish dinner. They are supposed to put away leftovers but sometimes they don't. I've always put them in the fridge the following day, and we've never had a problem reheating and eating later that day.

I have abnormal anxiety about other things, though, so you are not alone in that, OP.

[Anonymous]

You cannot control what irrational subject your anxiety will chose to latch on, OP. I have a panic disorder, and I have generalized anxiety, but my anxieties don't have an identifiable cause, which is weird. I just wake up at 2am in full-blown panic attack, it's terrifying and also handicapping, because I can never recover in time to have a good night's sleep.

Your particular brand of anxiety seems to be more of a phobia, and maybe needs to be treated as such. This means working with a therapist who is specialized with phobias, and can work out an exposure protocol for you. And perhaps you should consult a psychiatrist to check whether you'd benefit from a temporary course of anxiety meds to help you with the exposure therapy.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have what you’re discussing at all, But a coworker does. It sounds like you are much more self-aware and handling it better than he does and I applaud you for that. He wouldn’t eat food that his wife’s parents prepared for probably the first seven years of their relationship and it has caused lasting issues.

[Anonymous]

Nope. But I am a picky eater and get really nervous about eating new (to me) foods, and if it goes badly it's very hard for me to try again. Like I decided to conquer spinach so bought so little the farmer's market vendor didn't know what to charge me (a quarter). and then I was so consumed with cutting it up and putting it in the pan with my eggs that I forgot to wash it. Wound up getting violently ill for a day and a half- maybe coincidence, maybe not. But I haven't been able to eat it since.

[Anonymous]

99% of people here have at least one neurosis and obsessive behavior, especially if you mention money or politics.

Suspect all the people saying no, are really trying to cope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:99% of people here have at least one neurosis and obsessive behavior, especially if you mention money or politics.

Suspect all the people saying no, are really trying to cope.

Ma'am, this is a Wendy's.

[Anonymous]

Food safety-wise? No. I'll eat week old leftovers no problem and usually only rinse my hands with water after cutting meat.

Now order anxiety, that's a whole different thing. You better believe I'm studying the menu two days in advance to make sure I'm making the absolute optimal order. And I always have to slip some mapo tofu or tripe in between my general tso's and sweet and sour chicken so the people at the Chinese restaurant whom I don't know and don't care about me at all don't think I'm some uncultured American swine.

[Anonymous]

Bring a nutrition science professional reveals a lot of things that others don’t think about. Food safety becomes a concern. I tend to eat at home and have rules about what I’ll eat/drink from restaurants and cafeterias.

[Anonymous]

Just because our food supply is so shitty.

[Anonymous]

2 pesto bismol before the meal.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have this. I also have GAD and recently discovered through working with a therapist that I have OCD as well. I was initially surprised by that diagnosis but at the same time my thought patterns make a lot more sense to me now.

I’ve only had food anxiety for the last couple of years and I think it’s is a manifestation of the OCD. My pregnancies exacerbated symptoms of OCD and now perimenopause hormone shifts have caused this new food weirdness.

It’s intrusive thoughts about contamination and getting food poisoning, but I know that’s all it is…intrusive thoughts. I acknowledge them, but I see them for what they are, and try to quickly move on mentally and not let them control my thoughts or actions. I know that I follow basic food safety instructions and that sometimes (not very often thank goodness) people get food poisoning despite being careful. And that’s just how life goes. If I get food poisoning I know I can handle it because I’ve handled it before.


It’s really hard and I’m so sorry you are suffering. This shift of mindset and awareness has helped me. I just think: this is a funny thing my mind does but I have the power to be aware of it and not “listen” to it. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

So I don’t like to eat food that is handled a lot. I even cringe sometimes getting ice cream and the scooper touches the cone. I’m a bit grossed out by cakes or other food that has a lot of hands on it like cookies. I can’t eat Ethiopian or shared food. I don’t like food treats that are given to us as gifts in our kids classes. But I’m fine with people I know, and I don’t fear of getting sick or maybe I do. I just find it unsanitary to touch someone else’s food.