Do I have anxiety or a phobia?

Hello everyone! I'm not sure what is wrong with me. For as long as I can remember (childhood), I have an intense fear of eating in social situations. Now I am not afraid of being around people, making friends, or speaking in front of people. In fact, I have very good self-esteem. I do not worry about the world, I do not have a fear of being judged. Its just that whenever I am going to eat in a social situation, friends, family, my girlfriend, I become nauseous, have stomach aches, and lose my appetite. I use to think I had a fear of throwing up, but do not anymore. However, sometimes those symptoms described above make me think or fear that I may actually vomit, but it is not a fear of vomit that causes those symptoms. These symptoms mostly occur when I have to eat lunch or dinner around people. They almost never occur at a breakfast meal. The symptoms can become real intense especially if I have to eat around people that I never have before. Also, sometimes the symptoms do not even occur. I may anticipate those feelings before a meal with people but they do not occur. i can go weeks without the symptoms but when they do arrive, I'll experience them for 1-2 weeks.  I am always living with the fear that these symptoms can come at any time. Most of the time, I can slowly "work" my way through the feelings of nausea and stomach aches at a meal with people by eating less, eating small bites, and sipping water. However, people who know me see that I am in distress. I do not know what to tell them because I do not know why I get this way. Also, because I anticipate these symptoms, i will eat less throughout the day or skip a meal so that when the symptoms strike, I can convince myself  that "there is nothing wrong with me and that i am hungry so eat and be merry." However, this tactic does not always work and after I force my food down, for 1-3 hours I can feel nauseous, have indigestion, and even dirrahea. now i would like to add that I have a very huge appetite when i am not experiencing these symptoms. People marvel at how much I can eat. i never feel sick afterwards when I eat huge meals. Any suggestions or information for where to find people like me would be gratly appreciated. thank you.

[remar]

This is a hard one. I have anxiety and have this problem. I hate eating in front of people because being around people can make me anxious and my throat feels tight. You say you don't have anxiety so it could be a phobia, maybe. It sounds like your getting yourself worked up before you have a meal with someone. Are you alright when your eating alone? I wish I could help more but I'm not sure if this is a phobia or anxiety. Take care. Remar

[denistd]

You probably have a moderate agorophia problem, not easy stuff to deal with. Anxiety with this problem is always " anticiapatory anxiety" not a huge problem, anticiapiratory anxiety is almost always what we are thinking before an event. You only need a shrink and some meds. not even the meds maybe. Learn how to relax in private (progressive relaxaton" and then go out and be your unique self.  

[marnee312]

Hey there,

Thinking I maybe do have Agoraphobia...in my first post before this one is what i go through every day..And It all began last Oct. / Nov. when I became bulimic & anorexic..constantly counting calories, not eating over 500 and purging all i could...then had my first panic attack / anxiety attack on Xmas day in the movie theatre! worse day ever, and since then it has been an on going every day thing. I stopped purging in March and have been eating healthier and better..Thought maybe that could have been a role in where my anxiety stemmed from and my avoidance to where I have to go to public places. Especially eating out anywhere, I just sit there wiith food in front of me. My throat closes up and cannot breathe. I have to avoid that whole scenerio and the people make me panic even more. Then I get lightheaded cause I am not breathing correctly due to heart palpitations and it racing, I feel like I am going to die!!! I don't know what's wrong with me..It happens to me every day & I find myself twitching in some ways when I cannot get a good breath..I sort of spasm in controlably..ughhh, I don't know anymore there are just so many symptoms. And me waiting online at a store!! I bug out... :( sweating, breathing, light headidness...everything, Please If anyone knows of anything, let me know :( thnx
Marnee

[Merciey]

This is a puzzle. If I were experiencing what you are going through, I would see a good Psychiatrist and when who understands behavior modification. My guess is that you don't primarily fear eating around people but fear something else that is transferred to this social setting. Just a guess, could be wrong, but I would head to qualified Psych. not just any old therapist, preferably from a teaching hospital.