I'm a 26 year old male.

I had terrible experience when I was 5 years old, I remember it vividly to this day.

It had to do with me almost choking to death on a quarter. I apparently put a quarter in my mouth, for whatever the hell reason. I got real excited when I heard my father pull up in his car after a long night of work and the quarter slipped and became lodged in my throat.

My entire body turned blue and I lost consciousness. My father was able to dislodge the object by practically squeezing the life and air out of me.

I have much difficulty eating solid foods. I can't eat steak or anything very chewy and tough. I can't take capsules or pills that I cannot break or crush up.

I have GAD and SAD and literally everyone rags on how slow I eat. It is embarrassing This fear has led to a perpetual cycle of anorexia.

I have intense panic attacks, sometimes as a result of my phobia and other times the fear manifests itself during a terrible panic spell.

I never really felt like talking about it. I feel like I'm being whiny, because I don't get pale and faint at the sheer though of it, but it has played a heavy toll on my quality of life.

All I can say from the experience, is there is no torture or death that is comparable(IMO obviously) to not being able to get any oxygen to your lungs as a result of a blockage.

I don't really know how to conquer the fear. I've been bold and tried eating like a normal person, but I don't feel particularly accomplished or any better about my phobia even after I muster up the courage.

Thanks

Welcome to oFear Nesko!

Sorry it isn't under better circumstances.

I can relate to your choking issues - I've developed a fear of choking in the last few years, though it isn't as severe as yours. My tendency to choke on food tends to mirror the amount of stress and anxiety I'm currently going through, and it certainly increases when I'm eating in public!

Considering your other issues, and the impact they have on the quality of your life, if you feel able to (and if you haven't already tried), I recommend trying to talk to some sort of medical professional e.g. doctor, psychologist, to see whether they can be of any source of help.

Oh how I can relate. And this is the first time I have actually heard of others with this phobia. I know that one usually think that one is alone with its problem, but I am sorry to say that I was kind of relied that I read this.

I was two years old when I almost choked on a chicken bone and I grew up trying to hide difficult pieces of food that I could not swallow.
And several times I have had candy, food, bread and even water stuck.

I also cannot swallow pills or tablets, I have to crush them.

But nine years ago my Dr. gave me Xanax to relax me, and that did work. But the curse of these pills (that’s I crush also) is that my life revolves around the medication. Do I have enough, will this box last me for my next DR appointment etc. And is a terrible circle…… panic attack because of fear of empty Xanax bottle, and of course the addiction to these pills.

But still they make me feel normal not high, I can eat. Whiteout fear. So I am very afraid of starting this journey of stop taking the pills. It will be hard and the fear of my phobia is still there, so I am kinda in-between…..
But maybe with help from a chat group like this I can manage

Thanks for reading and listening. I am a 36 year old woman.

I can relate on this subject i used to eat normally until i was about 24 than its started getting worse at one point i was eating 3 bites of mash 3 times a day....and liquids and barely drinking any at that if theirs anything I can say it the destruction it causes to your day to day life most people cannot relate and those who u seek comfort are never around its hard to deal with especially when you have other stressors in ur life i can totally understand and even that Im still going through it now as i type this im eating watered down mash fighting to get it down. I realized though from a spiritual stand point things of this nature must have meaning. It is a harsh and Unfair reality especially when your alone against what seems impossible odds.