Food phobias: when the sight of an orange causes tachycardia

It may seem strange from the outside, but people really can to be afraid certain types of products. And not out of fear of gaining weight and not in the desire to eat right.

What is the cause of food phobias?

It is not a dietitian who works with a fear of certain foods, but a psychotherapist. According to experts, phobias appear for a number of reasons: due to congenital anxiety, negative memories or events related to food, social fear. For example, people who have experienced severe poisoning may be so afraid of a recurrence that they begin to experience a phobia about the cause of the illness.

As for social fear, this is the fear of condemnation from your environment. For example, if in your environment there are only vegans or adherents of proper nutrition, and you want to eat something meaty and harmful. The constant struggle with your desires in order not to be judged can eventually develop into a phobia.

What are food phobias?

Carnophobia is a fear of meat. For people with this disorder, the sight and smell of meat dishes can cause nausea and dizziness, or even chest pain.

Mycophobia is a fear of mushrooms. A person with mycophobia is very afraid of the dirt in which mushrooms grow. Moreover, they do not like a way to just wash the mushrooms before cooking, the prospect of eating them can cause tachycardia and an attack of panic.

Acerophobia is a fear of sour taste. People with this fear avoid all acidic foods, especially citrus fruits.

Lacanophobia is a fear of vegetables. This phobia leads to the fact that people cannot even pick up vegetables, let alone put them on a plate or eat them.

Phagophobia is a fear of swallowing. This phobia can be really dangerous. The fear of swallowing is so strong that it can induce a gag reflex.

How to deal with phobias?

To get rid of your fear of food, you need the help of a psychotherapist to work through your fears. This causes some discomfort, because you have to literally look fear in the eyes. However, in some cases, getting rid of a phobia is a matter of health, therefore the help of a specialist is simply necessary. The patient may be prescribed hypnotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.

You will be interested to know what is orthorexia and how the desire to eat properly turns into a disease.