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This will sound odd, but I am trying to understand my own behavior.
Lately I am getting anxiety attacks. I have never had them before. I have had two recent episodes and both were triggered by a lack of food options. I was out to eat both times, in places that my SO had picked. He loves basically all food and I don't eat pork, beef, anything on a bone, etc. I am a picky eater but usually can find a salad that satisfies me. At any rate, on both of these occasions the place we were eating had really limited menu options outside of the pork/beef range. This is certainly not uncommon, especially as we live in New Orleans. But these particular times I got EXTREMELY irritable and anxious, started feeling like I was choking and going to pass out. Both times I had to leave the table. Both times I burst into tears in the bathroom. I was embarrassed and upset.
I have food allergies and I definitely suffer from IBS. I am lactose intolerant and I was allergic to breast milk as a baby. I don't really enjoy eating most things because of the aftereffects. But I have never had this reaction before. I have lots going on in my life and have been very stressed and anxious in general, but this seems over the top. I am wondering if this is truly a trigger and trying to figure out why.
My first guess would be that the panic attack was caused by anger/hurt you felt toward your partner for picking the place, and maybe not being very considerate of your already-known food issues. The anger/hurt might have been unconscious, and you might not have been aware it was there.
Inability to acknowledge or express anger is a pretty common trigger to panic attacks.
This will sound odd, but I am trying to understand my own behavior.
Lately I am getting anxiety attacks. I have never had them before. I have had two recent episodes and both were triggered by a lack of food options. I was out to eat both times, in places that my SO had picked. He loves basically all food and I don't eat pork, beef, anything on a bone, etc. I am a picky eater but usually can find a salad that satisfies me. At any rate, on both of these occasions the place we were eating had really limited menu options outside of the pork/beef range. This is certainly not uncommon, especially as we live in New Orleans. But these particular times I got EXTREMELY irritable and anxious, started feeling like I was choking and going to pass out. Both times I had to leave the table. Both times I burst into tears in the bathroom. I was embarrassed and upset.
I have food allergies and I definitely suffer from IBS. I am lactose intolerant and I was allergic to breast milk as a baby. I don't really enjoy eating most things because of the aftereffects. But I have never had this reaction before. I have lots going on in my life and have been very stressed and anxious in general, but this seems over the top. I am wondering if this is truly a trigger and trying to figure out why.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I'm just going to throw this out there and it doesn't have to be taken too seriously, but what I was thinking when reading that is that you were suppressing a childish temper tantrum.
I actually was thinking a lot about my reaction. I know that my father always forced us to eat things when we were little, clean our plates as it were, and the food often made me sick. Maybe being in this situation is bringing up those feelings of being out of control? I am going through a lot of stress right now and feel very overwhelmed.
My first guess would be that the panic attack was caused by anger/hurt you felt toward your partner for picking the place, and maybe not being very considerate of your already-known food issues. The anger/hurt might have been unconscious, and you might not have been aware it was there.
Inability to acknowledge or express anger is a pretty common trigger to panic attacks.
Well, I certainly *wanted* to blame him for it, but on one of the occasions, he asked me to pick the place and I was too busy to look at the menus. I told him that anywhere was fine with me. Its such a minor thing so I have no clue why I freaked out. Twice.
I do want him to be a little more sensitive to things I can't eat. But I certainly don't want to limit anyone else's enjoyment.
This will sound odd, but I am trying to understand my own behavior.
Lately I am getting anxiety attacks. I have never had them before. I have had two recent episodes and both were triggered by a lack of food options. I was out to eat both times, in places that my SO had picked. He loves basically all food and I don't eat pork, beef, anything on a bone, etc. I am a picky eater but usually can find a salad that satisfies me. At any rate, on both of these occasions the place we were eating had really limited menu options outside of the pork/beef range. This is certainly not uncommon, especially as we live in New Orleans. But these particular times I got EXTREMELY irritable and anxious, started feeling like I was choking and going to pass out. Both times I had to leave the table. Both times I burst into tears in the bathroom. I was embarrassed and upset.
I have food allergies and I definitely suffer from IBS. I am lactose intolerant and I was allergic to breast milk as a baby. I don't really enjoy eating most things because of the aftereffects. But I have never had this reaction before. I have lots going on in my life and have been very stressed and anxious in general, but this seems over the top. I am wondering if this is truly a trigger and trying to figure out why.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I think you should not eat out for awhile unless you know for certain that there is something you like where you eat. Many times during extra stress these things can happen. It is not unusual at all for someone to have an anxiety attack under new circumstances like you had. The key is to try to avoid those situations. In your case it would be not eating out at all or someplace you are familiar with. I am sure once things calm down in your life you will do better.
You've got to sit the SO down and explain that he can not pick restaurants that don't have food that you can eat. Because you are not going to sit there with nothing, watching him eat.
Men can be thick, they don't read minds, and you have to tell them in very clear language what the problem is, because they are not capable of guessing. Then you will have to remind him over and over. "Did you check to see if I can eat there?" Every time.
Just do that and your restaurant problem will be solved. I don't see any issue with feeling seriously hurt by that level of inconsideration.
My first guess would be that the panic attack was caused by anger/hurt you felt toward your partner for picking the place, and maybe not being very considerate of your already-known food issues. The anger/hurt might have been unconscious, and you might not have been aware it was there.
Inability to acknowledge or express anger is a pretty common trigger to panic attacks.
Agreed. In the bigger picture, this may cause anxiety because his inability/unwillingness to consider your needs/wants/wishes extends into other parts of your lives.
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