Fear of being poisoned.

[always-anxious]

I have seen a few posts about this, scrolling far back in this forum. This has been a serious fear of mine for over a year now. I don't really talk about it, because it makes me feel like I'm crazy.. but it's a serious part of what raises my anxiety to such outrageous levels. Even some of my friends who understand my anxiety don't know about this. My one friend who actually does is really understanding, and she doesn't treat me like I'm a lunatic.

If there is a hole in the packaging, the food looks weird, even if a can doesn't open right, I will not eat it. I have thrown out so much food, it's basically like throwing money away. If I've opened a can of soda, or a bottle, and it leaves my sight, I'll dump the rest out. The same with food. It cannot leave my sight, for a second. I don't like eating out at restaurants where I can't see the person making my meal.

This fear has started seriously affecting my eating habits, which isn't healthy. I eat one meal a day. Some days I don't even eat a legitimate meal, simply snack throughout the evening. And I barely drink anything. Recently it progressed to even food at the grocery store.. I was always concerned that someone may have tampered with it. I still don't like buying produce or bread because of this. I'm not sure how I developed this fear in the first place, but it gets frustrating. I'm not sure how to overcome a phobia.. any advice? Can anyone relate?

[anxiousmama2006]

I am like this also.  You are not alone.  I don't mind eating at restaurants, but I won't buy anything that isn't "safety sealed" and I also never turn my back on my drinks or food.  If I leave an open drink at my desk, I generally won't drink it again because I fear that someone has poisoned it. If something, like a jar of pickles, is open in my refrigerator and I don't remember opening it, I will throw it away.  It is really an outlandish, unreasonable fear, but I can't seem to stop.

[totallyphobic]

I suffered from this in the past especially in the early '80's during the Tylenol scare. I basically wouldn't eat unless it was with my family and my grandmother or mother cooked for everyone and I saw everyone eat first. I finally got past most of it by carefully checking packaging. If I buy soft drinks I check to make sure if a bottle it is sealed and sort of twist it at the store or buy cans. I also check all over the counter medications also for safety seals. I wouldn't worry about co-workers tainting food just think what would anyone have to gain?. At home no worries at events I ask a trusted friend to watch my plate in case someone wants to throw it away that way it is safe and also keeps your anxiety secret safe.

[Freyman]

OMG someone I can finally relate too....

I don't fear poison but I fear drugs in my food...I go through all the same stuff as you...sometimes I'll eat like 8 chicken nuggets from a box and call it a day...

Its the worst thing I have ever felt....If you want to talk you can message me! I'm always down to talk about it with someone who can relate.

[MyMiddleNameisHypo]

I am in the same shoes as you.

I have all of the same habits as you always-anxious but mine also includes a terrible fear of eating other people's food as well.

As a matter of fact, I just got back from my neighbors house - they sent home some food so I ate it. As I was eating I started panicking that they had poisoned the food. Needless to say, I threw the food out and here I sit - in a full frenzie.

I also used to work for a place that had weekly luncheons. Everyone would bring a dish from home. I would never eat any of the their food - I would go out to lunch that day.

[seychelles311]

I know this post is kinda old, but I just wanted to say that I have recently developed the same problem. 

My fear started when I got takeout from a Qdoba restaurant, and the rice tasted bitter.  I took a few bites of it, and then stopped eating it because it didn't taste right.  It's cilantro lime rice, so I assumed at the time that they had just put too much lime juice in the batch or something.  Then, a few hours later, I started to think, "what if someone tampered with my food, or put something in the rice?" and it sent me into a panic.  Now here I sit, 3 days later, still worrying that something was wrong with the food because I've had an upset stomach and been nauseated since yesterday, plus I've had headaches, dizziness and my eye won't stop twitching.

I'm trying to tell myself these symptoms are all just anxiety, but now I'm super paranoid and all food from restaurants or that I haven't made myself has become suspect in my mind.  Oh how I hate anxiety.