How to overcome CIBOPHOBIA - Fear of Food

WHAT IS CIBOPHOBIA ?

Cibophobia is a medical term describing a mental disorder that causes a severe and often incapacitating fear of food. This psychological condition should be differentiated from disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, which involve a fear of eating. It’s of two types – some specific food or food group aversion or the fear of swallowing food thinking eating can be risky. Having a scary image of foods in your mind thinking it will lead to weight gain and body shaming. In the phase of developing the fear of foods, you forget that food is not something which is going to be stored in your body forever. Food gets burned in the form of energy your body utilizes while performing daily tasks.

So the basic thing we should need to learn that eating food in a right amount and right time never harms us back. Avoiding food is not the healthy way to meet our desire body requirements, nutrient such as carbs, starch, fat and calories is essential for our body growth. 

Before going on the treatment of Cibophobia let's see the symptoms of it- 

• The fear of food leads to excessive obsession regarding how food is cooked or about expiry dates on edible items. This leads to overcooking or avoiding meat completely, refusing to eat in certain restaurants etc.                                                                          
• Some phobics eat and drink very little leading to nutritional deficiencies and health problems. Often their condition is mistaken for anorexia or other eating disorders.                              
• The phobic lives in constant fear that s/he will choke on food. S/he might vomit, cry or throw a temper tantrum when coerced into eating.                                                                 
• Some kids and teenagers refuse to eat solid foods. Their diet has to be supplemented with adequate protein rich soft foods and vitamin/mineral supplements to maintain their health.  Their condition often leads to arguments in the family. Distress and difficulties with peers at schools are also common.                                                                
• Sleep related issues, nocturnal diuresis, nightmares and refusal to sleep alone, temper tantrums and other behavioral issues are also commonly seen in such children.          

So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to continue this way only or have a mindset up to overcome your fear of foods but can’t? Well, if so then you must try this suggestion gradually in your life to eat happily anything like others.

Here's the treatment of cibophobia 

Structured diagnostic and behavior tests must be conducted to assess the extent of patient’s avoidance and fear of food. The patient must be asked to attempt a number of sequential steps like: approaching and eating three or four feared foods, sitting next to the food, holding a spoon, filling it with food, lifting the spoon, touching the food to his lips, putting the food in the mouth, chewing and swallowing it. Parents/therapists must note various symptoms throughout these different steps. At home, a daily or weekly record must be kept to note the food and drink items that have been consumed by the phobic. This must be done over a period of at least 6 months with a weekly review session with the therapist.

But wait, cant we treat this with our own self ? There are many little things that can done by our own self and by them we can overcome this phobia. So lets check some of them. 

1) Try to say yes - 

• Rather than saying no to what you don’t eat or drink, try saying yes to it. For instance, instead of saying you can’t drink milk because it tastes bad try saying you want to drink milk because it’s healthy and makes you stronger.

2) Play with food - 

• Search out for a fun way to incorporate new fear food in some recipe of some sort so that it becomes easier for you to eat it in a different way without facing any taste dislike issues.

3) Increase the amount of food - 

• Gradually increase portions of new food with little more every next time you have it. If you will eat the larger portion of new food at one time, might possibly flip the situation and worsen it more.

4 ) Think about food in a positive way -

• Stop viewing foods as good or bad food as it will only make difficult for you to eat a new food. Considering all food items from one perspective will increase the chance to include them in your diet easily.

5) Mix fear with love 

• Try introducing that new ‘fear’ food along with familiar foods you generally eat or like to eat. In this way, you can physiologically accept the new food all together with food you like to eat on daily basis.

It's all on you

Fear of food or Cibophobia is mostly seen in youngsters which has unhealthy effects on body and also on lifestyle. If you really want to overcome the fear of food you have to understand the natural concept of how well-balanced food is important to lead a healthy and active life. Also, we have discussed the tips you can follow to over this fear. Make food your strength, not your weakness.