Those posts describe somewhat different OCD symptom domains, but the social fears sound quite similar to what you’re describing. Absolutely not. Symptoms of Postpartum OCD (ppOCD) Common symptoms of postpartum OCD include fears of accidentally or intentionally harming your child. | Fear is a central element in every anxiety disorder, and OCD is no exception. Never thought it could be OCD but looking around this forum it seems likely... Another mental illness to add to the list. I also discussed it more extensively in my post on compulsive swallowing. The other is more a food aversion, where certain food textures or odours cause. Your goal should be to resist rituals (i.e., compulsions) that involve clearing your mouth of excess saliva. Some of the other compulsions I. would have to act out included: counting whenever I walked up or down steps, going through specific channels on the TV before I could select the channel I actually wanted, always making sure the pillows and towels were organized a certain way, picking up and putting down objects a certain number of times, turning the lights on and off in a specific pattern, never doing anything in multiples of threes, and many more. It appears you entered an invalid email. The OCD was not about to leave just because something else had come up. I realize that this is an anxiety of dying and that the choking fear is a symptom of that initial anxiety. When he was afraid of choking and not eating solid food, a … Many kids with anxiety have a fear of choking. There are two distinct types of eating phobia. Those with this phobia are often afraid of swallowing, but not because of the process of swallowing. if I ate I was going to choke and die, but if I didn’t eat I would end up dying eventually. Aging is the most natural thing, yet many of us fear it. This means that so can you. The compulsion was for me to think the thought through in two groups of four followed by another two groups of four. It was something I, at the time, did not think I would ever make it through, yet I did. Having a choking feeling or a lump in the throat feeling is a common symptom of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and others.. To see if anxiety might be playing a role if you have a choking feeling, rate your level of anxiety using our free one-minute instant results Anxiety Test or Anxiety Disorder Test. This can start with eliminating chewy meats but the restrictions can pick up momentum from there. nauseous feelings or even vomiting. I've never heard of anyone with a choking phobia and it leaves me feeling really alone and scared that I'm actually a crazy person. I now spent literally all-day, everyday acting out and thinking through compulsion after compulsion so that I would not choke the next time I ate. The repeating thoughts were not all I had to do for my OCD. I remember feeling absolutely terrified for my health and completely trapped. Great question. Instead of for no reason, I always had a reason. Pseudodysphagia is an unnatural and irrational fear of choking or swallowing that causes a person to believe s/he will become ill or die if one tries to eat solid foods. Some people are afraid that they will be unable to breathe or swallow while their mouths are numb. Instead, they are afraid that swallowing will … A fear of choking … Loosely defined, the fear of acting out obsessive thoughts in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) means the fear of making unwanted behavioral decisions either against one's own will or in a state of uncontrolled madness. Hypersensitivity is when you become too sensitive to the way your body feels, so … Posted by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D. in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety. As is the case with virtually every other phobia that exists, someone with anginophobia can expect Obsessions are unwanted intrusive thoughts and, as such, they can be as numerous as thoughts themselves. Other names for this phobia include sitophobia where sito is Greek for food. I touched on the intersection of OCD and social anxiety in my post about the fear of cursing/swearing/blurting out obscenities. Pseudodysphagia – The fear of choking often after a bad eating experience. Experience with swallowing- or choking-related fears? I feel as if my body will stop me from swallowing part way through and I will choke or drown. I remember feeling absolutely terrified for my health and completely trapped. Alternatively, you could spit into a cup of water, swirl it around, and then drink it. … Some of the other compulsions I would have to act out included: counting whenever I walked up or down steps, going through specific channels on the TV before I could select the channel I actually wanted, always making sure the pillows and towels were organized a certain way, picking up and putting down objects a certain number of times, turning the lights on and off in a specific pattern, never doing anything in multiples of threes, and many more. So, where does the phobia come in? In addition, while the mean age of OCD in children is between 9 and 10 years of age, P… There was a very specific pattern by which those words had to be repeated. It is sometimes confused with pseudodysphagia (the fear of choking). I was diagnosed with ocd at 8, and have been “used” to developing sudden irrational fears that required compulsions to handle. But, it is taking over my life. The restriction of airways is a cause for alarm, but sometimes fear of the potential of chocking, being choked or even being smothered can cause alterations in the behavior of those suffering from Pnigophobia or sometimes known as Pnigerophobia.. So when it moved on to choking. I went from being a meat eater to only eating vegetables. However, treatment will fail if it does not target your specific feared outcomes. I had no idea, but I did what it “told” me to do. In my mind, if I ate I was going to choke and die, but if I didn’t eat I would end up dying eventually. Become a Mighty contributor here. Fear of stabbing your child. People that are overcome by the persistent issue that if they consume solid foods they will choke and potentially die will wind up taking on a really restrictive diet regimens to safeguard themselves. The fear of coughing or choking on your own saliva can be effectively treated through exposure and response prevention (ERP). The words I repeated to myself hundreds of times daily for the better part of six months. I developed a sudden fear of choking when I was 17. I would get so frustrated that I would break down crying with my anxiety skyrocketing because the OCD feeling wouldn’t go away (I can’t think of or do anything else while I am completing these compulsions). FIRST: Quora is not the place to seek medical help. For example, you might practice having conversations and/or singing with spit in your mouth. Based on your description, it’s also possible that your swallowing behaviors reflect tics rather than OCD. Why would this sudden urge come over me and make me act out or say certain things over and over again? Privacy Common dental choking fears include choking on saliva, choking on dental instruments, and choking on gauze. My repeating phrases twice turned into four times and then two groups of four and eventually four groups of four (so 16 times). …or continue the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. So, where does the phobia come in? No, in fact, it decided it would be a great time to mix in with this intense phobia of choking. Well, like I said, I was in grade 10, trying to navigate my way through the everyday challenges of being a 15-year-old girl in high school, yet I was. After reading the questions you have asked I suggest you seek professional help. I was terrified all of the time and completely exhausted and weak from constantly acting out compulsion after compulsion. “. It's a fear of losing control of my body and mind and doing the things I'm most scared of. Questions? Comments? I couldn’t just repeat the words in my mind whenever and however I wanted. These compulsions were small and didn’t interfere too much with my life (flicking on and off the light twice or repeating “don’t worry” in my mind two times for no reason). If tics are ruled out and you begin exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, keep in mind that you will likely have to engage in many exposure repetitions. No one likes to consider the prospect of choking. Through intense therapy, medication and my own determination, I slowly began to introduce certain foods back into my life and over the course of about a year I was able to completely conquer my phobia of choking. For many people (even those without OCD), this type of exposure can be challenging. The fear of coughing or choking on your own saliva can be effectively treated through exposure and response prevention (ERP). I was also scared I would never get better and would eventually die from the lack of nutrition in my body. Fear that you will act on an unwanted urge to hurt or kill your child. Fear of death OCD is a type of OCD in which obsessions are focused on the subject of death. Is your swallowing volitional? There was a very specific pattern by which those words had to be repeated. You might practice stuttering on purpose, tripping over your words, or “freezing up” intentionally so that it looks like you don’t know what to say. I surprised myself, and if I could get through that, then I can get through whatever else comes my way. The OCD was not about to leave just because something else had come up. If you are afraid of potential embarrassment due to coughing or choking while speaking, your symptoms might actually reflect underlying social anxiety (rather than somatosensory OCD). I remember multiple occasions where I would be trying to complete an OCD thought for over 30 minutes. OCD can really take a toll on one’s life, but the mind is powerful and through proper treatment it is possible to overcome such a disorder. Many people find that their fears worsen when the chair is … Coughing and choking can be uncomfortable but these symptoms are not dangerous. Well, like I said, I was in grade 10, trying to navigate my way through the everyday challenges of being a 15-year-old girl in high school, yet I was about to face the most challenging six months of my entire life. Instead of every now and then, I was repeating phrases, Instead of for no reason, I always had a reason. It is not the most typical OCD in the sense that the worries and doubts people who suffer from fear of death OCD have, are very common. I now spent literally all-day, everyday acting out and thinking through compulsion after compulsion so that I would not choke the next time I ate. Bathophobia – The fear of depths can be anything associated with depth (lakes, tunnels, caves). Other creative OCD exposures might involve placing a small amount of honey in your mouth and then immediately having a conversation. Relaxation is a must. Notice how I didn’t say “If I don’t repeat this thought sixteen times.” This is because that was not the compulsion. But coped nonetheless. So when it moved on to choking. Tics are more likely to occur when we’re anxious (performing in front of others) than when we’re not (practicing when alone). In my mind. And guess what? All-day, everyday, I would be consumed with the fear of choking and of when I would have to try to eat next. However, your disgust response will decrease with practice. I couldn’t just repeat the words in my mind whenever and however I wanted. 2021 Mighty Proud Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If the behavior isn’t fully volitional, it might reflect a tic. Phagophobia, or the fear of swallowing, is a relatively rare and quite specific phobia. I've already talked about the medication fear above. Sudden dramatic onset is the most salient characteristic and differentiates PANDAS from a more frequent pediatric OCD presentation – which involves subclinical symptoms becoming gradually more severe. Always continue the exposure until your anxiety has decreased significantly. about to face the most challenging six months of my entire life. It felt like there was no way out. They can be afraid they are going to choke, throw up or get sick. Absolutely not. However, treatment will fail if it does not target your specific feared outcomes. “If I don’t repeat this thought four times, then four times, then another two times of four, I am going to fail this test, or I’m not going to get invited to the party, or they will pick on me in class, or I will get really sick, etc.”. No, in fact, it decided it would be a great time to mix in with this intense phobia of choking. Incapacitating fears and anxieties seem to come on “overnight” with many parents being able to name the exact day when their child changed. In some cases, suicide obsessions may be primarily associated with fear about the implications of having suicidal thoughts — e.g., the fear of being bad or sinful, the fear of offending God, the fear of becoming depressed, the fear of developing a severe mental illness, or the fear of having to undergo an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. The fear of never being able to stop thinking about or focusing on their swallowing, or beating heart, can cause intense anxiety in OCD sufferers. are welcome to see me for individual therapy to work on these issues. The International OCD Foundation says that in the United States alone, as many as 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 200 children have OCD. Why was this the case? If it’s volitional, what happens if you resist the urge? You could try forms such as meditation, guided visualization, yoga, and … Many times, I would actually have to repeat the entire thought process over again and again until it felt right because thinking the thought over the first four, then four, then four, then four times wouldn’t satisfy my OCD mind. What might happen if you don’t swallow? Social anxiety fears can be targeted via behavioral exposures that do not actually involve saliva swallowing. They can be afraid their food is poisoned, disgusting or too chewy. Kids with anxiety and OCD can worry they might get sick from their … Some kids get so fearful they eventually go on a liquid diet. I tell this story because it was one of the most difficult periods in my life. It turns out that pseudodysphagia, or the fear of choking, is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is currently on its fifth edition (DSM-V). Cacomorphobia – The fear of fat people. If you stop your exposure upon choking or coughing, you run the risk of inadvertently strengthening your fear. Stick with it, and your efforts will pay off. It was something I, at the time, did not think I would ever make it through, yet I did. The repeating thoughts were not all I had to do for my OCD. I now spent literally all-day, everyday acting out and thinking through compulsion after compulsion so that I would not choke the next time I ate. One is an inability. I therefore stopped eating and even had trouble swallowing liquids. Through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), I simultaneously worked on overcoming my OCD and although it continued to persist in my life over the next few years, I had much more control over it. Mentally engaging in the fear of choking, better known as Phagophobia, is an instance of the sort of hypochondria-related problem that can significantly disturb the way one lives their life. Choking phobia is an apparently rare condition characterised by an excessive fear of choking to death on food, drink, medicines or tablets. “, I remember multiple occasions where I would be trying to complete an OCD thought for over 30 minutes. My issue today is that out of nowhere, it seems that I have developed a fear of choking about 6 months ago. It wasn’t that simple though. because the OCD feeling wouldn’t go away (I can’t think of or do anything else while I am completing these compulsions). Why was this the case? “If I don’t count each step I walk up, I’m going to choke. That's roughly 2 to 3 million adults and a half million kids. It felt like there was no way out. While there is no physical change that causes this choking feeling, there are many reasons that this "choking" sensation may occur: Hypersensitivity The most likely explanation for the choking sensation is hyper-sensitivity, which is a very common problem for those that suffer from anxiety attacks. I tell this story because it was one of the most difficult periods in my life. They get so consumed with this fear that they start to restrict what types of foods they eat. But coped nonetheless. Affects some anorexics/bulimics. When you do cough, it is critical that you continue with the conversation. But it wasn’t just the phobia I was dealing with. It was late November and one evening it felt like I choked on a bagel that I was eating before bed. Dear Dr. Schwartz I have a terrible sense of fear when I am eating or even drinking. This incident traumatized me so much so that I developed a severe phobia of choking. Terms. I discuss this idea in a different context here: feared outcomes in OCD. It was late November and one evening it felt like I choked on a bagel that I was eating before bed. Anxiety and OCD can ooze into our children’s eating habits. You have an obsession, not just a fear and whatever you have read has made it worse. It wasn’t that simple though. The OCD was not about to leave just because, something else had come up. In particular, when OCD manifests itself as disordered eating, it is commonly misdiagnosed and treated incorrectly as an eating disorder. OCD and Fear. My OCD mind was never at rest. I developed a sudden fear of choking when I was 17. Gerascophobia – The fear of getting old. Eventually, though, things began to spiral out of control. If you are afraid of swallowing saliva because you fear that it’s disgusting and/or dangerous, you should practice actual saliva swallowing. Center for Psychological & Behavioral Science | 11380 Prosperity Farms Road #209A | Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410, fear of cursing/swearing/blurting out obscenities, OCD Scriptathon 2017: A Group Scripting Experience. I assumed it was ocd and went to the doctor where I was prescribed zoloft 100mg. They can worry they might get too full, too sick or get too contaminated. Induced by the media. Not once did acting out a compulsion actually make me less scared that I would not choke the next time I ate. Fear of shaking your baby to death. I became overall not healthy at all. For the next six months I was absolutely terrified of putting anything down my throat for fear of choking. OCD fears based on saliva swallowing itself can also be tackled directly through non-avoidance and exposure exercises. If tics are a possibility, you should schedule an individual consultation with a psychologist or neurologist in order to establish a proper diagnosis. For people with a fear of swallowing or drinking saliva, there are several possibilities. My repeating phrases twice turned into four times and then two groups of four and eventually four groups of four (so 16 times). to swallow for fear of choking, which may lead to the rejection of most solid foods.. I am 44 now and have had this complaint since I was 17. Share below…. Eventually, though, things began to spiral out of control. The major difference is that those with phagophobia are afraid of the act of swallowing, while those with pseudodysphagia are afraid that swallowing will lead to choking. We want to hear your story. This was therefore especially challenging when I was around other people and having to socialize or focus on something else which, in grade 10, was all of the time. If there’s sufficient interest and we’re able to identify enough people with overlapping symptoms, I would also love to start up a Sensorimotor OCD Treatment Group. “I’m not going to choke, I’m not going to choke, I’m not going to choke, I’m not going to choke.”. © It started out with just a few compulsions I would have to act out and I had no idea why I was doing what I was doing. South Florida residents (and those visiting Palm Beach County, FL – Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, etc.) As always, I recommend working with a therapist who specializes in OCD, as this will help you avoid any potential pitfalls associated with exposure. These were the early days of my OCD — the days where I could tolerate the obsessions and compulsions. Oops! I assumed it was ocd and went to the doctor where I … These examples of intentional mistake practice can help you become less frightened of the potential social consequences of getting interrupted while speaking or singing. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Are you choosing to swallow in order to prevent phlegm from changing your vocal tone or in response to an urge to swallow? Fear of choking your child. I was in grade 10 (15 years old) and OCD had taken over my entire life. No, in fact, it decided it would be a great time to mix in with this intense phobia of choking. This incident traumatized me so much so that I developed a severe phobia of choking. During these exposures, don’t let your fear of coughing/choking cut your interactions short. Instead of every now and then, I was repeating phrases all the time. But it wasn’t just the phobia I was dealing with. I would get so frustrated that I would break down crying with my anxiety skyrocketing. Again, if this has become such a problem that you can't swallow any pills, you'll probably have to work on it directly with a therapist (just as someone would work on the fear of driving or public speaking). The word Pseudodysphagia comes from Greek Phagophobia where “ phagein ” means eating and “ phobos” means deep dread, aversion or fear. It is more usually associated with food or pills rather than with fluids and sufferers typically have difficulty with eating. Fear of beating your child to death. However, it’s also possible for social phobia symptoms to coexist with sensorimotor OCD. I was diagnosed with ocd at 8, and have been “used” to developing sudden irrational fears that required compulsions to handle. I was terrified all of the time and completely exhausted and weak from constantly acting out compulsion after compulsion. Pseudodysphagia is the fear of choking. OCD Continues to be Misdiagnosed and Treated Incorrectly Despite the recent increase in public awareness of OCD, there is a strong need to improve education about less well-understood forms of OCD. You could spit into a cup and then practice drinking it. Consistent with general exposure and response prevention (ERP) principles, your exposures need to address your specific feared outcomes.