Is it normal not to be able to swallow due to anxiety? Phagophobia is an irrational fear of choking. This fear can reach the point that the person who suffers from it avoids eating solid foods and therefore ends up putting his or her life at risk. In the most severe cases, people may even avoid swallowing anything, including liquid foods, drinks, and even their own saliva. It is part of anxiety disorders, although sometimes it is also part of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It is a rare disorder, it is estimated that 1 in 500 people suffer from it. However, it may have happened to you in a milder form or to someone you know. In recent years the incidence has increased, but due to the few studies on the disorder, it is sometimes difficult to detect it. Therefore, to know the different symptoms, causes and treatments of phagophobia or fear of chokingcontinue reading Psychology-Online.
Symptoms of phagophobia
There are many symptoms that can help us detect possible phagophobia, including:
- Physical symptoms of anxiety. Physical symptoms such as headaches, increased heart and respiratory rate, high muscle tension, dizziness or vertigo and even fainting and loss of consciousness, high levels of sweating, gastrointestinal problems and feelings of shortness of breath. These types of symptoms correspond to those of anxiety, which is why phagophobia, like the rest of phobias, is considered a .
- Distorted thoughts. The usual cognitive symptoms refer to the different irrational thoughts and beliefs related to the phobia, such as the fear of choking and therefore endangering one’s life.
- Avoidance. Behavioral symptoms refer to the avoidance of the feared situation, that is, avoiding eating solid foods, for example, avoiding social events that involve food, etc.
It is clear that the fear must be irrational and lasting over time to be diagnosed with this disorder.
Causes of phagophobia
The causes why phagophobia develops are usually combined. Among the factors that influence phagophobia, we have:
- Phagophobia is usually related to people with a high self-demand and perfectionism.
- Furthermore, there may also be a genetic predisposition.
- In some cases, the phobia arises due to excessive concern on the part of the person’s parents about choking during their childhood, so this concern ends up being adopted in adulthood.
- On the other hand, as we mentioned, it is more likely to be developed by people with .
- Lastly, the fact of having lived a situation related to choking or having witnessed or heard the story of someone who has experienced that type of situation can be the trigger for the problem.
Treatment to overcome phagophobia
How to get out of phagophobia? It is vital for the person to treat this pathology due to the risk of malnutrition that could be suffered if it continues over time. Overcoming fear of choking is possible with professional support.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. One of the most useful therapies for this type of problem is . Cognitive-behavioral therapy for phagophobia aims to correct the distorted thoughts that are keeping the person experiencing the problem.
- Clarification and achievement of values. As a complement, one can use techniques such as the clarification and achievement of values, that is, one would try to reflect to the person what important aspects of their life they have left aside due to their phobia and one would subsequently see how these areas could be recovered. This is important since due to the phobia the person usually avoids social events since they usually take place around a meal. Consequently, social relationships are lost and family, relationship, social and work problems arise.
- Systematic exposure and desensitization. Subsequently, to overcome the fear of choking, you will carry out, together with the therapist, a gradual exposure to the stimuli that cause you the least fear and ending with the stimuli that produce the most anxiety and fear. These exercises for phagophobia are known as . In some cases, if a real and live exposure of the feared situations cannot be carried out, the exposure that will be carried out will be imagined. Although, this is less effective.
- Relaxation techniques. In order for this exposure to be carried out, the person will have previously been taught different techniques. In addition, these techniques serve to reduce the physical and physiological symptoms mentioned above. We recommend that you do the guided relaxation for anxiety that we leave you below.
In any case, it is of utmost importance that the treatment is carried out by a qualified professional since, if not, it is highly likely that the problem could worsen and could lead to the person’s death.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Phagophobia or fear of choking: symptoms, causes and treatmentwe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Cartaxo, T., Ferreira Leite, V., Araújo, C., & Veiga, L. (2013). When feeding or feeding food.
- da Silva, V.G., & Papelbaum, M. (2009). Eating phobia associated with leanness: a differential diagnosis with anorexia nervosa. J Bras Psiquiatr, 58(3), 205-208.
- Loureiro, ER, Ferreira, AC, Carvalho, J., Xará, MJ, & Pimentel, I. (2016). A case of phagophobia: when or when it confuses us. Portuguese Journal of General and Family Medicine, 32(3), 212-216.