Is it a Disorder?

The last couple years i have developed this phobia toward eating fish. I have eaten fish since i can remember, but now im worried i will have an allergic reactions. The thought of my throat swelling shut and dying keeps me from eating fish. I justify this feeling because i never really loved eating fish in the first place, so it gives me more reason not to. But when i evaluate this thought, i have to ask my self what the heck happened in my brain? I have never had an allergy, and i get anxiety when fish is for dinner. I usually force my self to eat it simply because i know it will not hurt me. How do i fix this issue?

Hi,

This is a fear, like any other, in my opinion. Can you remember what you heard/read in the first place that made you look upon fish-food in this way? These usually start innocently enough, but then we unintentionally allow the fear to grow and grow... i'm claustrophic due to an event that happened when I was a kid, but it's not severe enough that it interrupts my daily life.

So, with that in mind, if the fear isn't going to interfere in your daily life, then perhaps you should not worry too much about it (ironically, by not worrying about it, you might be more likely to overcome it, but indirectly). However, if it is something that you really wish to tackle, then there are ways to do it. The best option (in my opinion) is to plan ahead. I mean, plan a meal sometime in the near future where you are going to eat a small bit of fish. It just has to be a tiny bit... but you have to build yourself up to doing it. Once you eat that and feel ine afterwards, plan the next one. With time, you should feel more comfortable about eating larger amounts.

Take care
Kevin