How you eat in public vs how you eat alone
Do you eat differently depending on where you are or who you are with?
In case you were wondering, eating in public can give many people anxiety.
As much as that may seem arb and silly to some, others have a serious fear when required to eat in public or with other people.
A video that got us thinking about this fear, which is clinically termed, Deipnophobia, was shared on Instagram. It showed a young woman eating in public. The thing is she was not afraid of eating in public and looked like she was enjoying her food.
Have a look at the video that sparked the conversation around this topic below, courtesy of Instagram.
We can say with confidence that after watching this, our fear of eating in public just got unlocked. It is one thing being at a function where photographers and videographers insist on taking photos and videos of the guests eating, but this is a whole other thing.
The power of people owning smartphones and the ease of uploading content onto public platforms without any consideration of people's personal information is a major problem.
"Some people are horrified to be seen eating. They are afraid of looking disgusting or being judged by what they eat. This severe anxiety about eating in front of others is called deipnophobia. It can be crippling to the point where people suffering from it develop eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia." (1stpersondevelopment)
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What's worse is that not everyone is empathetic to people who suffer from this unusual fear.
Here are some tips on how to manage your fear of dining out, courtesy of 1st Personal Development:
- Take deep breaths - this is a lifesaver in all stages of anxiety and doesn't differ from eating out in public.
- Find an alternative - Instead of feeling pressure to eat, drink some water.
- Take a bathroom break - this is an underrated act, by removing yourself from an awkward situation you can end the feeling of anxiety.
- Have support - instead of saying no to the whole thing, take something light or small to eat with a friend or family member who can offer support.
- You are not alone - social anxiety is real and if you have the courage to seek help, you will learn that you are not alone in this.
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Image Courtesy of iStock/Kar-Tr