getting meat anxiety how can i conquer it?

Question

i havent had red meat in 8 years...i hope... i get pretty bad anxiety eating almost anything these days because im so suspicious of where the food actually came from or what meat products may have contaminated it...i really freak out if i think i taste meat...my psychologist told me i should get over it by having a burger and realizing that i wont die...i detest this suggestion and frankly find it offensive..what should i do???

Answer 1

i am a vegetarian and i love animals as well (if that's why you are one)
stop stressing. eat things you know are not meat. just sit down and tell yourself-i am glad i made this decision, but this is not going to run my emotions.
being a vegetarian shouldn't turn you inside-out. enjoy it.
here's a site i think you'll enjoy- www.goveg.com

oh and look at the ingrediant list before eating. it will calm you down.

Answer 2

I would suggest cooking your own food. At least this way you know where it came from, what went into it, and how the food was handled. I am vegan by choice and I order steamed veggies in a restaurant without butter. Do you have any idea how difficult that is for some of these places to prepare? Very! Anyway, enough about that.

Anything that you get that is fried will be fried in deep fryers that have had other foods in them, including egg (from breading), milk, for the same reason as eggs, and various chicken and fish appetizers and meals. You also have to realize, that in a restaurant, they do not have specific grills that they set aside for vegetarian or vegan food, at least, not yet! So, you're going to get meat grease all over your food when you order in a restaurant, no matter what!

There is nothing wrong with not wanting to eat meat, however, if you are going overboard with it, you might want to recheck yourself and see why. I know that sometimes I get eggs in things, as long as I don't have actual meat, where they have to kill an animal to provide a meal for me, I'm cool with it (very occasionally!) An egg to me isn't really an animal yet, and milk products aren't always taboo, though I rarely if ever have them.

I wish you luck, my friend, and good health. I think that the vegans shall inherit the earth, and your decision is sound! :o)

Answer 3

Oh, dear, in my opinion, you should change psychologists. If he or she knows you're vegetarian, he or she should not even think about suggesting that!

Eat only food that you yourself cooked, and dine only at vegetarian restaurants. This is the only way you can ensure that your food has not been contaminated by meat at all.

Check out VegDining.com for a list of restaurants in your area. Here's the link:
http://www.vegdining.com/GetRestList.cfm?rgk=WORLD&CFID=3339652&CFTOKEN=76600130

Answer 4

I work with computers..while this may not seem connected, let me elaborate. What's happening during depression and anxiety is your brain is running this endless loop and using up all of the resources in it's "chemical stew", much like a computer caught in an endless loop. Ever had your computer hang or operate really slow, because it's running some type of background process? Same thing...your brain is working so hard, it's in power drain mode.

Answer 5

You can't control everything, just try to relax and know that any tiny bit that may sneak past your lips wont make a bit of difference. If you keep worrying like this, you will make yourself crazy.

I think your psychologist is wrong and yes, offensive. Tell him that you disagree and would appreciate more respect on the subject, if he insists, find a new doc.

Answer 6

While I agree that is disrespectful of your psychologist to suggest disregarding your beliefs, I think you might be fixating.

Do you suffer from anxiety in general or is it specifically about food?

If you are suffering from a general sense of anxiety (that is unfounded) you may want to discuss treatment with your doctor, such as SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors).

Edit:

Came across this Chinese proverb today, and it reminded me of your question.

"One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of being choked."

Answer 7

Well that depends there Mr... Are you a veggi or a vegan??? There is a big difference there and with out knowing that, most of us may not beable to answer you??

Answer 8

find yourself something productive to do, like get a hobby, or a girlfriend to have sex with, do things to take your mind off it