I didn't experience this as a child, but…

As an adult, I'm so uncomfortable eating with people like my family or friends that I would wait for them to finish their food and leave the room before I can truly enjoy my meal.

i just don't want anyone to see me eat.

Last night around 2 AM, as everyone was asleep in our place and I was finally getting to my meal, my family member came out from their room and started snacking.

I got angry at my family member, saying that they shouldn't be awake so I can enjoy my food in peace. I know deep down I'm in the wrong, but my compulsion can't be helped.

Does anyone experience this?

Not exactly the same but when Im at work I enjoy taking my lunch alone.

I hate when Im peacefully eating and disconnecting and here comes a coworker or my boss to interrupt… like go away I'm taking a break from y'all as well

Edited May 9May 9 by Kimmo

i kind of do get what you mean and I don't think it's necessarily an eating disorder but maybe a social anxiety thing ? i have this too and it's why i dont enjoy going to restaurants, if i go to a restaurant it's moreso to socialise rather than to enjoy the flavours etc - if my priority is the flavours and food then I'd go alone . when you're eating in a group of people you feel like you can't 100% focus on what you're eating and savour it bc you're also trying to mask socially and keep conversations going etc .. it takes away from the experience of appreciating the food . like just leave me alone so i can truly pig out please

Edited May 9May 9 by May

1 minute ago, Kimmo said:

Not exactly the same but when Im at work I enjoy taking my lunch alone.

I hate when Im peacefully eating and disconnecting and here comes a coworker or my boss to interrupt… like go away I'm taking a break from y'all as well

Nnnnnn I lowkey relate to this, I also can't eat with people who chew with their mouth open or make scratching sounds with their plates and cutlery

I have this too. I thought I was a super slow eater because when I lived with my parents I used to be the last one to finish and it would take like 30 minutes to finish a meal. Now I live by myself I finish most meals in 5-10 mins. I feel like I'm a bit more relaxed on the occasion I do eat in front of others now though

6 minutes ago, Kimmo said:

Not exactly the same but when Im at work I enjoy taking my lunch alone.

I hate when Im peacefully eating and disconnecting and here comes a coworker or my boss to interrupt… like go away I'm taking a break from y'all as well

4 minutes ago, May said:

i kind of do get what you mean and I don't think it's necessarily an eating disorder but maybe a social anxiety thing ? i have this too and it's why i dont enjoy going to restaurants, if i go to a restaurant it's moreso to socialise rather than to enjoy the flavours etc - if my priority is the flavours and food then I'd go alone . when you're eating in a group of people you feel like you can't 100% focus on what you're eating and savour it bc you're also trying to mask socially and keep conversations going etc .. it takes away from the experience of appreciating the food . like just leave me alone so i can truly pig out please

Thank you for relating your experiences

I feel like **** whenever my eating schedule is thrown off by the mere presence of someone in the dining room as me, waiting for them to finish and leave. There are times when I would wait from lunch to almost dinner-time to eat my would-be lunch.

1 hour ago, fememeist said:

Last night around 2 AM, as everyone was asleep in our place and I was finally getting to my meal, my family member came out from their room and started snacking.

I think that is an ED, many of us dislike listening to people chew or whatever else bothers you but if it gets to the point that you have to wait past midnight to eat I think it's a problem I relate to it though, I have to also sorta force myself through it, and I can never do formal dinners because I can't finish my food fast enough, and similarly struggle eating in front of others unless it's just snacks

Edited May 9May 9 by Lithium

I don't think it's an ED but it does sound very extreme and something mental illness related maybe

One of the most annoying things about eating around others (like at work) is that it makes them think they have permission to speak on what you're eating, and how much you're eating. this is what makes me mad. And even at home, my dad will make comments like "that's not enough food" when in the past, he's made comments that implies I'm fat

This is only mildly related to your post topic but I understand where you are coming from.

I don't think what you're experiencing is an ED. It's more of an eating preference or some anxiety like others have mentioned. From your story, it seems it doesn't involve restricting your food intake (which is good).

2 hours ago, May said:

i kind of do get what you mean and I don't think it's necessarily an eating disorder but maybe a social anxiety thing ? i have this too and it's why i dont enjoy going to restaurants, if i go to a restaurant it's moreso to socialise rather than to enjoy the flavours etc - if my priority is the flavours and food then I'd go alone . when you're eating in a group of people you feel like you can't 100% focus on what you're eating and savour it bc you're also trying to mask socially and keep conversations going etc .. it takes away from the experience of appreciating the food . like just leave me alone so i can truly pig out please

I feel this so much - if I'm talking or socializing with someone else, even if it's just one person, I can't immerse myself in the experience of enjoying and savoring the food nearly as much.

So interesting to read about gen z social anxiety / raised on social media peeps

Okay no cap, this reads less like a vibe preference and more like anxiety or a whole compulsion, ngl 😅 like yeah lots of people get the ick eating in front of others, but waiting til 2am and then getting pressed because someone walked into a shared space? sounds absolutely exhausting

and tbh it also kinda gives "i need to control the entire environment and everyone in it" energy?

but real question tho.. why not just... tell the people you live with? like, really tell them, not just a quick "hey i'm weird about this" and bounce. sit down with them, explain what's actually going on, let them understand the full picture. because if they genuinely got it like, deeply understood what this does to u, they'd probably be way more chill about giving you space, and you wouldn't have to be hiding

And obviously after that, maybe hit up a therapist to get to the root of it all? because this sounds like it's running deeper getting professional insight could genuinely change the game

Hope my perspective helps in some way, take care

no it's not an ED at all

i also enjoy eating alone while watching a movie

i never enjoy eating outside or around ppl

2 hours ago, Esteban[·MCR·] said:

Okay no cap, this reads less like a vibe preference and more like anxiety or a whole compulsion, ngl 😅 like yeah lots of people get the ick eating in front of others, but waiting til 2am and then getting pressed because someone walked into a shared space? sounds absolutely exhausting

and tbh it also kinda gives "i need to control the entire environment and everyone in it" energy?

but real question tho.. why not just... tell the people you live with? like, really tell them, not just a quick "hey i'm weird about this" and bounce. sit down with them, explain what's actually going on, let them understand the full picture. because if they genuinely got it like, deeply understood what this does to u, they'd probably be way more chill about giving you space, and you wouldn't have to be hiding

And obviously after that, maybe hit up a therapist to get to the root of it all? because this sounds like it's running deeper getting professional insight could genuinely change the game

Hope my perspective helps in some way, take care

Sis is your name ChatGPT?

tbh i can relate to what you're saying but i don't know if that alone is an eating disorder.

this is how it started with me as a child, not wanting to eat at first at all, then after being put on appetite stimulants i started eating in secret at a very young age and feeling very irritated always when i had to eat around people.

since then i went through periods of almost all eating disorders and still struggling, but getting better slowly

19 minutes ago, jesus del rey said:

Sis is your name ChatGPT?

Save those jokes for another type of thread pls don´t be disrespectful

Theres nothing "wrong" or right about it. That implies you feel some type of shame about it. You dont have to justify yourself to anyone, if it makes you uncomfortable, it is what it is, and theres nothing wrong with that. I think when you appreciate that this internal shame exists and treat it with curiosity, I suspect youll learn something new about yourself (and why the behavior exists in the first place)

I just hate whenever I'm eating alone and someone walks in and interrupts me. It's different if I'm actually eating with, or sharing space, with someone. Once I settle into a vibe, I don't like it being interrupted, eating or otherwise.