Eating in public may sound simple, but for some people, it can feel like a massive thing.
And for teens, this can be especially difficult at school.
So if you’ve ever felt anxious about eating at school or in front of anyone, this guide is for you.
Let’s talk about it ….
What does this kind of worry look like?
- Feeling sick or lose your appetite at the thought of eating in front of people.
- Worry that others will judge you for how or what you eat
- Avoid lunch all together, or pretend your not hungry
- Feel shaky, panicky, or upset around food at school
- Only feel able to eat alone or at home
These are valid feelings and you are not alone, but your body needs food to make energy – especially during a busy and long school day.
So it is really important to find ways to help with this.
Why you might feel like this?
There are loads of reasons why you might feel like this and no two people are the same.
Some possible reasons include:
- You might feel self-conscious or judged by your classmates
- Big life changes ( such as puberty, school stress, or social situations) can increase anxiety
- Sometimes it links to deeper worries or past experiences
- Or it builds up over time and there isn’t a clear reason why
It can be confusing making sense of this, but you don’t need to have all the answers about why this happens to get support.
What can and might help?
You don’t have to just “get over it” But there are somethings you can do to help.
- Find a quiet place to eat: eating in the canteen can be really intimidating so try eating outside or talk to your pastoral teacher to see if there is a quieter place for you to eat
- Bring a friend: having someone you trust around can make a big difference
- Start small: it’s ok if you can’t manage a full lunch at first, try starting with just a snack you like and then build up from there.
- Practice at home or in low pressure situations: eating with family, or one friend, or in front of a mirror can slowly reduce the fear.
- Keep something with you: whether it’s a fidget toy or calming music , or even just something from home in your pocket.
Please speak to someone
This could be a parent, carer, teacher, pastoral teacher, or school counsellor.
You could say something like:
“ I’ve been feeling really anxious about eating at school, and I don’t know how to deal with it”
They will want to make sure that you feel comfortable and can offer you the right support for day to day.
For example, getting lunch items that work for you or finding somewhere quiet for you to eat.
But if you are skipping meals or not eating enough as a result of your feelings then please see a doctor.
Doctors are there to support you and will have experienced this with others with these feelings.
You deserve to feel safe and supported !
School, and teen life is full on as it is without having to worry about lunchtime too.
Avoiding food may feel easier in the short term but your body and brain really need energy to cope with the day.
So please reach out and know that with time things will get better, I promise.
By Karis Harwood
