Since she was a toddler, one woman has had a “fear of food” so bad that she hasn’t eaten anything but cheese sandwiches her whole life, and she’s 29 years old.
Mother-of-two April Griffiths said that she even spent a small fortune on hypnotherapy sessions so that she can eat something other than a cheese sandwich but her obsession still remains.
April, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, said: “Every time I attempt to try new things, I have a panic attack, my whole body begins to shake, and I am terribly nervous.”
Watch the interview with April below.
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Video credit: Rumble
“The fear of choking and experiencing a different texture of food scares me and even though I have tried to eat pea-size portions of rice, pasta or vegetables, I have never been able to swallow it without throwing up.
“It has become very awkward for me to go out for meals with new people as I have to explain why I am ordering a cheese sandwich and it often becomes the talk of the table.
“When I first met my partner of nine years, Leigh Kendall, 34, I had to pre-warn him about my food phobia to save myself of the embarrassment on our first date.
“I chose a fancy restaurant that I have been before where they are okay with me ordering the usual, whereas I have been out for dinner before and they have refused which was awkward.
“Leigh used to always try and encourage me to eat something new but it is impossible, I think this will be my diet for the rest of my life.”
“I am bored of cheese sandwiches and even with years of counseling, I am unable to overcome my phobia.
“Sometimes I have a cheese toasts to mix it up, but I must eat it when the cheese is hot because I start to gag when it cools down and the texture changes.
“It sounds silly but if I have sliced cheese I have to avoid thinking about it because the texture is completely different to my usual grated cheese sandwich.
“But I don’t have a panic attack because I know it is still cheese and I can eat toast as I know bread is safe to eat.
“I would love to eat a roast dinner, but I couldn’t face it – the vegetables, potatoes, and meat all touching make me feel sick.
“The only other thing I can stomach is crisps and that is the only excitement my taste buds get so I always pick a flavored pack.
“I usually eat cheese and onion crisps or prawn cocktail and treat myself to sour cream pringles on special occasions.”
After two hypnotherapy sessions in 2014, she was able to overcome her panic attack just once to try something new.
But the sessions were too expensive for the online saleswoman and she reverted to her usual fare.
Her cheese sandwiches either have Mature Cheddar or Red Leicester.
April has taken to eating in another room because her son Charlie, 2, has started to notice her unusual diet and wants to eat the same as her. But she doesn’t want him to develop the same eating disorder as her. April has another child, Daisy, who is eight months old.
She adds: “When I was a baby and moving from milk to solid foods, my parents became extremely worried as I wouldn’t eat or vomit straight away.
“A lot of people say my parents weren’t tough enough but that isn’t the case, I am genuinely scared of food and always have been.
“They have had so many nights crying and stressing over it, they took me to our GP but there wasn’t anything medically wrong with me and there still isn’t – I have been told by doctors I am healthy.
“The only vitamins I get are from orange juice, I drink three large cartons a day.
“I have been in and out of counseling since a child, but it has never worked, the only time I have been somewhat ‘cured’ is when I had hypnotherapy.
“I had two sessions and I managed to eat rice a couple of months after which was a massive deal for me, I was so proud.
“But it was £300($375) a session and I simply couldn’t afford it; I hope one day something will be available on the NHS.”
Leigh, April’s partner, and an IT manager said: “I was shocked at first but now it is the ‘norm’ but I do hope in the future April’s diet will change as it might not affect her now but in years to come she might have serious health issues.”
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