Food that stresses you out or is trauma related?

[Phoenix78]

I just want to know if its normal to have a food that makes you either physically ill (not allergic) or have a panic attack just from smell or sight alone? Is it weird? For me its tater tots, smell and taste and sometimes just seeing them is bad. We have found some alternative for when everyone else wants them but I still cant eat anything like them without smothering them in spices or a sauce. 

[sheepie uwu]

I'm not a doctor, but I think it's a normal variable reaction to your specific circumstances.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9382990/

[Guest DaDinosaur]

even us bigs have foods we link to trauma, I spent 3 months in a burns unit at a  childrens hospital when I was 10, it was a terrible experience and at times still haunts me,  but every meal they served gree beans that were boiled to mash, I couldnt eat them for many years and would gag at the thought, until a friend used fresh beans in a salad and I discovered that I liked fresh beans, even to a point where I can have them steamed and enjoy them.  Cheers  

[MissNMTX]

When I was a kid my sister and I had a Disney villain step monster in our lives for about a year. We had a traumatic food experience with brussel sprouts. Now that we're grown we both love brussel sprouts. Everyone we eat them together (at the holidays or something) we give each other a high five for overcoming childhood trauma!

[ArthurMitchell]

Hi! I Love this thread

[ArthurMitchell]

It’s interesting how certain foods can trigger stress or even bring back difficult memories. For me, it’s less about the food itself and more about the environment or moment tied to it. Having a comfortable, positive dining experience can make all the difference places like  olerys meny show how atmosphere and good food together can reshape those associations in a healthier way.

[Journey]

Most foods I can tolerate, but there are some foods that I would involuntarily gag or shudder if I ate them. I am not sure if it is an allergy or what, but the reaction is automatic. 

There was one other food that I ate in excess to the point where I can't stand it anymore. I overindulged and now it is no longer something I like. 

[Xylem83]

On 9/8/2025 at 5:24 AM, Phoenix78 said:

I just want to know if its normal to have a food that makes you either physically ill (not allergic) or have a panic attack just from smell or sight alone? Is it weird? For me its tater tots, smell and taste and sometimes just seeing them is bad. We have found some alternative for when everyone else wants them but I still cant eat anything like them without smothering them in spices or a sauce. 

Not abnormal. I recall watching a crime procedural with a babysitter around 5, staying up way too late, totally engrossed, and fed way too much popcorn. I puked it all out later that night, and to this day I still can't stand the smell of popcorn (though the nausea has faded).

[BabyPoppy]

Mine is Poptarts... specifically brown sugar cinnamon... I have had tummy problems since I was a baby and not much supervision with food. I did a lot of the cooking starting around age 6 - 7, with casseroles, so anything mushy like casseroles are all kinda triggering for me, but the biggest is the Poptarts!

My mom used to buy them for us to have for breakfast since she was gone by 6 am everyday and I got my siblings up for school. I've had corn, soy allergies plus a lactose problem since idk... age 3 maybe earlier,  but I ate whatever we could afford.

When I was 10 on a Saturday, we'll just say I wasn't feeling well, but had to eat something and my mom was ummm occupied... I ate a whole 12 pk box... it decided to come back up repeatedly about 30 - 40 times and I landed in the ER for meds and fluids, missing a day of school. I also missed my 4-H Family Night and I was in so much trouble for eating a week of breakfast on a Saturday.. I still can't even buy them and get nauseated when I see them! 

Another one is canned salmon... we used to make salmon loaf, salmon patties and other dishes with canned salmon and I always had to pick the bones out of the canned salmon! If I missed even a tiny white bone I was made fun of and everyone at the table pretended to choke or gag and would push their plates away saying I wasted a perfectly good meal b/c I missed one bone...

For years I would have flashbacks and panic attacks whenever I saw the can of salmon.  Then, a few years ago, I had flash frozen salmon on the grill and loved it, not knowing what kinda fish it was... I was so surprised that it wasn't the food I was having a negative response to, but the experience and memories. 

So now I buy frozen fish or individual packets without bones... it stopped the reactions I was having and I can eat fish again.