Has anyone had phagophobia and recovered from it?

Therapy

I’ve been dealing with phagophobia (fear of swallowing/choking) for about three weeks now and it’s honestly destroying me. I can’t eat. I barely drink. Sometimes I can’t even swallow my own saliva. My throat just feels tight and I panic immediately. I’ve seen multiple doctors — psychologist, psychiatrist, went to the hospital — and nothing is helping so far. I’m already diagnosed with Bipolar II, and this just feels like the final straw. I can’t even take my own medication properly anymore because I’m scared of choking. I’m not exaggerating when I say I feel hopeless. I keep thinking my life can’t get any worse and i start to think seriously about commiting. Has anyone here experienced phagophobia and actually gotten better? How long did it take? What helped you? I just need to know this isn’t permanent.

Posted Feb 22, 2026, 5:01 PM UTC

13
Loading comments…