4 ms·

I suspect most people with food allergies actually just have an eating disorder, or anxiety/hypochondria issues. I wouldn't rule out sociogenic "food allergies"

by refuse 4y ago

I suspect most people with food allergies actually just have an eating disorder, or anxiety/hypochondria issues. I wouldn't rule out sociogenic "food allergies" either. Look at the gluten-free fad that took off for a while.

autoexec 4y ago
I meant the type of allergy that often results in anaphylaxis. We can be sure that if someone's throat is swelling shut it isn't simply a case of hypochondriasis or someone following the latest food fads. Anxiety can cause shortness of breath or palpitations, but they're going to present very differently in the ER compared to someone experiencing a severe allergic reaction. Even if someone managed to have a somatic illness that actually did cause their throat to swell and close up when exposed to certain allergens (the mind is a powerful thing after all) I don't think it'd make any meaningful difference in the event that it occurred. It would still be a life threatening medical emergency. It might however mean that with help it could be possible for them to stop having the reaction, but I'm not even sure they'd work if their immune system genuinely saw the food as a threat and learned to treat it as such.
yayadarsh 4y ago
This is an absolutely ridiculous claim, it's very clear that you have never met anyone with an allergy (or cared to ask someone about their experience if you have)
- refuse 4y ago
  Actually I have them in my family (epi pen and all), but I've met many more people with false allergies that use them to justify disordered eating habits or something else (hilariously, I've seen someone use their allergies to try and micromanage what everyone else around them can eat, down to how their spouse's coffee is brewed). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-disorders-the-facts/202011/false-food-allergy-and-intolerance-in-eating-disorders https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-disorders-the... https://www.livescience.com/64423-food-allergies-overestimated.html https://www.livescience.com/64423-food-allergies-overestimat... https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2008/0615/p1678.html https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2008/0615/p1678.html https://www.verywellhealth.com/fake-food-allergies-1323997 https://www.verywellhealth.com/fake-food-allergies-1323997 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a5402/food-allergies-eating-disorders/ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a5402/food-aller...

by refuse 4y ago

autoexec 4y ago

I meant the type of allergy that often results in anaphylaxis. We can be sure that if someone's throat is swelling shut it isn't simply a case of hypochondriasis or someone following the latest food fads. Anxiety can cause shortness of breath or palpitations, but they're going to present very differently in the ER compared to someone experiencing a severe allergic reaction. Even if someone managed to have a somatic illness that actually did cause their throat to swell and close up when exposed to certain allergens (the mind is a powerful thing after all) I don't think it'd make any meaningful difference in the event that it occurred. It would still be a life threatening medical emergency. It might however mean that with help it could be possible for them to stop having the reaction, but I'm not even sure they'd work if their immune system genuinely saw the food as a threat and learned to treat it as such.

yayadarsh 4y ago

This is an absolutely ridiculous claim, it's very clear that you have never met anyone with an allergy (or cared to ask someone about their experience if you have)

refuse 4y ago
Actually I have them in my family (epi pen and all), but I've met many more people with false allergies that use them to justify disordered eating habits or something else (hilariously, I've seen someone use their allergies to try and micromanage what everyone else around them can eat, down to how their spouse's coffee is brewed). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-disorders-the-facts/202011/false-food-allergy-and-intolerance-in-eating-disorders https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-disorders-the... https://www.livescience.com/64423-food-allergies-overestimated.html https://www.livescience.com/64423-food-allergies-overestimat... https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2008/0615/p1678.html https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2008/0615/p1678.html https://www.verywellhealth.com/fake-food-allergies-1323997 https://www.verywellhealth.com/fake-food-allergies-1323997 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a5402/food-allergies-eating-disorders/ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a5402/food-aller...