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For many of us, sharing meals with others or going out to eat are the primary ways we socialize and celebrate special events, like holidays or birthdays. We may plan a dinner out to reconnect with our spouse or host a large potluck when getting together with friends.
A person who has a fear of eating in front of others will avoid social situations that require them to consume food around other people. They may avoid social gatherings altogether and are unlikely to eat in restaurants. This is because the act of eating around other people produces great anxiety and discomfort.
People who have anxiety related to eating in front of others may be worried they will be judged for what they are eating or how they are eating. They may also experience a sense of shame if they feel others view them negatively for eating too much.
The fear of eating in front of others is a form of anxiety. It may develop as a symptom of social anxiety disorder, which occurs in people who have a fear of being judged or rejected in social situations.1
For someone with social anxiety disorder, eating in front of other people can be incredibly distressing because the person with the disorder worries they will be judged negatively. When it occurs as a result of social anxiety disorder, the fear of eating in front of others can lead people to feel quite self-conscious, and they may have physiological symptoms, such as an upset stomach, racing heart, and sweaty palms when faced with a situation where they are expected to eat with others.
Mental health conditions and eating disorders often occur hand-in-hand, so, in some cases, a person may have both social anxiety and an eating disorder, which can heighten the fear of eating in front of others. A recent study found that fear of eating in public was a common symptom of both eating disorders and social anxiety.5
Not everyone who has an eating disorder has social anxiety disorder, and similarly, not everyone with social anxiety has an eating disorder. However, the overlap between these two conditions could explain why fear of eating in public develops in some cases.
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Regardless of whether it is from a mental health condition, an eating disorder, or a combination of the two, the fear of eating around others comes from underlying anxiety. If you struggle with a fear of eating in public, treatment is the first step toward breaking free from your anxiety. If you’re living with an eating disorder, a treatment program can help you heal your relationship with food and develop new ways of thinking about eating and body image so you’re comfortable enjoying meals with others again.
If social anxiety is a contributing factor, a therapist can help you confront your fear of eating in front of others. A specific form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you overcome negative thoughts surrounding eating, which can alleviate some of the anxiety you experience with eating in public.1
Another type of therapy, called exposure therapy, allows you to work alongside a therapist while gradually confronting your fear of eating in front of other people. You may begin by talking about your fear, then move forward with imagining yourself eating in front of other people, and eventually finish by going out in public and eating with your therapist guiding you.
Reaching out for help for mental health and eating disorders can feel frightening, but you have so much to gain from overcoming your fear of eating in front of others. You’ll be able to enjoy social gatherings and meals out again without suffering from distress or fears of being judged.
Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.
Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.
No. Eating in secret is considered a sign of several eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, but the behavior, in and of itself, is not considered an eating disorder.
Still, if you or a loved one are eating in secret, it could be a sign of something more serious. You may want to follow up with a mental health professional.
Having a fear of eating in public or being embarrassed to eat in front of others could be the result of many factors. One such reason is the presence of an anxiety disorder or an eating disorder. A medically trained professional can help diagnose any underlying issues you might have, as well as help provide treatment options.
Deipnophobia is a social anxiety disorder where an individual is anxious about dining in public or taking part in dinner conversations. It is not listed in the DSM-5 but could be considered a social phobia/social anxiety disorder. Deipnophobia symptoms could include avoidance, fear, elevated heart rate, sweating, and nausea when in a situation where the individual might be forced to eat in front of others. Deipnophobia treatment typically includes cognitive behavioral therapy.
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