h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I found this on the net and it describes me to a tee....I actually could not have wrote it any better, is there anyone out there that can help and advise please, i'm desperate?
Ever since I was a small child, I have had an extreme sensitivity to
the sight and sound of other people eating. My parents taught all of
us "table manners" and were fairly strict about that, but none of my
siblings developed this hypersensitivity that I have.

I cannot stand to see certain people eat, and certain things drive me
almost to madness. The sound of people snapping or smacking on gum
makes me want to scream, and I tend to stare/glare uncontrollably at
the offender, wanting to rip his tongue out and stuff my fist down his
throat. I'm normally very calm, sensitive, polite, and peaceful, but
all that has to be controlled when I get around someone with poor
eating manners. Also on my list of "don'ts" is:
- Chewing anything with mouth open
- Eating fast, or with large (too big) bites
- Scraping teeth on the utensils
- Slurping (unless you are from an asian culture where it is polite!)
- Chomping ice.. ooooh, now that really gets me going too
- People in movie theatres shoveling handfuls of popcorn into their
mouths

I have been known to stop dead in my tracks at the shopping mall when
I hear a passerby snapping her gum, staring at her as she passes as I
am unbelievably irritated by her.

When I was 7, I had already learned that the people around me were
really bothered by my irritation, and that I basically needed to hide
my distaste with people at meals. I developed complex ways of dealing
with it, including playing a "game" with my little friends called
"Colonial Times". I told them we were pretending to live in colonial
America, and that rules at the table were very strict and children
weren't allowed to make any sound at all. That was one way of
compromising, but I am an adult woman now and things have never really
gotten any better. What's terrible is that I have really tried for
many years to stop feeling this way, but it hasn't really gotten any
better. It has impaired some of my close relationships, and I always
end up feeling like crap when I share this with someone close to me,
because then they usually end up feeling weird the next time we eat
together.

What's strange is that it doesn't really bother me if I'm eating with
just an acquaintance. With my last several romantic partners, their
eating suddenly started bothering me right about the time a certain
level of intimacy was reached. Any ideas on beating this? My family
used to joke that they were going to lock me in a room with my uncles,
who all eat like pigs, to do some desensitizing, but I have a feeling
that would definitely not work.

I don't have an eating disorder, and am otherwise fairly
well-adjusted. Grr!

I would just like to be able to eat in the same room with the people I
love, without having to strap on my mental defenses or avoid them. I
realize this may be an issue for a therapist's sofa, but I thought it
was worth a try. Any ideas?

OK, just a quick reply; 'cos i have a really important Doctor appointment in a few hours, need to organise sleep & stuff!

First: Welcome to h2g2, you are now on hootoo; so you are a hooter!!! Have some nice quiet or whatever you fancy; if that is nothing at all 'cos you are in a "funny state"; that is totally fine also.

I do understand what you mean, my ex had the most apalling table manners (amongst many other social problems)& yes, it can really get to you. Probably once you make some friends on here & start discussing it, that in itself will help. It's a very friendly site & so long as you observe the House Rules, you will find it quickly becomes "your best friend"

One thing you might consider doing, once you've settled in & found your way around the site (myself or any other ACE: volunteers who help newbies are here for that) is writing a Guide Entry on the eating thing. It's an interesting topic & we have Sub Editors, Peer Review, etc, lots of folks who will be more than happy to help you get your Article published on BBC Online.

Anyway, it's 3am here in France & i think i'd better get to bed! But do reply & i will do my best; so will lots of others.

zdt (stands for Zendevil Terri )