Page 113 - The Ultimate Guidebook for Teens with Food Allergies

May Contain Anxiety, by Sebastian
When I was in Grade 7, our class was going on a field trip to a camp for the week. When I found this out, I was extremely nervous seeing as I hadn’t gone to many overnight camps. The idea of leaving home worried me. But the idea of having an allergic reaction terrified me. My parents always said: “You’re going to be fine. You’ve never had an allergic reaction and it is very unlikely that you will.” I naturally believed them (like I do to this day). My parents then checked to see if it was peanut and nut free and, luckily, it was. I decided to go on the trip and, for the most part, it was fine. The food was good, the activities were fun, and I was surrounded by wonderful people who looked out for me.
But, one day during lunch, I was eating a piece of bread and one of the counsellors came up to me and said: “Hey, Sebastian, did you check the bread before you ate it because we read the label and it said it “may contain peanuts?” I instantly froze. A thousand thoughts poured through my mind and I completely broke down. Luckily, I didn’t have a reaction. But the anxiety was getting to my head. I kept thinking, “Is this the reaction or a panic attack?” I had never been in this situation before. I was fine in the end. But the most important thing to take out of this story isn’t to be afraid of every situation you face. The most important thing to take from this story is to just be careful because there will always be situations like this. If, however, you stay calm and keep your head cool, you’ll be in a better position to deal with it the next time.
Fingers Crossed about the Restaurant, by Mathew
The feeling of anxiety in regards to my allergies doesn’t always relate to the potential consequences of coming into contact with an allergen. My anxiety is often triggered by having to deal with a situation publicly. Although I have many years of experience in terms of dealing with my allergies, I will sometimes become nervous when I have to make the decision to sit out of certain activities or make an inquiry to keep myself safe. Recently I was invited to an important dinner meeting. The person organizing the dinner was deciding where to hold the meeting. I instantly felt some anxiety because I knew that I might have to tell them that where we go may depend upon my allergies. I decided to not say anything and deal with the potential issue at the restaurant. I am lucky that we went to a restaurant that I knew to be very accommodating. Anxiety is a very difficult emotion to deal with. I recommend being conscious of it because, if you are aware of your anxiety before and when it is kicking in, you will have a better chance of overcoming it. Typically, if you have a significant amount of experience dealing with allergies, you will know what decisions to make in certain situations. Because of this, you will be less likely to make an emotionally-driven decision, even when anxiety kicks in.
Quick Tip - Being assertive and being in charge of situations helps you control your surroundings rather than sitting back and being worried about what might happen.
What would you say? (Q&A)
Chelsea, Mathew and Stephanie