Just been diagnosed - work events stressful

[CrickityCrickets]

Ugh.
I was diagnosed with Anorexia 3 weeks ago. I'm trying to follow the meal plan given to me and every bloody thought about or encounter with food makes me feel so stressed and anxious. Work have been supportive in many ways but this week there have been various schmoozing events which involve tables heaving with cakes. I'm doing my best to skirt around the edge of them but I feel like a rabbit in the headlights, I can barely enter the room, let alone engage with the food, drink and chat. It makes me exhausted.
Is this normal?

Normal for someone with an eating disorder. Not normal for someone without an ED.

Sorry you are going through this. I hope that you have some good support in place as that helps massively.

Thanks, yes I meant normal for someone with anorexia 😆
I have general support in place but these work events have knocked me for six and make me feel very awkward. I don't really know how to behave!

I don’t have anorexia but for many years worked closely with a colleague who does (severe enough to be hospitalised at times). She is open about it (I mean it’s kinda obvious to look at her) and everyone at our work knows that x never eats or drinks anything at work. That’s her blanket rule and the rest of us respect that. She might occasionally have a glass of water if it’s very hot but I have never, in over 10 years, seen her have anything other than that. She comes to events and I think she feels safe because she knows that we all know and no one is going to pressure her to eat stuff.

I guess what I’m saying is would it help to tell at least someone who could make sure people don’t offer you stuff.

I would seek advice from professionals supporting you. I say this as someone who’s been battling this myself and it’s so easy to fall into secretive habits which then allow the AN to gain traction. Not what you want when you are doing so well - and you are doing brilliantly moving forward and taking control.

Having said that, the way I deal with it is by box breathing to quell the anxiety and really focusing on the reason you are there - it’s work/social networking etc NOT the food. I try to keep that reason for being there in the first place centre most in my mind…. and I know this sounds ridiculous (because logically it is!) I try to not eyeball the food - keep my eyes on something else entirely, like swerve past the food ‘nothing to see here’ mentality. I’m a talker who uses her hands to illustrate my speech, so not holding a plate/glass is easy for me and doesn’t actually raise attention to me not holding food etc.

A few people know. But not everyone. And some might offer me stuff. It's probably me feeling self conscious mostly though!