Expert: Meg - 7/31/2006

Question
Hi, I hope you can help me.
I am very picky with food, and don't eat a lot. If food touches one another on the plate, that food is 'contaminated' and I don't eat it.
I think that if I eat contaminated food or food I dont like, I'll get sick.
I realise I have a problem, can you please tell me what it is?

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Its impossible to say exactly what is going on without more information.  It *is* possible that you have an eating disorder and I'm going to give you a link to some self diagnosis quizzes.  You might want to take a look at them and see if any of the symptoms sound like what you are going through.

http://www.caringonline.com/eatdis/topics/tests.htm

It is also possible that you are suffering from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or a variation of that-and this is another thing that you might want to look into.  Often, OCD can produce patterns that one must follow, rules (about food and other things) and other types of such symptoms.  Here is some information about OCD that might  be of help:

http://psychcentral.com/ocdquiz.htm

http://webhome.idirect.com/~readon/obsess.html

Does this sound at all like what is going on?  That would be my guess from what you have said, or else a combination of both an eating disorder and OCD.  I hope this helps some and please feel free to write again if there is anything else that I can answer or anything in this note that is not clear.

Take care, okay?

Meg