Anxiety more severe than my peanut allergy
Recently anxiety about my mild peanut allergy has been at an all time high. Even though all my reactions to eating quite large concentrations of peanut in the past have been somewhat mild, ie itchy throat and swollen lips but calmed down within 30 mins to an hour, i can't stop thinking that the next time i eat it might be severe anaphlyaxis.
This anxiety is lowkey taking over my life. I just spent a month in china and because i know that peanuts are a somewhat common ingredient, the whole time, every meal, i was having panic attacks because i swore that i was having a reaction. I can speak decent mandarin, and so even at times when the staff explicitly told me there was no peanuts, i kept convincing myself that my tongue was swelling up and that i was about to have severe anaphylaxis and die. Like i would have the emergency number ready to dial, not daring to take another single bite even though the last bite i took was 20 mins ago with no progression in the 'reaction'. It was even at the point where i was eating something like plain bone broth noodles or even KFC and i was swearing that i felt a reaction and not wanting to eat anymore.
Its really stopping me from properly enjoying myself, and its not even based in any kind of reaction that I had before. In fact when i was in china last year i had a reaction to peanut sauce on some street food, and it was uncomfortable but i came out fine within 30 mins ish.
I just can't get rid of the anxiety that the next time (no matter how much i try to avoid there probably will be accidents) will be me dead. PLEASE what can i do to enjoy my life again?? Any good advice??