Food Allergy Anxiety Guide - Sneak Peek

Food allergies add a big layer of anxiety to the everyday demands of “adulting.” Meet the people making it work in the real world. BY ANNA SCHARDT BAKER NE EVENING THIS SPRING , Jessica Marcus dined out with her boyfriend in New York City. Their destination: a vegan restaurant – usually a safe bet for someone who, like her, is allergic to milk. But an hour or so after her meal of mushroom bao buns and a veggie burger, the 30-year-old experienced life-threatening anaphylaxis. She used her auto-injector and spent the rest of the night in the emergency room instead of enjoying a Broadway show as planned. “What did I do wrong?” she wondered. Marcus headed back to the restaurant the next day, eager to figure out what had happened. The most disap- pointing moment in a fruitless conversation came when the owner blurted: “Well, maybe you should just never eat out.” Moments like these can trigger stress and anxiety for adults managing food allergies at home, at work and everywhere in between. When mistakes happen despite your best efforts – and are compounded by a lack of empathy – “you really question your decision-making,” says Marcus. “It can be hard to come back from some- thing like that.” Coping with this psychological rollercoaster takes perseverance, positivity and sometimes a little extra help. Following are stories of adults who’ve learned to keep their food allergy anxiety in check. 65 ALLERGICLIVING.COM