Peace While Eating

[Peace]

"Don't Bother Me While I'm Eating"! Especially if I am really hungry. If you do you will witness the moon shine in full on the werewolf's Skin, and all that that implies. The good side of this for me, is the reason that I cannot be disturbed while I eat. It is because I cannot concentrate.
I have come to notice that my brain shuts down while I eat, resulting in the only time of day including sleep that my mind is silent. I cannot hold a conversation, or even listen. I cannot plan, or worry, or even daydream, I Am Blank!
It Is Wonderful! Not very entertaining for sure, but considering I eat in about 2 minutes, there is plenty of time for conversing.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[King_Oni]

Sometimes... I can't say it applies to me all the time.

I have less issues with it when I actually am eating with others at a table; like during dinner with my dad, or if I go out to a restaurant with friends or so. But when I sit down on my own to eat, I hate it when someone barges in and starts talking. That's where I'm like "wait till I'm done... plenty of time afterwards".

 

[watersprite]

Yes. If I am really hungry, then I do feel that way. I also go blank and have to stop people from talking at me.

 

[On the Inside]

I eat a late lunch at work to avoid sitting with others. There was one old guy, now retired, who used to eat later and I liked chatting with him, but for the most part I prefer to read while eating. I would go so far to say that those advertisements were they show people eating out and laughing animatedly give me the willies, and that is what goes on when there are lots of people in the lunch room. And I've had enough of people giving me a hard time about what I eat. I have a very healthy but not widely varying diet, in fact I think it is healthier to not vary your diet much, as long as you eat the right things.

I do like to chat with my family at meals, but we don't all eat together every day.

 

[Datura]

I can't say I get hyper-focused on eating. I can eat very quickly though, and then people will ask me a question when my mouth is full. It's kind of funny, but annoying.

What always confused me is that people often emphasize the importance of families eating together around the dinner table. Apparently this is because it gives you time to have conversations and bond. But then, you aren't supposed to talk with your mouth full. Does anybody else see the flaw in this arrangement? If anything, I think that families should cook together, first of all because cooking is a life skill that should be passed down, but also because it provides a much better environment for conversation, in my opinion.

Sorry for the tangent.

 

[Suzanne]

Never thought of it like that, so cannot really answer, since I usually eat on my own, at home with no likely hood of interruptions or eating with my husband. But it does wind me up when he sees I have put something in my mouth and goes: huh, what did you say? I guess though, if I asked JUST before putting the food in my mouth, we are both at fault there.

If anything, because I cannot eat and do nothing; in the past, it would be a book, but lappy has taken over and thus, eating whilst online and get frustrated that my food is not finishing fast enough, because it stunts me using the internet

 

[Progster]

I can't eat and talk at the same time, so I prefer to eat, and then talk. Listening is ok, though. Only problem, if I'm eating something crunchy the sound of my eating drowns out what the other person is saying. I find it hard to eat while watching TV for this reason. Music is much better. I hate it when people talk with their mouth full of food.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I can focus just fine, but if my emotions get too wild then my stomach goes up in knots, my throat closes up or just feels really tight, and I can't eat. And then I get mad and then I want to jump whatever it was that wanted to deny me food. Kinda touchy about going hungry after spending so many years being underweight.

What always confused me is that people often emphasize the importance of families eating together around the dinner table. Apparently this is because it gives you time to have conversations and bond. But then, you aren't supposed to talk with your mouth full. Does anybody else see the flaw in this arrangement?

You take turns eating. They talk, you munch. You talk, they munch. Much easier with a larger family. One of my relatives never mastered this single-tasking feat and is always trying to multitask by talking with their mouth full, and then wondering why they get choked all the time. It's really gross.

 

[ASD_Geek]

At work, I like to be alone while I'm eating. I'm not sure if it's a social issue or what. I occasionally get asked to go to lunch (not as much as I used to) but decline. I just like to eat alone at work. I don't wish to talk "shop" or to maintain the energy needed for a social connection. I simply wish to get away and unplug.

At home, it's a different story mostly. I like spending time with my immediate family, but don't really care for interaction with others.

 

[Datura]

My family typically eats around the TV, save for special occasions like Thanks Giving and Christmas. We talk frequently at other times, so we don't need to while eating. Then again, some of the television we watch is pretty disgusting and perhaps we shouldn't watch those programs while eating. lol

 

[garnetflower13]

I used to dread eating lunch in the workplace, because people would stare at my food, ask questions about it, or want to talk when all I wanted was to chew and read my book.

 

[Tom]

I don't mind different settings, but I eat quite fast and its just a blink of the eye anyway.

 

[Etzelaire]

I eat in two minutes, always have.

 

[tree]

I eat in two minutes, always have.

Impressive.
45 minutes is typical for me.
During the winter an hour & a half was common for breakfast.

 

[Etzelaire]

Aw that's because I hate the sound of people eating even myself so I get over it as fast as I can

 

[Harrison]

I generally eat in silence, even socially. It was funny because as kids my father would ask us to be silent whilst eating as a sign of respect for the food we were given. He believed the silence honoured the person providing the food as we focused on eating it. It may have just been a good ploy for quiet table manners, but as he was Tibetan it was more than likely that he believed in what he said.

Growing up I did the same thing and people would comment that it was because I was a taoist and respect my silence. Funny how things happen like that.

Nowadays I can indulge in a small amount of chatter but I generally encourage the other person to speak. This also means I finish my meal before they do

 

[Omega]

I prefer to eat in silence, but I don't get the chance very often.

I should also mention, like others here, I am a fast eater.

 

[Slithytoves]

I'm so glad I saw this. How I missed it before now, I don't know. It's a subject that currently causes me some grief at home.

My abode doesn't have a dining table. There's really no room for one the way it's configured, so my housemate and I eat on the sofa in front of the TV. I've read it's not a good thing to do, but since I am sensitive to the eating sounds of others, having the TV or music on is pretty much a necessity anyway.

The problem is, I can't have any extraneous movement or speech anywhere near me when I'm eating in front of the TV. I have to wait until my housemate is settled before I can start, and I prefer that she be entirely out of my field of vision. If she distracts me, I get anxious and my skin crawls. I even start to feel angry. It's seriously unpleasant and can put me off my food altogether if it persists. I'm a slow eater, which prolongs the whole ordeal.

Weirdly, though, I can eat at a restaurant or at a table with family/friends with no problem (as long as they aren't noisy eaters). I have never been able to figure it all out.

Nowadays I can indulge in a small amount of chatter but I generally encourage the other person to speak. This also means I finish my meal before they do

Now I get it! You've never mentioned this to me before. Good information to have. As you have probably noticed, when I'm at a regular table with no distractions but the company I'm keeping, I enjoy long, relaxed meals with conversation. Okay -- a quieter meal is something I can adapt to, no problem.

 

[EdR]

I prefer to eat alone and read, ignoring the others at the table.

At home my wife does not permit that and I acquiesced to her wishes (demands). Since my diagnosis and my efforts to ameliorate some of my more significant Aspie social deficiencies, I do converse, a little, while we eat. It doesn't bother me much, the hardest part is thinking of things to say, avoiding one word responses and feigning interest.

I still prefer to eat alone and read. But that is incompatible with my desire to be more likable and I have decided to subvert my natural tendencies for the greater plan.

 

[Jimbo]

I like eating alone with no body watching. When my wife and daughter eat supper at the same time as me they usually stick abkids movie in so it allows me to be in my own little world. I also hate when people talk while eating and their speech is all garbled. I could never understand people doing lunch together or getting together to discuss something over a meal.

When I eat I have one goal in mind. Getting my belly full and getting on with life.