The reason behind my aromaphobia

AROMAPHOBIA (from Latin aroma, meaning "spice") is the fear of spices and spicy food. This phobia is most commonly caused by a burning sensation in the mouth when eating spicy foods. I will share with you my experience and thoughts on this. It all started when I was six years old.

As I walked down the tiny path through my childhood friend's house, I felt a summer breeze on my skin. I'll pick her up because we had planned to go to the beach to collect seashells. Our house in the province was constructed on the water, so we have to cross a wooden bridge to get to the main street. My friends lived on the opposite side of the bridge, so I had to cross it if I wanted to see them. 

We passed two more girls our age on our way to the beach. They were carrying a tiny basket and appeared to be very cheerful and enthusiastic about their journey. We found out that they were going to harvest marine shells as well. Instantly, my friend and I came up with this terrible notion. Please don't pass judgment on us; we're just kids. 

We ended up fighting because we mocked and yelled at them. Worse, we boasted that it was our area, and they were driven away. We gather their possessions and stow them away in one of the fishermen's boats. I still can't believe I used to be so obstinate. I feel bad when I think back on those days. Now, though, I am the polar opposite. I don't have a social life, I don't like to go out much, and I have low self-esteem, to put it bluntly. I dislike being the center of attention. I'd rather not be noticed or be noticed. Anyway, the girls went home crying after that incident, and we didn't feel sorry for them at the moment. We didn't believe bullying was such a negative thing. We had no idea what we were doing. We were just having a good time and didn't consider the ramifications. 

We decided to start heading home after gathering some sea shells because the high tide was approaching. I continued on after sending my friend back to her place. It had been a long and exhausting day, so I went to bed early after dinner. My mother went to the market the next day and told me to look after my younger siblings. Because I am the oldest, I was taught how to babysit. My mother arrived shortly before 11 a.m. and began preparing our meal. I asked her if I could go out with my friend again today. She agreed, but only on one condition. First and foremost, I needed to do the dishes, which I did. I was about to leave when I noticed the girls and a woman approaching our house. I had a feeling they were on their way to get me. At the time, I was terrified. My little heart was beating and I was trembling. So I decided to hide all of the slippers outside so they would assume no one was home, and then I shut the door. My mother, on the other hand, was taken aback by what I did. She inquired as to why I had brought all of the footwear inside. She demanded that I return it to the outside since she thought it was filthy. Plus, we normally don't need to bring our slippers inside. My mother had faith in me. I tried my hardest to maintain my alibi. So I assumed I was being saved, but I was still apprehensive. A minute later, someone knocked on my door, and I could feel my heart racing. My mother asked if I wanted to see who it was, but I declined. I had a feeling I was in big trouble. As a result, my mother proceeded to open the door and speak with the woman who was with the girls. I knew my strategy wouldn't work at that point, and I was doomed. My mother called me after their brief discussion. When she saw me, she became agitated and yelled at me. I overheard the woman remark that all I had to do was return their possessions and promise not to do it again. The woman went on to say that she would forgive me because I was only a child at the time and didn't understand that picking fights was wrong. As a result, I ended up strolling beside them to the beach and transferring their possessions. A basket and their slippers were all they had. It still bothers me that we let them walk around in their bare feet the other day. How bad do we have it? 

I continuously expressed my regret and pledged not to do it again. Then we each go our separate ways.

My mother chastised me when I returned home. She isn't known for whipping us. But, because I had enraged her, she retaliated by shoving chili into my mouth. It had a fresh flavor for me. It's my first time, and the temperature within is rising. One of our neighbors approached my mother because I was crying so loudly. My mother felt sorry for me, but she said that I should learn from my mistakes and that if I did, I would never have to think about them again. After some tears, our next-door neighbor invited me to her house and allowed me to eat sweets. She said that might help with the heat. I haven't eaten spicy food since that happened. I had been traumatized. After a few years, I was in high school. Except for me, most of my students like street food. Because it has a hot sauce, I knew it wasn't for me. My students, on the other hand, kept mocking me that I should do it. But I wasn't prepared, so I declined. What had happened before was something I couldn't forget. They stopped inviting me to snack time until I realized I was being shunned. They went directly to buy street food after class without asking if I might accompany them. So, feeling like an outsider, I went straight home. That's when I decided to give it a chance. Maybe that wasn't so horrible after all. I gradually began to eat spicy foods and became accustomed to them. And I'm really enjoying it. One of my concerns was confronted and overcome. It's never too late to make a change. Now that I'm older, I prefer eating hot foods. Everything spicy appeals to me! I'm still grateful for the punishment I received previously. It has helped me become a better person today.