Hi, I'm 20 years old - soon to be 21 - and I've had this problem for probably a solid 10 years now. It seems that I cannot eat many types of foods (some don't bother me, but MOST do) without getting a choking sensation deep in my esophagus (I can still breathe, but I get the distinct sensation that something's stuck). In severe instances it turns into a nasty gag reflex that sends back up whatever I just tried to swallow, which normally sends me straight to the restroom for a good 10 to 20 minutes. I also find that I am more susceptible to choking in itself, as I seem to chew my food much slower than others, and take smaller bites - yet I still manage to get food stuck sometimes. Mind you - I choked on steak and nearly suffocated to death when I was about 8 years old, so perhaps it's a neurological issue? But anyway - asides from that, I feel like when I get these "gagging fits" that there is a pressure-like and sometimes burning pain associated with it. Do I have a phobia of choking.. or acid reflux.. or perhaps a combination thereof? Please help, it interferes SEVERELY with my social life - as I avoid going out to eat with family and friends at all costs because it embarrasses me.