'AITA for drinking fruit juice?' 'My partner compared it to an ADDICTION.'

"AITA for drinking fruit juice when my partner has said he doesn't like it?"

Let me give you some background. I (26F) have been drinking diluted summer fruits juice all my life because I hate drinking water. When I do try drinking water I physically wretch due to the anxiety it gives me trying to drink it. So I stay hydrated by drinking diluted cordial.

When I met my current partner (34M, let's call him Jim) I was drinking 30% cordial 70% water, which I admit now was strong. About 6 months into my relationship with Jim, he confessed he didn't like me drinking the juice because it made my breath smell bad (of the juice...

It stopped me trying new foods and it stopped us from traveling cheap because we would have to pay for baggage just so I can take the juice on holiday. He even compared it to an addiction and how he was able to quit smoking so I can quit this.

We decided to compromise and 1 year later I had reduced it down to 5% cordial. I was able to take my juice in mini airplane bottles and I had to admit I was tasting food better.

However Jim was still not happy and we keep getting into fights about how "disgusting" it is and it is putting him off wanting to kiss me. I can't even have other fruit flavored drinks because Jim says it smells and tastes too similar.

So I tried to give it up for him. It has been a month of attempting to drink sugar water. I am getting panic attacks and dehydrated because I'm not drinking enough. I am considering going back to the cordial because of this but I am worried I'd be letting myself and Jim down. AITA for wanting to drink fruit juice or do I need to keep pushing?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

DrTeethPhD said:

ESH. If the thought of drinking water makes you retch, you need to see a doctor. If the thought of kissing someone who drank fruit juice makes him sick, he needs to see a doctor. And he's a control freak.

CatKittenRescuer said:

ESH. It's not normal that you can't drink water, and it's not normal for your bf to be so rigid and controlling. What is cordial? What about drinking something else like iced tea?

FaithlessnessFar6547 said:

ESH. You really need to see someone if you can't even tolerate water without gagging and are now trying to drink sugar water because you can't mix it with juice. There are a number of reasons this is beyond unhealthy. Your BF sucks for being controlling, but to a degree I don't blame him. I would have just left though, instead of acting the way he is.

Haunting_Lemon_6594 said:

This is gonna sound harsh, but tbh, if my partner would refuse to drink water because it "gave them anxiety" I'd probably break up with them. Grow up pls.

dogfishfrostbite said:

You can dump the BF, sure.. but our bodies are 90% water. It’s literal life. Not being able to drink it at all without flavoring and sugar is problematic and you need to see someone about it now or you will be seeing someone about diabetes later.

sweadle said:

YTA. Getting a panic attack from drinking water is a mental health issue you should seek help with.

k_princess said:

ESH. Him for being so pushy and not super supportive. You for being addicted to cordial. Is there a reason why you can't go on vacation without it? And as someone else said, if drinking plain water causes you such anxiety, get to a doctor.

After reading some of the comments, OP provided more information:

I have seen a few people not understand what I mean by 'cordial' in the UK it is concentrated fruit juice that is diluted with water- it is not alcohol. Also the juice "smells" to Jim because of the artificial sugar that's usually put into cordial.

As for the situation, I know it seems like a strange situation to many of you, my parents were soft and let me have whatever I wanted- which has come to bite me in the butt. I realize I have some psychological issues regarding water, I know it is not normal to wretch at water.

A lot of you have said I should dump him but I feel like I shouldn't until I have dealt with this issue. I talked to him about how much anxiety this has been causing me and my craving to go back to the juice.

We ended up agreeing that we will go to a doctor together and he wants to support me getting used to water, even if it means going back to juice for while. I don't want to throw away a relationship with Jim, just because of my weird psychological problem. Thank you everyone for your messages.