Not daring to exercise?

[samandriel]

Hey everyone,

So I've been dealing with emetophobia for more than a year now. It started when I got s* after a very heavy day of work, eating, modern dance class where I totally overworked myself and coming home in a house smelling of burned food. All this thus led up to me getting s*.

I practically lay on the couch for 2 months after that, terrified, exhausted, and weakening myself by barely eating anything. I was forced to go back to work and life and have been able to pick it up bit by bit, but I still have my worrying overwhelming me by times, and it never truly leaves. For example I'll never leave the house without diet coke. I know this is not the healthiest thing but it's the only thing that calms me down.

Anyways, ever since then I stopped going to modern dance classes. I miss them a lot but I'm too afraid to start them again, I can't do it. I know I should exercise but because the last time I got s* was (in my head) because of exercise, I don't dare to anymore.

But I have heavy health anxiety and I know I should exercise, because it'll make me healthier and feel better, etc. etc. I'm just afraid my body won't be able to handle it or that I'll go too far, or that a tiny bit of exercise will already make me s*.
Does anyone have tips for me? I know yoga would be a good idea to start off with, but even that idea scares me. Though I know that it'd be way healthier than drinking coke every day, my mind won't get to it.

[skymaid]

I'm a fellow emetophobe and I just did a bunch of pull-ups, crunches, press-ups and some weights. No nausea or anything.

Running can make me feel a little err y'know but you can alway stop if it does.

Light exercise will never make you v* if it did then gyms would be awash with it.

I am vastly less phobic than i was a year ago mostly do to A LOT of cbt.

In essense it work like this: Everytime you have a v* related thought. 1. Recognise it's just a thought, it's not reality. 2. label it as part of your phobia (it's not you, its just a thought related to your phobia) and 3. refocus on something more interesting, like your life.

3 might require some mindfulness practice to help you focus.

It works though honestly :)

[samandriel]

I'm a fellow emetophobe and I just did a bunch of pull-ups, crunches, press-ups and some weights. No nausea or anything.

Running can make me feel a little err y'know but you can alway stop if it does.

Light exercise will never make you v* if it did then gyms would be awash with it.

I am vastly less phobic than i was a year ago mostly do to A LOT of cbt.

In essense it work like this: Everytime you have a v* related thought. 1. Recognise it's just a thought, it's not reality. 2. label it as part of your phobia (it's not you, its just a thought related to your phobia) and 3. refocus on something more interesting, like your life.

3 might require some mindfulness practice to help you focus.

It works though honestly :)


Thank you so much for replying, especially since you understand my problem. I've been trying to do some yoga and it's going well, didn't have any problems though I do very light and very short sessions. i think it's just a build up process. I'm glad to hear you're doing better by the way, yay for dealing with emetophobia (: