View Full Version : To Emetophobia sufferers
bubblestar
10-01-05, 14:50
Hello everyone
ive been suffering from metaphobia since i was 14,and now im 21.
ive had patches where i alomst recover and feel ok, then something sets me off and im back on the downward spirla. 2004 has been my worst year so farwhere i have been signed off sick by my doctor since april and seeing a clinical pyscologist. I also get panic attacks and social anxiety.
what im posting for today is to ask how long its been since you were last sick? it keeps coming into my head that i havent been sick for a couple of years so it must happen soon, i cant go forever avoiding it,
how long have you been able to go without being sick?
Seeing as we are so good at avoiding it like over cautious on food and drink,staying away from ill people and everything else is it possible to never have to be sick??
Would really apprieciate your views!
x
nomorepanic
10-01-05, 15:02
Bubblestar
I was confused there for a minute cos metaphobia is the "fear of eyes". I am sure you mean emetophobia - fear of sick?
Is that right? If so I will change the topic title so people don't miss it.
Nicola
bubblestar
10-01-05, 15:08
yes it is fear of sickness. sorry! always thought emetaphobia and metaphobia were same thing but different nameChange it if it would make more sense.
fear of eyes is Ommatophobia.
thank you
x
nomorepanic
10-01-05, 15:59
Ok I changed it..
I think so many phobias have multiple names don't they?
I am impressed that you have manged not to be sick for 2 years. I haven't been sick much but certainly a couple of times in that period of time. I do not, however, suffer from this phobia like you do.
Are you receiveing any counselling etc for this phobia. I was also reading earlier that hypnosis is very good at curing it - have you tried that?
Nicola
Hi Bubblestar
I have only ever been sick 3 times in my life and they were all through drinking! Some people are rarely sick but I think it makes emetephobia worse because I used to have it too. If you were sick more often you probably wouldn't be frightened of it.
But don't worry there isn't a specific time limit for it - it just doesn't work like that.
Emily
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit
Understanding is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad
Hey bubblestar,
i suffer from the same phobia n have since i was about 4years old. some people r lucky, like my grandad who has never been ill in his life apart from on boats! the last time i was ill was when i was 11years old and thats coz i got into a panic attack so bad that it made me ill...but from something being wrong with me, i havent been ill since i was 7years old and im 20 now! i wud rather die than be ill, and it affects my life everyday coz i worry so much, but i know logically that i'm luckily healthy and i kno that i will go thru life with more chance of never being ill than being ill, so i try to calm myself down thinking like that. wot u have 2 do is think that u're obviously quite a healthy person, so bcoz u havent been ill in so long it means u have less chance of bein ill!! i look at my grandad, who i take after in a lot of ways and think that i'll go thru life like him, healthy n that all this worry is for nothing!
another thing i was told by a hypnotherapist and also a normal therapist, was that bein ill is all in the mind. if ur completely relaxed then its impossible 2 b ill! most ppl wen they feel ill actually want 2 b ill 2 feel better, but i kno i'd rather not live than go thru that...ur mind makes everything worse and by thinking positively and taking ur mind off it u can prevent it, even if u actually had something wrong wiv u.
i'm like u in that im very careful wot i eat and always wash my hands and dont get 2 close 2 people so i dont catch anything.
please remember that not bein ill 4 such a long time works in ur favour over u phobia as it's less likely to happen.
i dont think goin thru the experience wud make it easier. my fear wud only b worse as the memory of it wud b clearer, so just try 2 remain calm and think logically. tho i know it doesnt always work as i still always worry (i should listen 2 myself really shouldnt i??lol)
some people can go thru life and never be ill (as u can tell i cant even write the four letter word that rhymes with pick very easily!!)...hopefully u are another one of the lucky ones, so remain positive!
if u ever wanna chat u feel free 2 email me!
anyways, hope i've helped!
Laura.
x
bubblestar
16-01-05, 21:23
i just typed a whole long message with loads of info in it and i went to post it and there was an error!
so frustrated now!!! cant remember what i said!
erm.....
thanks for your post loz, was kinda reassuring. i over analyse things alot and always think about worst case scenario.. when i shuoldnt because it only makes me worse!
private message me if u wanna chat some more? think we have a lot in common..similar age too.
:) xx
I have suffered with the fear of being sick since i was 13 and im now 26. It caused me to have panic attacks and i even stopped eating for about 2 years well i still eat but not much my weight dropped from 10 stone to 6 stone.
in 04 i started counclling for it as i realised i had a problem with it i went to counclling for about 4 months but then i changed my life.
In march 04 my mum died from cancer then a month later i fell pregant and god knows how i was only 6 stone.
From that day i decided that life for to short to worry about being sick and i had the baby to think about and i started eating not alot but i took it gradualy and after a while i was eating meals.
I was sick twice through my pregancy it wasnt pregancy realated just took 2 bugs and i realised that being sick wasnt the end.
No more do i worry about being sick now but since ive had my son 7 weeks ago my panick attacks have came bakc but not about being sick i now have the fear that im dying though i have been to the doctors with it and ive to go back in 2 weeks.
I hope u can overcome ur fear.
Hi newbie here
I have always had a fear of being sick, I will do absolutley anything to avoid being sick. I thought I was going crazy, then 2 days ago I descovered that there is actually a medically recognised name for this phobia.
I have been petrified of being sick from about the age of 5, but since last May I have had nothing else on my mind, and I have become very ill through not eating, in fear of being sick. If someone I know or is near me says they dont feel well, I instantly start quizzing them on whats wrong, do they feel sick, have they got a bug - then I worry myself sick that I am going to get what they have. Sometimes I think I feel sick because I have convinced my mind that I am feeling sick.
It is such a relief to know that I am not alone in this. I am considering hynotherapy to help me - has anyone else had this, and if so did it help.
If anyone wants to PM me, please feel free. Look forward to talking to you all soon.
Indea x
I am always worried about being sick in public places. This in turn makes me anxious which of course makes me feel sick.
I have tried to reason it through however. When I feel sick due to anxiety I feel it most in my throat. Given that you aren't actually sick from your throat then I know to recognise this feeling as false.
When you are really sick, (Which is very rare) then the feeling comes mostly from your stomach and is quite different.
no one ever died wishing they had spent more time at work
Hi Everyone
I am so glad I found this website!! I have suffered from emetephobia for years. and few people realise how debilitating it can actually be. The lack of public knowledge about this phobia also tends to make me feel something of a freak, especially when people look blankly at you when you try to explain your fear to them.
I also suffer from panic attacks, and IBS, so as you can imagine my life is one long party!!
I was just wondering what everyone else did to keep their spirits up, and whether anyone has ever been cured?
Really nice to know Im not alone! :D
Vicky
nomorepanic
21-02-05, 19:19
Hi Vicky
Welcome aboard the forum. Good to see you here.
You may like to start your own topic under "Introduce yourself" as this one may get missed.
Hope we can be of some help.
Nicola
Hi everyone, I'm Helena and this is my first post on this forum.
I'm so glad I came across this on a google search (trying to reassure myself again, we've all done it[:I]) I have suffered from a phobia of being sick for several years now, and it has had a drastic impact on my life. I'm 15 now, and coming up to very important school exams, but I can't go to school as I am so afraid of being sick there. Because of my phobia, I get panic attacks and feel constantly unwell as I am convinced I am going to be sick most of the time! And don't even get me started on if I have to come in contact with an ill person, panic doesn't even begin to cover it! My school's idea of coping with my panic attacks is to put me in the medical room... duh, I'm scared of getting ill, not a good idea to put me with all the sick people, some people just don't get it. I am having therapy, and have tried many different methods, but nothing has really helped me. I got over my fears once before a few years ago, but now they are back, and worse than ever. And just to top it all off, I am now suffering from depression due to the effects this has had on my life.
It's good to read that I'm not the only one out there! If anyone has any adivce, feel free to get in touch.
Hellie xx
nomorepanic
21-02-05, 21:01
Hellie
Welcome aboard the forum.
Let's hope we can help you get over this.
Nicola
Hi,
I've had this phobia for 6/7 years now. Most of the time its only at the back of my mind but over the past few months its taken over, and i keep getting panic attacks.
I'm 19 and in my 1st year at university. Finally went to my doctor about this about a month ago, told her about panic attacks. She gave me tablets and sent me for counselling. The tablets didnt agree with me, made me feel really ill, so I'm trying to cope without them 4 a while. The counselling is helping a bit, but i find it hard to open up. The counsellor thinks it might be linked to my dad dying when i was 8, cos it made me lose my trust in the flow of life.
He's given me some things to do, to reduce my anxiety levels, like meditation. And mantras to say to myself when i feel my anxiety levels rising. It's still hard though. Theres always that little voice at the back of my head saying I'm not imagining it.
Anyway, its good to find other people with this problem.
And I hope we can help each other.
Cathie
xx
Hi all,
I've also suffered from the fear of vomitting since I was about 7 years old. It's something that bothers me more when I'm in an anxious phase of life and boy is it bothering me now!
I was going through quite a tough time at work before christmas and ignored the signs that I was becoming stressed and anxious. I realised one day that I could feel the sandwiches I was eating entering my stomach and started to feel very anxious and did the normal "take 2 rennies and make it better". A couple of weeks later, I was taking a walk with my boss to the local shops at lunchtime and it was absolutely FREEZING cold, I began to tense which in turn tensed my throat and made me feel like wretching which in turn made me feel petrified that I'd vomit. Since then I've been on the sick from work and now constantly concentrate on my throat making it feel nervous, tight and "on the edge" of a wretch. It's horrible and I'm not sure (and neither is my GP) what to do to begin to cope with this and relax my throat.
Apparently people who suffer the fear of vomit are the LEAST likely people to vomit because they put so much effort into fending it off, apparently the notion of vomitting is very much a mind triggered event!
I have been referred to a psychologist but knowing the NHS this could take up to 6 months or more.
I used to feel embarassed about this phobia but my dad also has the same fear and I recently discovered a friend does too! Not as uncommon as you think!
Regards,
Mark
Hi,
I also have this phobia - it's definitely not uncommon. It's horrible, it seems to be always at the back of my mind, and I can't ignore the fear.
I hate it most when a panic attack grips and you can't work out if it's a basic panic and you feel sick because you're panicking, or you're panicking because you actually feel sick. It makes panic so much harder to shake off.
I haven't been sick in years, so I often think maybe it's a fear of the unknown. But at the same time, I've read things about emetophobics who have vomitted and it hasn't cured their fear at all. After all, no one likes to be sick!
It's good to know I'm not the only one. I haven't told my doctor or anything about the fear. And I've mostly concentrated on talking through general anxiety with my counsellor (who I no longer see). I wish they could perscribe a really powerful anti-emetic that I could always have in my bag/pocket etc., I'd always know I wouldn't have to be sick then.
RD xx
Hiya
I have this phobia, and (oh god please don't let this jinx me) i haven't been sick in many many years not even during pregnancy.
It is a dreaful phobia to suffer it has ruled my life for 15 years i have no idea where it started.
It might help to know that i have had alot of therapy seen alot of docs/therapists, and more recently the practice nurse at my doctors who had a few words of comfort, she told me it isn't that easy to catch a bug if you try to stay away from the vomit itself, ie if someone is sick then try to avoid cleaning it, the germs are only in the sick, so if you can avoid cleaning it chances are you wont pick up the germ, the spores from it can only survive a matter of mins in the imidiate space around it after that they evaporate and die off.........if bugs passed on that easy doctors nurses teachers etc would never be able to work, as she said she worked in a hospital for 21 years and never picked up a stomache bug ( not sure i belived that bit but still) she meant well, and another bit of info that might make you feel slightly better, if people are sick from drink/food/water....as long as you havent had the same you wont catch it, that sort of sickness is not contagious, and i have leaned over the years that "i've been sick" is the oldest trick in the book for a day off work/uni/school.
Be happy
Sharon xxxxx
Caitlyn511
17-05-05, 05:35
howdie...well i got sick new years 04 ... so its been a little over a year before that it was 7yr s.... i know people that have gone 15-20yrs without vomiting its unlikely you will never again get sick but its possibly...ive been emetophobic all my life...it like you got horrible in jan 04 after i got sick i started starving myself i was so afraid to eat..lost 22lbs and was put in the hospital...so now i fear vomiting even more because i dont know how i will handle it you know[V]
~!~Caitlyn~!~
Hey,
this is so surreal... I am new here and it is such a relief to find others who have the same fear. Well I guess the first thing I should say is that I haven't been sick for nearly 18 years. Wow, that sounds a lot! I really don't understand how I can be so afraid of something I haven't done for that long but hey I guess thats what a phobia is all about eh. I guess in my head I have convinced myself that I can control whether I am sick or not myself so I don't worry as much about that (although when I am woken up at 2am feeling sick of course massive panic attack anyway... even though I know I will probably not actually be sick!) My other big fear is seeing/hearing/being near other people being sick. That is something I have to face nearly everyday as I am a primary school teacher and you just never know with 5 year olds! Anyway, I am gettin a bit carried away because I am so excited to find other people who feel the same! But I better leave it there cos I will probably never find this thread again anyway lol is it possible to get lost on the internet?!!
Tam xxx
Welcome Tammy
If you ever find us again
EXPOSURE THERAPY... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2712)
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?
Hi Meg,
thanks for your reply. I was determined to find this thread again
Really hope it has helped you reading this Tammy.
Love Sal xx
Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.
"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".
Hi Everyone . Im new here. Ive had emetephobia for over 30 years. Not good! I have good times and bad times, and sometimes i feel that i dont have a phobia and can do all sorts of things. Othertimes, when i am in the panic zone, i am dreadful. The fear of the fear is definately worse than the actual thing im afriad of. Im 32 now. Too scared to have children in the case of morning sickness. The trouble is with me, is that ive started panicking so much, i actually make myself gag. This is like someone else who postsed a message, saying that their throat closes up with the anxiety. This fear is made worse by any general anxiety i have in my life. I have never burped in my life as the 'upward' movement is too close to that off being sick. Im under weight as I eat 'safe' foods, however, i do eat healthily and dont get afraid of my own cooking!
Everything has been worse recently as i was in london with the terrorist attacks. I was stuck on the escape exit and what was i more afraid of? being sick or dying? This scared me as all i could think about on the escape exit was 'what if im sick now?!'. Its dreadful and i feel ashamed. When i finally escaped, i dry heaved through terror, and so did many others. However this time, i didnt get any release from it when i eventually got home. Ive been stuck in major fear since early july now.
I despair because i have never heard of anyone cured of this phobia asits apparntly one of the most difficult to cure. The logical side of my brain knows im not really sick, but the anxiety symptoms of nausea and palpitations are so real, that i believe that i will besick, even though i dont TRULY feel sick.
This is a behavioural thing and i am conditioned to feel sick and feel nervous every day, beacuse i have done every day for the last 30 years. Its like a habit! its only myself that is causing this and i need to re condition my thought processes, but i dont know how!!!
I speak topeople who dont have this phobia and they say to me, if youthink about being sick all the time, its no wonder you feel sick ! Stop thinking about it all the time!!.
So now i am on a new behaviour routine. I need a dviersion from this. It takes 3 weeks to kick a habit ( so say the professionals).
Please anyone feel free to write to me.. I wish you all the best everyone.xx
Hi Babyj
Welcome - do feel free to post an introduction with this post so we can respond to you specifically.
There are people who have got over emetophobia. CBT and exposure therapy seem to be the most sucessful
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?
Hi babyj,
I'm exactly the same as you and am currently going through CBT therapy for it. I'll PM you...
Mark
Great, Im doing some NLP NEXT WEEK. The guy has told me that phobias can be cured in 1 session, but i have to be realisitic in the fact that ive had this phobia for such a long time it may take 2 sessions. He does the same kind of work as Paul Mckenna ( you may have seen him on television). Fingers crossed. I am positive about this and I do hope that i can sort this out once and for all. Ive had exposure and Ive actually been sick in public twice and it hasnt helped at all, so ive needed to find a new therapy for me.
I will keep you all posted and let you know! My first session is on monday!
My windows messenger is babyj@orange.net if anyone wants to get in touch
I'm new here too. I have introduced myself on another thread. I can't believe I'm not the only one! Can someone tell me what CBT and exposure therapy are and was the other one NLT? I am visiting my doctor on thursday so he can refer me to a physotherapist. Everything I've read is so very like myself.
CBT - cognitive behaviour therapy. I think there's some information about it on the home pages that will explain more. Basically it is about retraining your thoughts.
Therapy (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php?nmppage=therapy)
Try that link.
Exposure therapy - this is more about dealing with your actual phobia by facing it. The key with this type of therapy is to do it a little at a time. You expose yourself to something you are afraid of (e.g. picture of someone with their hand over their mouth) until you are no longer afraid. This might mean looking at it for five minutes every day until you are confortable enough to move on. It might mean looking at the picture in black and white/ from a distance at first. Eventually you will build up to facing your ultimate fear.
As a sufferer myself, if someone had told me eventually I would watch somone be sick, just the thought alone would have bought on panic.
But it really does work. I have been doing a mixture of the two therapies for the last month or so and I am a hundred times better than when I first joined this site. The CBT helps ward off those negative thoughts and the exposure is more about dealing with the nitty gritty!
I can't help you with the other one though... no idea, sorry!
Hope it goes well at the doctors, I found mine to be very understanding.
Tammy x
NLP is also expained on the home pages under therapy or natural therapies
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?
Hi..
It is such a relief to know that I am not the only who suffers from this. I only found out the other day that it was a phobia. I had no idea. I joined this forum last night and I feel it's going to help me alot.
I don't actually have it very very bad, I mean, I am not afraid of cacthing anything from others and it is not on my mind everyday. But I am sure I still have this phobia as I am terrified of the day that I am gonna be sick. The thing is..I am 31 and I have never been sick. I think maybe once when I was very small but I can't really remember it. So I don't know how it feels and fear that it is going to be a horrible experience when and if it happens. I am even scared of getting pregnant (although I do want to have kids at some point) cause it could mean I would throw up.
I am also quite careful with meat - like I want to be sure it's cooked properly as I do not want to get sick from it. If others are sick my hands goes to my ears to block out the sound and I close my eyes. I can get quite shaky when it happens.
Now even though it's not on my mind alot I am still bothered I have to feel this scared about it.
I'd like to hear if other people are feeling some of the things I listed..!? And maybe from some that have overcome this?
Last night I had a panic attack cause my stomach felt funny and I thought "ok this is it" but nothing happened. I tried to tell myself I was going to be okay and it actually worked in the end.
Well, thanks for reading. It is really nice to know I am not alone.
Thanks Nigel. :) I never really looked at it that way. Makes sense.
RosieZozie
12-08-06, 05:22
I dont know about you bubble star, but my father just turned fifty this year and hasnt gotten sick since he was 17 years old. Im emetaphobic too, so i hope im that fortunate, and i hope the same for you.
Zozie
bubblestar
18-08-06, 11:09
Wow!
thats amazing, he must have a great constitution!
:) xx
i Suffer from that too, but every morning i'd have to have a bottle of water with me just incase and i felt that taking a sip out of it will make me better, i dont know if its because of that or other things aswell but ive become agrophobic, and i believe that is one of my biggest fears throwing up, but i have also lost all my confidence i hate people coming in the house, even my own family i felt uncomfertable with, i have got slighty better tho, sorry for going off topic aswell.
But i havent thrown up for i think nearly 3 years now but still scared of it :(
MissBehavin
30-08-06, 17:49
I cant remember the time this started for me. But it has almost ruined relationships ive been in before when i cant stand being around someone thats ill. Having my kids who are 11 and 9 now certainly helped a bit, when they were younger and were sick i would panic inside and get the runs! Its horrible. I too am extremely careful what i eat & avoid chicken, fish, bar b q's, kebab vans etc etc, the list goes on and on. But to be honest when i have been sick i have dealt with it ok, its the worry of it thats the worst thing, not so much the reality ive found. I would actually rather be sick myself than someone else around me be sick which is probably more unusual?
C x
Pete to win Big Brother 7
MissBehavin
31-08-06, 03:12
This is mega weird cuz its 3am and im downstairs because my boyfriend woke up about half an hour ago saying he thought he was gonna be sick. He went pretty much straight back to sleep but now im downstairs shaking. I think hes up there snoring but now i cant wait for 7am to come when he gets up an goes to work.
Pete to win Big Brother 7
Hi,
Just came about this site as I've been looking up info about emetaphobia.
I think I have suffered with this for as long as i can remember,but have only found out that there's a name for it.My phobia is taling over my life but feel that I can't talk to anyone about it as I think people will think I'm being silly.
I think it all started when I was very young and had just started school when i was sick in the lunch hall infront of a lot of people.
I have gone through long periods of time without being sick,but I always have this overwhelming feeling that I'm going to be sick,not just at home though I panic more when I leave the house.I take thick carrier bags with me in my handbag anywhere I go,just in case.I just panic if I'm in a situation where I'm around a lot of people just in case I'm sick.
It hasn't always been this intense though,I only used to panic if I was around someone was ill/sick,just incase I got ill too,or if I felt sick.But now it's all the time.
In the last year it has been worse and is affecting my whole life.Have been to the doctors,and they tested me for everything I even had an Endoscopy to see if there was any stomach ulcers causing me this discomfort.I have been on anti-sickness pilss for the last year now and in the last few weeks i've been looking online about my problem.
I know this post is long winded but I need some advice on what to do.I'm scared that if I go to my doctor about this,as I'm worried he will stop prescribing my anti-sickness pills,but I know I need help.
Thanx for reading all this.
:)
Hey Im so glad i found this forum, as i thought i was the only one who felt like this. I have just been reading all your replies and every single word of what has been said, i can relate to. I am 26 years old and i have had the fear of being s**k since about 6 years old. I cant recall a certain traumatic experience, but i just remember hating everything about it. As i have got older i have learnt to deal with it myself in my own way, but the last 3 or 4 years have been awful and i have found myself being awake all night worrying that i might be s**k! I hate it when my husband goes out drinking as he may be s**k when he comes home. I have recently had a baby too, and it has certainly put it into perspective. I dreaded the thought of getting morning sickness, but i was fine and had a great pregnancy. Having my daughter makes me realise that being s**k is not the be all and end all, but i still cant erase it from my mind! I much better than i was but i still constantly wash my hand with antibacterial soap about 20 times a day! I wish there was a cure, but i tried hypnotherapy and although it worked slightly it didnt cure me completely!
MissBehavin-
I am like you in that I'm more scared of someone around me being sick than myself being sick. I have a pretty strong stomach and can usually will myself not to throw up. It's when people around me are sick that makes me panic.
My son who is 18 months had the norovirus in December and I couldn't even comfort him. Poor thing had never thrown up before and he had no idea what was going on. He spent the night with my husband (who was also vomiting) in the other room. I was closed up in our bedroom. I actually had the virus the day before them and fared pretty well. But ever since then I've been a nervous wreck. Every little cough or cry from my son's room sends me into a panic. One night I even put towels all around his crib "just in case."
My husband frequently has to reassure me that "the baby's fine!!" I bombard him at the door when he comes home from work to wash his hands. He became upset with me because I lysoled the light switches so much that there's streaks stained on the paint on the wall.
I just don't want to be constantly panicking that one of my family members is going to be sick. Does hypnosis really work? I'm kind of embarrassed to go to my doctor and talk about it. I don't think exposure therapy would work for me as I am a nurse and I'm exposed to it already. I just can't handle when people I know get sick because I have to see them everyday after. Then I always picture them vomiting when I look at them. At least with the patients at work I can go home and may never see them again.
teresaB - It is amazing that you are a nurse whilst suffering with this!
I am hoping to become a doctor, but I will have to overcome this first.
Any medics out there who have made it with Emet?
I am going to try Hypnoanalysis - anyone else tried this or hypnotherapy?
i have the same problem i am petrified of being sick if anyone is ill around me i ask the same questions like am i gonna be ill? , have u got a bug? i have had this phobia since i was in primary school when i panic i think to my self am i going to be sick and get in a right state i am getting to the stage where i panick most days of the fear of being sick. But i have only been sick about 2 to 3 times luckily because if i was sick more i dont think i could cope with it
TomMonteith
20-07-09, 23:46
i have a really bad case of emetophobia, if u want to talk to me please elase please email me on Tom.1610@hotmail.com (Tom.1610@hotmail.com)
i would really appriciate it if i could talk to some1 about the same feeling http://static.thestudentroom.co.uk/images/smilies/exceptional/frown.gif please please please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I may be a sufferer of emetophobia also. I remember when I was turning 9 I had a suprise bday party. I was so happy and had so much fun all day. Later that night though I felt my thorat tightening up (I might have been having a mild panic attack) When I tried to tell somebody that I had felt like I may have something stuck in my throat. Then this person ask me "Do you feel like your going to be sick?" And that's when the panic flared out of control. I freaked out, couldn't breathe, hypervenilated, and everything. My mom called an ambulance, (but later they left, because I had calmed down). After that day, I stopped eating as much. My mom was worried and took me to the doctor almost everyday. Later I began eating again, and I thought nothing that bad would ever happen again. I was wrong.
This May, I caught the dreaded stomach flu from my mom. It wasn't that bad, but I couldn't stop myself from crying and shaking after I would be sick. (even though it was only twice) Then after I got better, I ate everything I saw. Two weeks after my little eating fiasco, I just stopped. I actually just stopped eating entirely. (I once went three days w/out food because I was so scared of vomiting).
And then there was the trip to Vegas this June. My mom pulled over at a rest stop so we could all use a rest stop. When I got into the bathroom, i felt kinda panicky, and a little bit nauseaous (mostly in my throat though) I tried to enter the stall, but then I freaked out entirely. I sat down on a little bench and refused to move, becasue I thought I would be sick. My heart was racing so fast, the staff there had to call the hospital. Then a few days after I had got back from the hospital and we walked the strip, I started to panic again. In public. I felt nauseaus and weak and scared. It was terrible. My parents took me to a eating disorder therapist. I tried to explain to the therapist that I was afraid of being sick, but she just stared at me, laugh, and said "I hear that excuse all the time". So now I'm being treated for anorexia and that's not what I need! I tried to tell my mom, but she just didn't understand. I felt devastated.
Anway I just wanted to share my story. I felt so alone with this fear, until I learned that there are other people that have it too. What can I do that could alleviate this fear?
Oh. I'm fourteen years old and I'm new hear
Hi all,
wow, I am so surprised to see how many threads are on here with people who suffer from emetophobia. In answer to the orginal question, I was not sick for 10-11 years, I had been sick when I was 11 and in a foreign country and had no idea where my parents were atthe time (yeah i know, probably the root cause right?) and was only sick this year for the first time after some dodgy takeaway food. what seems odd to me is at the time it happened, I dont remember having any particularly intense panic or fear, but called for my girlfreind to get someone... ANYONE, and she got my freind from next door. I stood there, and sort of shrugged my shoulders saying to myself (is that it? was that what ive been frightened of?' The end of my phobia perhaps? Nope it wasn't
despite this happening to me fairly recently (6 months ago give or take a few months) I still have an intense fear of this occurence despite my rationality telling me that it is not dangerous and is in fact a defense mechanism, and is even quite pleasant afterwards ( in a relief inducing way)
I still find that every second of anxiety that I suffer, the focus of my fear is on being sick. I'm just starting seeing a counsellor for this, so if anyones interested im happy to share my experience of how I get on with this. 'tis strange though that desptie this happening i still have the phobia isn't it?
Danni, its a tough call but not impossible, hang in there! You must make sure your therapist knows that you're serious about emetophobia, she should help you, its her job after all.
Danath
my mum hasn't been sick for 14 years!
and she's ALWAYS looked after everyone when they've been ill, i'm surprised because she has an immune deficiency as well.
It does give me alot of hope.
Hiya Bubblestar,
I'm 25 and been suffering from emetophobia basically all my life - its not as extreme as it was last year - I was panicking every day and stopped eating for a few months which is obviously no good to my over all health!
the only times ive been proper sick is when im ill - i had vertigo (ear infection) back in 2003 and more recently I was sick due to eating bad chicken (grr) but i remember when I have been sick thinking "this isnt so bad" because i had built it up to be the worst thing in the world when in reality it was over and done with and i was up walking around doing life normally the next day!
I've had numerous panic attacks over the fear of being sick but every time ive had these panics ive never actually been sick!
These days i always carry mint gum with me, which is some kind of OCD thing I have to have it where ever i go just incase im ill...
I can relate to that star, I have to carry a drink with me everywhere just incase my mouth goes dry or I need to 'rinse my mouth out' if you get my drift....
The last time I was really sick was when I was 12, that's 17 years ago. I wasn't bothered about it until 3 years ago when they anxiety started. I felt sick because of my anxiety and for some reason it triggered off the fear of being sick and the memories of it happening. Now I get daily nausea and obsessively think about being sick, I mean most of the day my brain wanders back to that thought. It's terrible and I've been like this everyday for 3 years. I just don't know how to end it, I've tried medication, counselling, CBT etc and nothing has helped at all.
Nervy_of_catford
13-10-09, 23:09
17 years and counting!
Similarly, I'm sure the fear of being sick is far worse than vomiting itself.
I'm currently worrying because my boyfriend lives with two housemates, and one currently is in bed ill. I don't want to ask what's wrong with him because I don't know him that well, but I'm worried it's a norovirus type bug, and that I'll get it because I've been in their house in the last three days.
It's irrational, I know that, but it's stopping me sleeping!
Bah.
BabyRachel
13-10-09, 23:31
Ive had emetophobia for many many years, since I was a little one. I 20 now and i recently out of no where struck me back and I was sooooooo scared of being sick. I was constantly taking anti nausea pills and got a prescription for nausea/vomiting medication. I couldnt do anything without taking these pills I was just so scared. I'd eat the blandest foods, cut dairy out of my diet/ caffeine/alcohol. At the same time I had very bad panic anxiety and IBS. Now I have been seeing my doctor who has prescribed me with lexapro and after a few changed dosages Ive noticed a big difference in my anxiety. LEXAPRO IS A GODSEND!
I have also been seeing a psychologist who is helping me with my phobia and anxiety. In regards to emetophobia she has explained to me that during cave man times they had a big fear of being sick because it was more threateneing for them. It meant they had eaten something bad and as they did not have medical treatment like we do, it wasa much more dire situation. This phobia is sort of imprinted in some of our brains. It is the same as being afraid of spiders/snakes that sort of thing. She also got me to think about what would happen after I was sick. Say the worst happened and I was sick - what then? She said okay it would probably be uncomfortable and you would feel sick but you would probably feel better after and relieved you had done it.
I really suggest anyone with this phobia sees a psychologist/doctor. I know how debhilitating it is! It can ruin your life. I felt like it was ruining mine. I've only started to feel better this week and I'm putting that down to lexapro.
x
BabyRachel
13-10-09, 23:33
Also please feel free to message me if you need support..
Hi everyone,
I have posted somewhere else about this phobia, but didn't know there was a specific thread for Emetophobia.
I've had this phobia for as long as I can remember, but I havn't been sick for 27 years, when I was 16.
The strange thing is that when that happened I didn't have any panic or fear about it.
I do go out of my way to avoid things that may make me ill, no alcohol, drugs, tobacco, fairground rides, spicy food, etc. It is getting worse as I have got older and some of the therapies out there are just not for me.
Flooding or exposure therapy is definitely a no go, I've had hypnotherapy sessions and EFT but nothing has worked. Like a similar sufferer posted before, I have had a chat with a guy that has worked with Paul McKenna and he says exposure therapy is useless and not necessary. he tells me that he can cure my phobia in 2 or at most 3 sessions with NLP. But it is quite expensive so I will have to save up.
I go along with the idea that you only have to recondition the mind/subconcious to alleviate a phobia and this doesn't mean having to physically confront it.
I have found it is very difficult living with emetophobia, as soon as my wife doesn't feel 100% I start to panic and will just leave the flat if she starts to feel worse. Even reading about a tummy bug in the papers that is going round several hundred miles away gets me all anxious.
Now winter is approaching and I am getting nervous about catching any of the bugs that go round, but fortunately I seem to have a very good immune system, although that doesn't stop me from getting anxious.
SharonDerby
02-11-09, 10:32
Hi Baldy and everyone
I am exactly the same as you Baldy cept for the wife bit as i'm a female but my story is exactly the same as you even to the last time i was sick etc and it not frightening me back then i'm 46 now.
I'm going through a very rough time at mo with winter approaching i'm getting petrified of Norovirus/stomach bugs, to my absolute horror family came last night and one of them had been up all night being sick...........THE TERROR it has instilled in me is dreadful, i'm only coping by telling myself that when he was here he ate a huge sunday lunch a fruit pie a toffee apple and managed to polish off at least 1/2 a bottle of coke so i'm assuming he had a few too many on sat night, altho he says not he had less to drink than he normaly does on sat night and hes certain it was a bug.
Either way i can see myself going downhill rapidly, not good as i'm already ill with thyroid problems at the mo so i'm finding life very diff, any help or advise is always good to hear.
Love Sharon xxx
Shadow_of_me
02-11-09, 12:42
hey all!!!! this phobia is runing my life.... I cant go anywhere or do anything because every lil grumble/ feeling i get in my stomach i turn in to the thought that i am going to be sick even no i no that absolutly daft!!! I have this constant turning, "not right" feeling in my belly which never goes away and just wondered if anyone else gets this and it is just focusing so things that really dont need to be focused on!? My anxiety has changed now from months n off feeling like i was going to vomit there n then its now turned into a alllll day nausea feeling and a weird empty feeling after every time i eat. dunno which one i prefered lol! I take domperidone every day sometimes just because it puts my mind at reast and also take my pepto bismol on a regular basis which i no can be doing me no good!!! Sorry for the rant... i just dont understand why i feel this all the time and it wont go away. its gone past jus being scared of being sick now its effecting every day and every lil feeling i have :-(
Stupid stupid stupid phobia and I DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE.
I have been dealing with this phobia for about a year, but have only just been diagnosed, probably because i was in denial. But this phobia is ruining my life. I am now on 10mg lexapro a day, started 3 weeks ago and am about to begin hypnotherapy. I am so happy to find this site as i really felt so alone, like i was the only person ever to suffer from this horrible fear. The worst part is, i know it is TOTALLY irrational, but i just cant help it. Everywhere i go, i fear i will vomit. I feel sick nearly everyday, and it makes the simplest tasks so difficult, especially going to work. I have had to cut my hours back drastically. Has anyone else had some relief from lexapro? I havnt noticed a huge difference, but my doc said it could take at least 6 weeks to really notice any change. Or maybe i need to change the dosage. I just want to feel normal again and be able to do normal things.
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