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HannahElizabeth1992
25-07-08, 00:16
Hi all..:)

This is the first time I have ever really spoken up about my "phobia", and accepted that I actually have it, so you'll have to excuse me if it doesn't make much sense! :blush:

Well, I am 16 years old, and have suffered with my fear of sick from the age of about 9 (at a guess). I don't think it's a very severe case of Emetophobia, as I have read about much worse, and I have no idea what started it off exactly, but I am pretty sure that I have it. I don't really remember how I used to deal with it, or if my way of coping with it has got better or worse, but I can tell you about it at present. Maybe you can relate to it in some ways? :)

I would say, on average, I feel sick every day at some point. Usually, after I have had a large meal of some kind, and almost always at night, (I think this might have something to do with the fact that during my life I have never actually been sick during the day time). My nausea is almost always just anxiety attacks, and even though I am aware of this, I still seem to suffer from them.
I'm not sure if anyone else has seemingly pointless anxiety attacks about it? :wacko:

During these attacks, I have difficulty breathing, I tremble uncontrollably, and sometimes I get a strange tingly sensation, usually in the tips of my fingers, but this depends on the severity of the attack. I haven't actually been sick now for almost 5 years, but I get these anxiety attacks at least every other day.

I also cannot cope with other people being sick around me. In the past, this has stopped me from going out to parties and/or clubs with friends, for fear of people being drunkenly sick in front of me. I also refuse to be around anyone who has any type of sickness bug. I am always extremely careful whenever I order food from a takeaway or restraunt, usually just sticking to favourite haunts. When I go on holiday, I will very rarely eat chicken or even any meat at all.

When I was younger, I vaguely remember going to see a psycologist, but I'm not sure it did much good.

I suppose the point of this thread was just to see if others out there are suffering from similar side effects of being an Emetophobe, and to get to know people with this type of phobia. :)

I hope some people found it helpful and/or interesting to read, and if anyone has any tips it would be very much appreciated as I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do!

Thankyou :blush:
Hannah xxx

Charlottie
25-07-08, 00:20
I have emetophobia, have had it all my life! Though I'm quite lucky I only get panic attacks about if I feel sick or if I'm by someone who's sick. I'm almost 18 btw :)

domm029
25-07-08, 01:27
Hey there
I have suffered with emptophobia since the age of 10 year old.

so I can totally understand what you are going through, I tend have panick attacks once a day, and I avoid situations which could make you sick, I am not really afraid of other people being sick, unless it is a bug, then i tend to stay away.
I am getting help now, i am on medication which is I hope will carm the anxitie down, and I am gonna see a counsellor as well.

missyann1
25-07-08, 02:04
I have been suffering from emetophobia for 18 years now. I completely understand. I do the same things as you. If anybody tells me they feel sick, I ask if they are going to get sick and almost always get away as fast as I can. I dont like being in public places for the fear of people getting sick. Hopefully we can both find some help on here :)

Charlottie
25-07-08, 10:13
Kinda funny story I thought I'd share, once I was on a school trip and the teacher made me sit next to the one person who had travel sickness! Can you imagine how terrfied I felt :|

franfhm
25-07-08, 20:11
Hello Hannah and welcome to the site :)

I too suffer with emetephobia, and have done for the last 16 years or so. I have my ups and downs, and went through a "good" spell of about 3 years where being sick really didn't bother me, and I went out on several occasions, got drunk and threw up!

I've reatreated back into myself since then, but am getting better. I have up days and down days but I feel like I can control it at the moment.

maeanna
25-07-08, 23:32
Hi Hannah and welcome to the site!
I can relate you completely and have all your symptoms and more so youre not alone. Im 28 and have had this awful phobia since i was 3/4 so i know exactly what ur going through. I too feel sick everyday to the point now that im scared to go too far from home and when i do go out i dont eat big meals and take anti sickness tablets which is ridiculous as its completely anxiety based and they dont work!. I had started hypnotherapy but have had to have a break as its very expensive but i think its gonna work and am staying positive and cant wait til i go back in september!
I also use relaxtion and meditation cds which really relax me and calm me down quite abit. When im out i also hav my mp3 player on with my fave music to distract me. Also the panic/anxiety attacks you have are identical to mine and fyi the tingling in your fingers is just the lack of carbon dioxide while you breathe in too much oxygen - try breathing deeply through your nose and out through your mouth . i also tend to count to 6 slowly whilst breathing in and then out!!! (dont ask why 6 i just find it works for me!!!) anyway feel free to message me if u wana chat.
take it easy :o)

HannahElizabeth1992
26-07-08, 11:32
Thankyou for all your replies everyone, they've really helped! :blush:
And Charlottie, I had the exact same problem when I was in Year 8!
I really didn't want to sit by her, but she was my friend, and I didn't want to admit that I was scared of sick, so I was just sat there facing the window the entire journey, haha! :scared15:
And thankyou Meanna, I'm going to try listening to those meditation CD's, I might get some :)
x :yesyes:

Charlottie
26-07-08, 17:45
Hehe Hannah I did that, and she wasn't even my friend! I just didn't wanna seem silly!

I had another time, my friend got really drunk up town and she was sick and I literally ran to the other side of town!! MY male friends had to take her to the toilets I felt really bad.

miss_worry
05-08-08, 21:06
hi. I also suffer from emetophobia. It stems from childhood experience and I have just had to come to terms with it.

I found that facing the problem was the best way for me to get "over it" although I am not "over it" and i still look for sick patches in the street and check public toilets and still get nervous if people say they feel sick etc.

There was one occasion where i could not escape. I was on a bus full of hen and stag parties and it was the morning after their night do and yes you guessed it their were sick! no one was sick on me or near and i did not smell anything but i was freaking out big style. i couldnt breath my arms going all floaty etc. But at the end of the bus journey i came off feeling totally elated and i felt really proud of myself for not making the bus driver stop and letting me off! so i have learnt from that occasion that the anxiety and the phobia did not kill me or make me bad person.

I know its really hard to face your phobia but the best way to get a grip on things is to face it. I have yet to do so with my spider phobia. I know I will get there eventually.

I hope this helps maybe?

miss_worry
x

CrazyC
14-08-08, 19:38
I dont go out or on long journeys incase i feel or need to be sick. I used to feel sick daily, i have got a little better lately but the thought of sick makes me go crazy, same if anyone speaks about it. If i see or hear someone being sick i instantly feel i need to be sick and get hot and panic like crazy. Its got worse the last few years it effects me so much im put off from having children for fear of when they are ill.

solent
22-08-08, 16:23
Hi Hannah,
I've been a suferer since I threw up on a school trip when I was nine. I try and avoid any kind of situation where peope/I may throw up: boats, travelling generally, drinking, 'dodgy' food etc.

My advice for you would be to ask your doctor for help. Try and avoid medication (unless you feel you really need some help) but see if he can get you onto something like CBT. This will teach you how to relax and show you they the symptoms you are suffering are really just anxiety. If you can rationalise things like that it should be easier to cope with the anxiety.

If you want self help there are plenty of books on CBT and relaxation CDs you can try.

Mike

Demzii
25-08-08, 19:34
I am excatly the same i hate going out new years eve and my parents having to much to drink.
I dont have medicine because i had calpol once and brought it back up so i don't have it, i also have flashbacks on when i was sick i always think (well that time i did this and that time i did this) i know its weird! i am 12 and have had it since i was 5 iv'e seen on here how old people are and how long theyv'e had it so i'm going to have it for a long long long time unfortunatley. i do hope this website works it's driving me and everyone that knows CRAZY! i always check my temperature and make sure i dont have too much to eat i usually have atleast 8 things a day(i'll count tea/dinner as 1) i dont know why 8 by the way, i just feel its a good number i suppose.

Charlottie
25-08-08, 20:54
Demzii, I assure you just because some people on here are older with this condition it doesn't mean you will have it for a long time. I too am a sufferer and used to have it really bad when I was younger but now I am older though I still suffer from the phobia its not as intense as it was when I was your age, I'm 18 now. :)