Emetophobia maybe?

Hello,
So this is something I’ve been struggling for years. When I was younger I was scared of being sick, like lots of people are. But it passed after I had a few bugs and realised it wasn’t that awful after all.

But when my (nearly 6 year old) was 1, she had a vomiting bug that made her very sick for 72 hours and then pretty much sick once a day for a week. It was horrible and pretty disgusting and my fear of her being sick developed. Since then she’s been sick in my face, on my bed, on the floor, on the sofa etc etc, as children are. In the summer holidays she caught a particularly nasty one which ended up in her getting reflux & her needing gaviscon after meals for about 6 weeks. Since then she felt sick the other day and got really upset over it, which was really sad to see.

I however, have added it to my list of fears. Sometimes when my anxiety is high I worry about it at night eg: is she going to be sick tonight.
There’s a sick bug going round at school & they are dropping like flies. I keep getting WhatsApp messages on the class school group saying another one has it - which is really not helping my anticipatory anxiety. She’s going to a party today and I worry that it’s just another chance if catching it, so I’m not looking forward to the party & I shall worry for a couple of days after, just like the last party [emoji17].

She’s not worried about it thankfully. She’s taken our reasoning on board - if she catches it she catches it, being sick is rubbish but you get better quickly etc.

But I can’t quite make myself stop ruminating about it.

I realise it’s become habitual for me to worry about it, but I don’t know how to stop. I mean the threat will always be around, so how do I just deal with it? My rational partner just doesn’t worry about it because it hasn’t happened and may not happen. But me, sigh.

Sorry this is such a long post. I don’t really like to post about my own anxieties on here but this one seems to not be getting any better. I thought it might help to write it down.... it hasn’t [emoji23]. Can emetophobia also be a fear of your loved ones being sick?

My emetophobia is centred around the act of vomiting full stop, it doesn’t matter if it’s on the tv, in the street or myself that’s feeling/possibly being sick. I do find it much worse if someone is sick near me though because I’m still petrified of catching it myself but the act is super scary to hear for me too.


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Is it the actual act of vomiting which you fear for your daughter? You have a problem with it yourself so fear that your daughter may have inherited the fear?

I have a friend with emetophobia who can't deal with her son being sick. I think it's very likely that emetophobia extends to loved ones and anyone being sick.

I’m not really concerned about being sick myself, I’ve been sick about 6 times in the last few years and it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t like it obviously, but I don’t have as much fear.
If anyone else is sick though I obviously don’t want to catch it, but I’m more concerned about them.
Also, I worry about how miserable my daughter gets when she is ill, and I worry about her getting worse. But it seems it’s mostly the fear of her getting sick, because when she has been, I’ve dealt with it ok.
I wonder if it has anything to do with grief over my parents death? The way that I catastrophise illness perhaps?

I don’t know. My usual bag of tricks can’t really help with this one.

This is very interesting Scass- I’m not really sure what is going here. You’re not really scared of getting sick yourself and you know you cope fine when your daughter is ill- and you also know she copes fine and gets better quickly. Why do you think your parents’ deaths are relevant? Also maybe - you are scared of a repeat of her summer illness- when if I remember- you got genuinely worried about something serious like appendicitis...?

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jojo2316

This is very interesting Scass- I’m not really sure what is going here. You’re not really scared of getting sick yourself and you know you cope fine when your daughter is ill- and you also know she copes fine and gets better quickly. Why do you think your parents’ deaths are relevant? Also maybe - you are scared of a repeat of her summer illness- when if I remember- you got genuinely worried about something serious like appendicitis...?

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I think it might just be the fear of illness in general you know. Which started after my Dad died 3 years ago. Do I think I’m just scared of her getting ill, but sickness is horrid because it’s so unpredictable and not something I can control at all maybe?
I have had quite a stressful few weeks and I have a couple of underlying worries about my own health too. But yes, that summer sick bug was awful Jojo, well remembered! It turned into reflux which was probably what was causing the pains.

You are probably feeling a bit fragile after the party and the risk of bug transmission...It is a risk of course but I expect your little girl really wanted to go and she will be facing these germs on a daily basis at school anyway.

On the subject of fear of her getting ill, it's hardly surprising after her prolonged sickness last Summer and it takes a while to relax again after something like that. My daughter was critically ill with pneumonia/septicaemia as a baby and I dreaded her first cold after that-but she sailed through it.

Illness is unpredictable and uncontrollable and all you can do is try to minimise the risks. I'm so sorry you've had a hard time lately and I'm sure your anxiety will be up a bit as a result.The most important thing is that you're a devoted and loving Mum though x

Thank you Pulisa.
They are amazing little humans really aren’t they, we could learn so much from their ability to bounce back.
Hope you’re ok xx

Hi Scass,

When I was growing up, my older sister (who's fourteen years older) used to be scared of me vomiting whenever she had to mind me. Never about herself getting sick- only me. It used to make me feel like I was going to get sick from the stress of trying not to vomit lol

Sorry, that was just a random fact- I'm in no way saying you make your daughter have the same feelings my sister did to me!
I hope you're doing okay and she had a good time at the party xxxx

Thank you Sarah!
It’s a good point though - to not show your fears.
She had a great time, hope you are good xx