Phobia of being sick

[Star]

I have this huge phobia of being sick, and if i start getting a bit anxious and a my stomach starts getting a sicky feeling then i instantly worry that i will be ill. Its a horrible circle. I try and calm down, and keep telling myself that i've never really actually been ill when im out and about but its still horrible being in that situation. the last time i went out with my old friends was about 2 or 3 years ago and i was almost sick infront of everyone, all because of anxiety. it was horrible and i havent been out for a night out like that again.

it is getting better though i can go out to the shops or for a long walk, by myself with out any real 'oh my god i will be sick' feeling. But as soon as i'm with other people my first thought when we go out is 'oh what if i'm sick'

I've currently developed this habit of having to have a mint or chewing gum - i dont think it even helps but its what i have if i start to feel a bit anxious and i just dont know what to do to stop all this stupid things i do and thoughts i have. I am on the NHS waiting list, have been for a year and have been told that i have to wait at least another year until i get seen.

[honeybee3939]

Hi Star

Take a look at these links from the Common problem section of the forum, they may help.


EXPOSURE THERAPY...
To Emetophobia sufferers
1st day CBT exposure for emetaphobia = scary
A visit to the Doctors
CBT for emetophobia my experiences...
Emetaphobia 101

Love

Andrea
xxxxx

[KLK1107]

Hi! I share this fear with you and it's horrible! I have IBS so my stomach is ALWAYS upset and right away my mind goes "youre gonna get sick!"... we just found out in June that we are pregnant with our first child and of course, being an emetophobe, my first thought was OH NO MORNING SICKNESS! haha... I am 8 weeks and 5 days pregnant today and so far I have been nauseas everyday all day which is awful, but it beats throwing up!... hoping it improves from now on and doesn't get worse... I hear from some people it only gets better from here, but then I read that it sometimes peaks in week 9-10... my mom keeps telling me though that if I was gonna throw up I would have so i'm hoping she's right!...

don't feel discouraged though... I know I have heard of a lot of people who went through therapy and got better... I started going to therapy, but stopped because it was hard to concentrate on it and really get myself there all the time when I was worried about morning sickness and having panic attacks about that... I hope everything works out for you and if you ever need someone to talk to because I know talking to someone who shares your fear sometimes helps... just message me!

[Nibbles]

Hi Star,

My two main symptoms which come on when I'm feeling anxious are nausea and a tight throat. I'm ok when alone because my fear is of being sick in front of people so I find things like eating out difficult when anxious. Like you I concentrate on telling myself rational thoughts when anxious such as thoughts equal symptoms. I know it's my psyche which makes me feel ill so I'm trying really hard to work on this. At the moment I'm taking root ginger capsules (one on waking and another before bed) which you can buy from health shops. One morning I woke up feeling nauseous so took a capsule and after a while the feeling did subside. My main coping strategy is to concentrate as hard as I can on something else no matter how daft!

Take care,

[Niki]

hey,
this is the first time ive spoken to people about this so excuse me if i make no sense. i have a terrible fear of being sick but its mostly related to food i modify my diet so i dont eat things that could make me ill. i wont eat fish food anymore, im picky where i eat out that sort of thing. i have IBS aswell and like KLK1107 i always have a dodgy stomach. so i know how you feel hun. congrats on the pregnancy! i recognise i only do it when im stressed or upset but i cant help myself. i worry as soon as the food passes my lips. i would like to speak to someone who doesnt look at me like im mad when i try to explain this to them! my friends are great but they dont understand.....HELP!!!.....
just chatting to some1 who gets it would help..
Niki xxx

[belle]

Hi hun..

I had emetophobia for YEARS (from 5 - 28). It was one of the main reasons i became agoraphobic/housebound. I was convinced if i went out i would throw up. At my lowest point i couldn't even have food cooking in the house because it would make me feel nauseaous, i wouldn't let my son who was a toddler at the time go to playgroup because of "germs". My life revolved around vomiting.

...then my son was throwing up because of school and i just had to get on with it and clean it up. Before i would have run a mile out of the house, now my ex (who would clean it up) was gone, so i had no choice!!!! 20th Dec. last year i had a stomach bug, it was crap but to be honest, i felt WORSE the day after all the gagging etc...and just a couple of weeks later i had ANOTHER bug! I LOVE MY SON talk about exposure therapy...lol. I was not scared/panicky at all. I felt too flipping sick.

I PROMISE 100% it's NOT as bad as we imagine. I would not say that unless i meant it 'cause i was in the same boat as you!

I am not saying i'm cured, because if i know anyone who is ill and i was with them just before they got sick, i will worry, but i won't let it consume my life any more.

Hope this helps...

x

[Noozles]

Add me to the list of emetophobes...... At least its a diagnosis and something to work against....

Starting CBT in December.....

[mumof4]

i have also suffered with this since i was 11 im 29 now and after years of coucelling im not to bad i am getting better i was sick a few months ago all the family had a stomach bug and for onced i didnt panic about it i just got on with it so i know myself i have made good progress.

there were times i was like u and i got the funny stomach and thought on im going to be sick and like u i never was.

it is a long hard road but u will get there, there is somtimes i relapse and i do it again but i just try and get on with it.

[natzybabez]

hey i have also suffered from this since i was 4 i remember my mum telling me i used 2 always say "wil i be sick" its awful feeling and look for people 2 talk to with the ame problem

[SharonDerby]

Hi all
of course i'm on the list too, have had this phobia 20 years, better than i was way back then but it still rules my life.
To the lady thats pregnant, i have had 2 children and i was never sick throughout either pregnancy, it peaks at about 6 weeks not 9 and i am almost 100% ceratin if you were going to be sick then you would have been by now, it's something that makes most women suspet they are pregnant because it's the earliest symptom so try to relax now and enjoy your pregnancy .
Hope all of us find some peace from this soon, it does rule my life ev day but i am better than i was, i eat safe foods toast chips etc etc and don't eat out or indeed anywhere but home, even then i wash my hands ev 2 seconds lol it takes me 20 mins to make a sandwich because i'm washing my hands knife etc so i sympathise with all of of you and i'm always around e mail me if youd like to chat or just have a friend to listen to you when your scared.
Sharon