Emetophobia

[lee87]

Hello all

I suffer from health anxiety, but emetophobia mostly. This is the first time I have even looked at a forum about it let alone write about my own experience! I have just been reading about everyone else's experiences and have to say it was very emotional, i sort of felt relief though that I am not alone at all. I often have nightmares of people being sick, and can hear the sound of someone being sick as soon as I think about it. For me the hardest thing I find is worrying I will be sick by catching food poisoning, so lately I do not eat much, and stay away from things like Chicken. I also worry about catching an illness from someone else. If i find out someone near me has been ill i am frightened to go near them just incase. Its such a horrible thing to think about and I have often been shocked at how strong the feelings of fear are.

Im trying to get better now, Im on anti-depressants which help quite well, and I have just started CBT so im hoping that it will work or at least guide me in the right direction.

If anyone has any advice or anything, it would be great to hear from you.

Lianna

[vladimir3d]

i never had emetophobia so i cannot say with good heart i know how it feels, but i did have a pseudo-ocd thing when i was an early teen where i had to wash my hands 20 times under steaming hot water.

just to say to you logicaly, germs are all around us, there is no escaping them, the more you avoid them the least you'll be likely to respond to them.

immune system is like muscle, use it or lose, so by trying to avoid germs at every cost you lose your immune system response and actually exacurbate your possibilities of being sick.

go out into the park even for a little while.

[belle]

Hi.
I've had emetophobia since i was 5, i am now 32!
I went through a really bad time a few years ago but thankfully i am not so bad now. There are still things i avoid, like eating meat out and like you going near people who feel ill or have been ill, but its really difficult with a child, they are bug barers!!!!
Its good to see that you are having CBT...that should help you

x

[maeanna]

Hey,
I have Emetophobia too, ocd and hate illnesses and germs! Ive had cbt and was prescribed anti depressents which i wouldnt take (coz of the side effects!) i started like a regression self hypnosis/ visualisation thing yesterday which im having once every 2 wks for the next 10 weeks or so. I already feel more relaxed and a bit more confident.
I think its just about finding out what works for u as an individual!
Good Luck!

[xskababyx]

This is interesting as my sister has a phobia of being physically sick, which I guess is what this is...? A couple of years ago she stopped eating most meats, stuff like cheese or yoghurt and refused to eat at restuarants as she was afraid of food poisoning, which led to her losing a lot of weight. She has since started eating a little more, but still has this overwhealming fear of illness. She hates people even saying the word 'sick' around her, she has to thoroughly check everything she eats and she won't sit on a particular sofa in our house (won't even touch it!) 'cos she was once ill when she sat there. She doesn't touch alchohol incase it makes her ill, and if anyone has even the slightest illness in our house she has to stay elsewhere.

It's quite distressing to see her like this, but I want to understand more about her phobia.

[lee87]

Thanks to everyone for their replies!!

xskababyx - Yeh Emetophobia is a fear of being sick, and from what you have said it sounds like this is what your sister has? A few years ago I wouldnt eat in restaurants either because I once got food poisoning from one so it put me off of them and i think that triggered my fear of eating out, i also lost a lot of weight at one point from not eating. The things you have explained like the overwhelming fear of illness, people even saying 'sick', checking everything etc sounds exactly like me. I have all of those things and can completely understand how its making her feel. Has she spoken to anyone about it? Also is she signed up to this website? As Ive only been on it a few days and already have had lots of great advice so I'd suggest that she join up.
If you want to try and understand a bit more about it just search emetophobia on the web and you'll find loads of info, but i have to say that its often very hard for people that dont suffer from it, to completely understand. But I hope you find enough to understand what shes going through and there is allsorts of things she can try to help. Hope this helps you.

Lee

[kerryC]

i know how you feel, i have the same thing... if i even hear of someone being sick it makes me feel sick... i didn't even want to kiss my this guy i was dating recently because of it. i'm paranoid of germs... not so much eating out, but i'm very carefull when i do, i never eat fish unless i'm at home... this is something i really want to get over because it's just so frustrating! i know how you feel though, you're not alone!

[bathgal25]

Hello everyone,I also suffer from this problem It has made it very hard to be in employment or even being around people.
Im on anti depressants which help the depression and parts of my ocd,But as fair as my emetophobia nothing seems to work.
I have bought alot of books about these issues but nothing seems to work for me, and to be honest i cant carry on like this
If anyone has any advice id be glad to hear it at this stage..