Fear of being Sick

[Mercedes]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has this. I've had this since i was about 7/8yrs old and i'm 19 now. I have a fear of being sick, any slight feelings of feeling sick brings on a panic attack but now its like my body is in a routine and i'm having quite a few panic attacks about panicking(hope that makes sense!). It stops me from traveling far and if i go somewhere with someone, i have to drive so i have a way out.
I can usually eat out but i can only eat so much then i stop in fear of feeling full which then makes me feel sick! At the moment i'm feeling panicky about eating out so haven't in a couple of months but i really want to be able to go and have a meal out!
I also cant cope with other people being ill with sickness incase i catch it and end up being ill. Thing is though, when i have been sick which isn't very often (i was a couple of months ago), i was fine after it, it was just the build up and panicking about being sick. I had therapy and felt a bit better but i'm going to go back now as i'm totally fed up with my feelings!

Thanks for reading!

[TTBP]

That's me!!!

I was on Seroxat for many years and this kept it under control but now I'm trying to cope naturally, I'm struggling! Not all the time but sometimes and it gets me down!

I've not had specific therapy for this phobia, have you?

I had general CBT which I found good but I struggle to put it in to practice when I panic (which is when you're supposed to put it in to practice!)

[Mercedes]

Ahh, its nice to find someone who feels like it too! I had therapy a few months back but only 3 or so sessions as it boosted my confidence quickly but i've gone back for a session today as my panic attacks are feeling like they are at a peak at the moment and i've never had a break from feeling nervous with most things i do for about 9years now so really trying to sort it out!

I struggle to put it into practice too when i'm panicking, all i want to do is flee from the situation and be home, i've told my other half to not let me flee from it as i think it will help me in the long run. We've tried it before and if i think, 'i cant get out of this situation', i kind of have to calm down because i haven't got a choice, its horrible having the feelings though but i'm going to try and get through it.

I'm having therapy which is similar to CBT but i'm not sure of what its called sorry, think its pretty much the same thing. She told me today that i need to prove myself wrong as in, i actually have never been sick etc from being nervous or having a panic attack so nothing terrible is going to happen to me, which is true, nothing terrible ever has. She also encouraged me to keep a diary of good and bad days so i can review it and sort of try and prove to myself that nothing bad ever happens to me.

It is all easier said than done i know! Keep trying and please let me know how you get on

[belle]

I've had emetophobia for as long as i can remember.
It's the main reason why i became housebound/agoraphobic...
Day to day i can cope - but from October to end of March i am pooping myself, especially when i have a 10 year old who doesn't really get the whole WASH HANDS thing. I even bought him hand gel and he still got a puking bug!!!!!

Anyway...good to meet you

[TTBP]

What meds have you both tried?

[jessieblue]

Hi, yes I suffer with emetophobia too. Have done all my life and its pretty bad at the moment. Try this forum for support, I use it and you will def get lots of support on there. www.gutreaction.co.uk

[gazania]

Yes I have this too as one of my phobias! I have had it for about 30 years now and do all I can to avoid situations where I could end up being sick. I used to be a childminder and it was a nightmare if any of the children I cared for were sick - especially as one of them passed on a very nasty bug to me once that made me very ill

Nowadays I am extremely careful with food, not going near anything out of date and smelling all meats etc. to make sure they are not off!

I hyperventilate if I think I am going to be sick and my mum had to call a doctor out to me once years ago as I was in such a state and had some sort of muscle paralysis from over breathing!

Glad to find out I am not alone

[Little Miss Kizzy]

Hi I have this phobia to I'm now 33 & have had this since I was 12 years old after bad food poisoning from a party. I have tried everything & spent loads of money I am better then I was but I think that is only because I got in such a state with stress & taking to much on a one time I got poorly & the doctors thought that triggered of my phobia again & it got so bad that I was put on Sertraline I'm now starting to come of them but my main problem at the moment is that I'm not getting any younger if I want to start a family some days I think yeah I'll be ok as I think I could cope with the baby sick but it's when they get older & start getting bugs & I have a chance of catching it that's when I think no I don't want kids I'm at the end of my tether as what to do

[gazania]

I spent most of yesterday in a state of anxiety as I thought I was going to be sick - I had an upset stomach which wasn't like my normal IBS and I think I had a bug It was horrible and I tried to not think about it but I couldn't help it!

However, I wasn't sick thank goodness and feel a lot better today

[Miki]

Bleggh, I have this emetophobia as well. I've had therapy but not specifically for that.. *sigh* When I get anxious about crowds, I feel a bit sick, and then that makes me more anxious until I get worked up in to a panic attack.
I dont know, I havent been sick since... Let me think.
December 2006? That was before my panic attacks started, though.
I made the STUPID mistake of saying to my friends something along the lines of i wish i could be bulimic, cause they have been.. But they got the wrong end of the stick completely >_< They were like Why you dont need to lose weight its a horrible thing you dont want to be that how can you say that #
Yelling at me. I was like, I said could be. Potentially. Not being emetophobic. Not being so afraid.
Blegh, I hate emetophobia.