My own experiences..

[Tasha'93]

Well, truthfully.. I dont really know where to start when it comes to my own experiences. I tend to have an experience everyday whether it big or small. I suppose I should start from the beggining. I dont remember the exact or clear details of when my phobia began but I know it is rooted from a time when I was a toddler and ended up having to go to hospital with severe sickness & diarrhea and my mum told me that the whole experience was very distressing for me as I was too young to understand what was going on or how to handle it.

Then around the age of about 7 up to when I was 11 I would get into a state most nights as I thought I was going to be sick, I would always go to my mum for support just for her to tell me that I was going to be ok.. and 9/10 times I was ok, but at the time I didn't realise that due to how much of a state I allowed myself to get into. When I started high school around the age of 11/12 my phobia didn't seem as extreme and most of the time I had it under control and it never really effected me until the odd time when I would feel really sick and get worked up about it. I suppose I was like that because my time and mind was so focused on high school and the amounts of work I was getting.

I'm now 17 and my phobia seems just as bad as it was back before I started high school, and now i've left, it's all I can think about. I'm currently not in further education due to various reasons and I dont have a job because, well, i'm 17 and have no experience.. I think that's all I need to say about that! I dont know if it is because right now I have a lack of direction or focus in life or what but i'm constantly thinking about 'what if I throw up today?' and it's driving me insane and it's physically and emotionally draining. It's getting to the point where I dont really want to go out into public where there is a potential chance I could catch a bug or something.

I really don't know what to do and if anyone reading this could reccomend anything to me that can allow me to help myself or is in a simmilar situation to myself and would like to chat i'm sure i'd find it very comforting.

Thankyou, Tasha.

[andawg]

HI! I am only 12 years old, but have been in this situation a lot. When I was 11, right after a bad experience in a hotel (don't let your sister eat too much butter), I started feeling nauseous every night. I stayed in bed, wondering what was going to happen. This happened for quite some time. I went to the doctor, but nothing showed up. I understand exactly what you are going through. Every night I ask myself "Do I have a stomachache"? Hope it helps to know that someone is in your exact situation. Just think to yourself "I'll make it through today". It really helps.

[Tasha'93]

HI! I am only 12 years old, but have been in this situation a lot. When I was 11, right after a bad experience in a hotel (don't let your sister eat too much butter), I started feeling nauseous every night. I stayed in bed, wondering what was going to happen. This happened for quite some time. I went to the doctor, but nothing showed up. I understand exactly what you are going through. Every night I ask myself "Do I have a stomachache"? Hope it helps to know that someone is in your exact situation. Just think to yourself "I'll make it through today". It really helps.

Thanks for replying to this, it's nice to hear that someone else knows what i'm going through, and at the same time I can sympathize with you because it is awful having that every day/night dread that you could be sick at any moment, it is draining i'm sure you'd agree. I think being a positive person and telling yourself you'll be ok and you're going to see the day through does help but unfortunately my phobia/anxiety has turned me into a really negative person and as things stand right now, I dont see much hope. I will say to you though, being 12 years old, you're still really young and i'd honestly advise you to see a doctor to put you through to a therapist or something if things are getting that bad for you, it's worth trying to sort out now than waiting til you're into your teenage years, which you should be enjoying. Take care of youself.

[chocolategirl]

Hi, i'm 14 and i deal with the constant fear every day (with the exception of the days that i'm in a good mood) It is a very stressful phobia and its confusing for others to understand. But even so, we all need to remember we are not alone! my support goes out to you!!

[Tasha'93]

Hi, i'm 14 and i deal with the constant fear every day (with the exception of the days that i'm in a good mood) It is a very stressful phobia and its confusing for others to understand. But even so, we all need to remember we are not alone! my support goes out to you!!

It's so awful, beyond words can describe the feelings I get, that we all get infact. I just want it to stop, I feel so trapped all the time. It's weird, I can have days where I'm like NO, YOU WILL NOT BEAT ME. & others I just want to stay in bed because I literally think what is the point anymore. But yeah, we all need to be there and support eachother.

[Helley]

I'm 16, kinda started when I was in year 6. I used to do dancing, I went on this Trip to Butlins (UK). The day we're due going home, Aiden had to much pineapple; started to be sick on the way home. I started to shake, feel unwell. We stopped at Mcdonalds, where he ran into the toilets to be sick again. That's when I knew I started to be afraid of him. When we got home, I ran for it. Ever since, if someone is sick - I would not talk to them for a couple of days. Like last year my dearest best friend was sick in the car, as you would know, I started to hate her. We stopped around twice, I really started to shake - but after a couple of minutes after she left. I felt fine and forgot about it. The smell of sick, I can't do. The phobia isn't effecting me - I love eating, sleeping. It's just seeing, hearing people being sick. Everytime we're going somewhere with school. I always ask them "Do you have travel sickness?". If yes, I'll move away from them. I'm scared it will get worse, so I'm going to Peru for a month soon, I feel this is the way to overcome my fear. So I know how it feels to be emetophobic.

[Tasha'93]

I'm 16, kinda started when I was in year 6. I used to do dancing, I went on this Trip to Butlins (UK). The day we're due going home, Aiden had to much pineapple; started to be sick on the way home. I started to shake, feel unwell. We stopped at Mcdonalds, where he ran into the toilets to be sick again. That's when I knew I started to be afraid of him. When we got home, I ran for it. Ever since, if someone is sick - I would not talk to them for a couple of days. Like last year my dearest best friend was sick in the car, as you would know, I started to hate her. We stopped around twice, I really started to shake - but after a couple of minutes after she left. I felt fine and forgot about it. The smell of sick, I can't do. The phobia isn't effecting me - I love eating, sleeping. It's just seeing, hearing people being sick. Everytime we're going somewhere with school. I always ask them "Do you have travel sickness?". If yes, I'll move away from them. I'm scared it will get worse, so I'm going to Peru for a month soon, I feel this is the way to overcome my fear. So I know how it feels to be emetophobic.

I'm really sorry that it's effected you in this way. It sounds like you have the other side of Emetophobia which is just purely being afraid of other people being sick near you. It's not nice at all, I know because i'm scared of being around people being sick but on top of that being scared of yourself being sick is just a nightmare! I hope you have a good trip to Peru & I hope it helps you to over come your fear, I think you're really brave.