Need help

[Dan9]

This is my first post on here as i believe my emetaphobia has gotten worse. I remember when I was about 8-9 years old having it but then managing to control it and it went and I didn't even think about it until now at age 20. It has got to a point now where i am so incredibly scared of being sick that just saying or writing the word can set me off into a panic attack. Last night my friend wasn't well and threw up in my toilet. Now i am convinced that I'm going to catch it and I'm having the worst panic attacks about it which then makes me feel sick and the cycle just continues. Is there a helpline i can call or anything like that in the UK? I find myself drinking a lot more now just to help ease the panic attacks. Please help me.

[cinque]

Hello Dan. I'm so sorry you're having such a difficult time. Do you know what your friend was ill with? The chances are you're safe; to catch a stomach virus, you have to get particles from the person's v***t or poo into your mouth. Therefore good hand hygiene stops it spreading. So long as you wash your hands after using the toilet you should be absolutely fine. There's this helpline from Anxiety UK: 08444 775 774 (open Monday to Friday 9.30- 5.30). And some others are listed at the bottom of this page: http://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/anxiety.php

[Dan9]

Thankyou for your reply. I know but I feel sick and had diharea earlier so don't know if I've caught it. It really is giving me severe panic attacks to the point where I really think I might be ill and throw up. Is there not a number that's available 24/7 that I could ring.

[cinque]

I don't know if there's a 24/7 helpline. There's NHS Direct on 08454647 (England/Wales) or NHS 24 08454242424 (Scotland). I think they'd be pretty sympathetic and helpful; although they mainly deal with 'physical' health issues, I think severe anxiety/panic fits into that category. They're not going to tell you off, anyway.

I really really think it's unlikely you'd throw up from a panic attack. However, the d* could be because you are panicking and anxious. Even if you have caught it (which I would guess you have not) you wouldn't necessarily throw up just because your friend threw up. It could manifest itself as just d*.

I really think your nausea and d* are likely to be anxiety, though. Have you been in touch with your ill friend to find out if he or she had any other symptoms? Could just have been something he or she ate that disagreed with her or him.

Do you have any medication or natural remedies to help with how you are feeling? Do you live with anyone else or just on your own? Ginger or peppermint things can be very helpful for upset tummies.

[Dan9]

No I havent spoken to him since. I wish i could handle throwing up like he did though. He didn't care at all and actually was joking about it like straight after. I don't understand how it is possible to do that when it keeps me awake almost every night until about four in the morning.

[nendre]

hey dan, do you need to chat? i could gladly come on chat if you'd like

don't worry and don't give up, after a dark period there's always a bright one.

[Dan9]

I'm on my phone writing this at the moment so I don't think It would work. You could private message me if you wanted to though. And thankyou both for being so helpful. I'd read people's posts on here but never joined thinking id get ignored but it's been really helpful so thankyou.

[nendre]

you're more than welcome everyone here is very nice, understanding and helpful, so you can always turn to us, and we will always help you

[Dan9]

Well thankyou. I just feel like a total wimp. Being sick is such a minor thing when you consider what goes on in the world but no matter how many times I tell that to myself I am still totally terrified by it.

[cinque]

You're not a wimp. I know what you're saying about the terrible things that go on in the world, but we don't choose to be afraid and we're not afraid because we're cowards - it's a subconscious thing, away from our rational side. Have you asked your GP about treatment? CBT can be helpful and so can counselling, or a number of other things your doctor could suggest. Don't suffer in silence!

Maybe you should give your friend a text just asking how he is - it might turn out he's absolutely fine and it was just a one-off thing and you're worrying for nothing. Even if it is a bug you are not doomed to catch it from him being sick in your toilet.

[Strannik]

As a fellow Dan I feel like I need to contribute here.

Listen, brother. The only reason we feel like wimps is because we are men. I myself was - and still am to an extent - utterly ashamed that I should have such a weakness. But think about it this way, our phobia is an enemy unlike that faced by any other man; most can avoid their enemy or engage and destroy it but our enemy is in our own heads and so we can't run from it. So what's left to do? Well you only get two options as an animal faced with a threat and flight has been removed from us - we can only fight.

You're not a wimp, Dan. By coming here and looking for help you've not shied away; you're facing down your enemy.

All of us will eventually beat this thing in our own ways; I intend to face down every little thing connected with it until the anxiety no longer has a way of manifesting itself.I recently tried and failed but somebody said: “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”

Point is, we're all scared of something, we're all human. It just so happens that what scares you and me and everybody here doesn't scare the majority of people. But strength lies in facing it down.

"Courage is to resist fear, the mastery of fear - but not the absence of fear." - Mark Twain.

Strannik (Dan)

[Dan9]

You have no idea how much that message cheered me up. Thankyou, really Its so hard handling this shit everyday and with your post there it really helped. I really do feel like such a pussy, but your right I cant control it and I just have to fight it. Really thankyou. X

[emmalinda]

i uderstand your worry and anxiety. your friend could of been sick from anything, and he sounded too happy and nochelent for it to be a sv. that thing can go on for hours. and i tend to think that when people who dont care about getting sick, feel un well, tend to prefer to be sick and 'get it over with.' (even though it doesnt help). in my opinion i think they can subconciounsly walk into the bathroom and just do it, when really it wasnt necessasry...if that makes sense?! He could might of just been ble to put up with the n* until it passed. do you know if he got any d*?