well sice this didn't work on the other post, i'll re-post under a new topic. i just wanted to know about other people's stories.


i'm 27. i have 2 cats and a fiance. i have never not been emetophobic. i don't know how it came to be, but my mom told me about a time when i was about 1 and a half (about crawling age) i found and swallowed a staple. being a nurse she reacted swiftly, pulling it out of my throat. there was blood and gagging and afterwards she panicked. maybe it was those horrible feelings and her panic that traumatized me...i don't know.


when i was little, i would avoid other kids and wash my hands obsessively until i got punished. a teacher was concerned with my behavior and contacted my mom, but my mom was mad at the teacher for intruding. therefor, i never got any help. i would go through phases over the years of the fear rearing it's ugly head, then withdrawing somewhat and was always made to feel silly and ashamed of it. i was 'a freak.'


then, when i was 21 and had this great invention called the internet, living away from home by then for 4 years, i felt safe to address this question i had all my life? what was this fear? does anyone else have it? so...looking around to make sure no one was there, i typed 'fear of vomiting' into google search and...whoa... it had a name!!! i was thrilled. and other people, many other people, had this fear. i was no longer a freak!


i have dealt with depression and fought suicide since i was 15 and about 3 years ago, the phobia came out full force. i weighed 84 pounds at one point (i'm 5'6) because i was terrified to eat. i started lexapro and found a supportive partner and am now back to work and up to 115 pounds..lol which feels like i'm fat, comparitively. anyway, i just wanted to share my story and hear others to feel more part of something.


thanks for being here for us


steph