How Many People......

[silver]

I wanted to know how many people here have tried to explain this phobia to others (including those very close to you) only to have them make fun of you or belittle you about it????

[peachykeen]

I told my hubby about my phobia when we were driving home from
Thanksgiving, because I was freaking out over a family member
having a sv and v* on the kitchen floor right next to me. I freaked
out for days over it after we were back home. I told him about it and
he took it really well. He's got a phobia of spiders, so he knows the
absolute, all-consuming panic that comes with being exposed to a
trigger. He's been wonderful and supportive of the whole thing. I
don't think he understands it 100% (but how could he?), as he'll try
to compare being next to a spider with being next to v* - he doesn't
get that it's not just the v* that scary,but that I might get something
that will make me v* from it. But overall he's great!

I tried to tell my parents about it around the same time. My mom
looked at me like I had grown a second head but didn't really say
anything, which I though was odd because I've always had a hunch
that my mom is an emet. My dad just sort of rolled his eyes and said
Oh, but gave me a Look. So they didn't make fun of me in words,
but I know they thought I was odd.

[soluene]

Are you having that problem, Silver? I think it is a fairly common reaction. My sisters and close friends are supportive, but I'm very private about mine now-a-days (I used to tell everyone all about it, but I've kept it private since I moved - and also it hasn't been as bad lately until now). Often when I tell someone, they just dismiss it as nothing, and then forget about my fears and do something stupid like pretend to v* in the car. One of my friends did that once, and was taken aback by my reaction. I had my friend feel my pulse and only then did he pick up on how scared I was.

[californiagirl]

I think the best way to express the feelings to someone is to have them compare it to a serious fear or phobia of their own. My hubby has an absolute fear of going broke and he's pretty irrational at times, so I compared it to that. But, I also explained to him that emet, as well as OCD is in the brain affects us psychologically, and as much as we hate it, we are in a way trapped with this responsibility to constantly be on the defense with both illnesses and people. We are in a way, victims of our own minds. He seemed to understand that aspect, but still is not supportive and gets annoyed with me. Edited by: californiagirl

[liriodendron]

Going broke is a good phobia to have in your husband!



[img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]



My parents knew about it but

I think I might have told a

combined total of 3 or 4 people

over the course of my life.



It's something I keep to myself

unless the topic comes up I guess.

[samara's on tv]

Like CaliforniaGirl said, sometimes it's easier to compare your fear to a fear that they have.


My parents always knew that I had this fear, they saw the behaviors of it when I was VERY young. They just never looked into curing it, or finding out more about it. Now I have sent them information on it and the first thing my mom asked me was "Why are you blaming me for this?"


My sister on the other hand thinks it's funny to make noises like she's about to barf in front of me. And if she wants to get rid of me, like make me leave the room so she can have the TV she tells me she feels sick to her stomach...BLECH! I really hate her for that sometimes.


~Monica

[aar13]

Anyone that I've told reacts differently - my husband thinks I'm crazy and is really not that supportive at all. My mom deals with it and my borthers make fun of me! The most supportive people I have are some of my co workers, friends of mine deal with it and listen as needed but I can't say that there is any one person that truly cares to help me calm down when I'm having a panic attack

[wing]

My mom and one of my friends. My mom always ridicules me whenever I panic. She tells me to stop being stupid and ridiculous and no matter how many times I explain, she never gets it. I tried explaining to her by comparing something she's afraid of to mine and she says she gets it but whenever I panic, its like I'm at square one again. O.o


Another one of my friends... I give up explaining it to her. She does not believe in problems that can limit someonebut the thing is, her brother has a disablity. She does not tell me I'm stupid or anything but she does not believe that I cant eat a like a whole bowl of rice or something and that she once demanded that "Maybe you dont try hard enough" Man, that hurt but what ever.


Yes, I've had experiences with that.

[californiagirl]

Going broke is a good phobia to have in your husband!

[img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

The man is obsessed!! I swear, sometimes I feel like slapping him upside the head! He drives my daughter and I crazy! He times our showers [img]smileys/smilies_05.gif[/img]

[beadgirl]

Silver-


Everyone that first finds out my phobia says "No one like to throw up" And then I have to explain to them that it's not like I just dont like it... I F*ING FEAR IT. One I tell them the things I do to avoid it, they atart to understand. None of my botfriends have ever understood antil the guy I am with now, but that's because he fears spiders like we fear v*. When (IF) we get married, we have a deal... I'll kill the spiders if he takes care of the sick kids... SOUNDS LIKE A DEAL TO ME!

[silver]

I haven't told that many people about it...I am blessed that my boss at work is also an emet, so she understands and it is good to have someone to talk to about it at work when it flares up. I told my bestfriend and she deals with it in a weird way by making fun of me...she thinks that I am an over-reacting nutt-case. I guess that I have learned not to tell her when I am extremely anxious about it anymore. Its just that I already feel like I am going nutts and I don't need anyone else to tell me that its true!! She told me that having that fear is "unnatural" and stupid.It was hard to listen to, maybe she is right.