Do I have emetophobia?

[bc_girl]

I'm really not sure.


I do know that I suffer from extreme anxiety when it come to other people v*. Whenever I try to explain this to other people, the common reaction is "oh yeah, I'm a sympathy v*er too" but that's not what I experience. Being around, seeing or hearing other people v* sends me into a full blown panic attack. My heart races, I shake, I can't think straightand all I want to do is get away from the situation. When I just see v* it's not as bad but I still get anxious. Even on TV, it bothers me a lot and I get that rush of anxiety.I also find I have a huge fascination with it, like I'mcompelled to look even though it upsets me.


I used to think I was afraid to fly but it's not flying I fear, it's the other people on the plane that might gets* that terrifies me. Unfortunately, I fly a lot and it has happened. The anxiety is hard to bear sometimes but flying is the only one that really gets to me. Now that I'm a bit older, I don'tavoid social situations although you couldn't pay me to go to an amusement park. I have also struggled with the idea of having children because of it. Can you believe that???Just because kids v*.


The difference with me is that v*ing myself doesn't really bother me. Granted, unless it was induced by alcohol, I have not v*ed since I was about 10 (I'm30 now)but when it is alcohol induced, it really doesn't phase me too much. I never think about it in my day-to-day life.


So what would I be classified as?

[penny77]

It sounds like you definitely have a form of emetophobia. Welcome to the site! When I read your post, I found myself nodding at the part about flying. My therapist actually used that EXACT example. Someone may say they fear flying, but it turns out it's the fear of v* that actually frightens them.

I, too, am fearful of having children. (I'm also 30) I fear myself more then others v*, so I worry about morning sickness and my child possibly getting a sv*. I know how you feel. There are so many forms of emet. You will find people that fear only themselves v*, others fear both, and some just fear other people v*.
I hope you will stick around. Everybody here is wonderful and very helpful.[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[stella9]

Hi bc_girl,


It sounds like you have a form of emetophobia. Emetophobia is the irrational fear of v***. Whether it is by you or anyone else, it is an irrational fear of V***.


I worried about having kids only because of my emet. Nothing else about having children phased me. As a result, I waited and waited. Finally, I asked myself the question --- Would I be regretful it I woke up at 50 years old and realized that I never had a family? How would my emet matter in retrospect. My answer was to have the children.


That said, it is awful when they are sick. Myeight year old son v** just the other night, in my bed, mindyou. It wasterrible. I am still in the"wait" wondering what caused it, who will get it next (if it was contagious), blah, blah, blah. The same resounding questions, anxiety and fears surround this every time.All ofus here are likethis. All ofus would never trade our children because of our problem. Hope this insight helps.


I agree with you about the flying. I used to, and still do in some respect, claim to hate flying. When I finally dissected the reasons, it all surrounds my emet. I fear getting sick and being trapped. I fear others getting sick and being trapped with them. I fear turbulence, not because I think turbulence are unsafe. I know they are not. I fear turbulence because I might get sick or others may get sick and then I can't run off the plane. I don't worry about someong coming on board with TB and spreading it. I worry about someone coming on board with a SV and spreading it.


Several years ago, my husband and I were coming back from London to Baltimore. Before the plane took off, the flight attendant was talking to the 16 year old girl sitting behind us. The girl was traveling alone. We heard them discuss how the girl suffers from "travel sickness." After I hear that comment, I had my husband find two other seats for us to sit in. In fact, he paid two people to change seats with us because the plane was full !!! As luck would have it, the last two hours of the flight were extremely turbulent. The girl DID get sick several times, because I saw the flight attendant with the sick bags. Fortunately we were about ten rows up from her.


I would love to give you a remedy for this phobia, but I can't. Its very complex in nature. Some people recover, others manage it and others are paralyzed from it. What I can share with you, is this is a great site with wonderful folks on it.


Welcome ---


Stella

[sage]

Hey b_c girl! I'm from BC too. Welcome to the site! What you describe is definitely emetophobia. It's just that the stimulus for your anxiety response is others vomiting rather than yourself. This is definitely curable, and if you're in the lower mainland you can come to see me if you like. I'm on medical leave for a short time just now, but send me a PM or something if you like.


There's lots of good info on this site too - check out the "Treatments" section of this discussion forum.

[bc_girl]

Thanks for the input everyone, it is nice to know I am not the only one and that I'm not crazy!!


I think Stella hit the nail on the head with "irrational fear" because that's what I feel it is. It's not that I think it's just gross, I experience tremendous fear when others v*. I never knew before that it is an identified phobia, I just thought I was overreacting. The strange part is my lack of concern over v* myself. Why does it bother me so much when other do it but not when I do it myself? The other strange part is that there is no real episode that brought this on (at least not that I know of). It started in my teens and came on fast, it didn't bother me as a child.


Since I've been looking into this phobia, I find it funny that examples given are such a perfect match to my experiences. Like the twinge of panic when someone in a crowed room starts to cough, always looking at cars pulled over on the side of the road to see if someone is getting s* and the fear of being arounddrunk people (I get the same rush of anxiety and feel the over-powering need to get away from them).


Sage, I may take you up on your offer, I am in the Lower Mainland, Langley to be exact.

[sage]

bc_girl wrote: Why does it bother me so much when other do it but not when I do it myself?


Sage: It just happens that for you, someone else vomiting is the trigger for your anxiety response. This would have had contributing factors in childhood, so you may never know why it's this way for you but not someone else. The good news is that your form of the phobia is highly treatable.


If you get to the point where you can't live your life anymore and really really want to get over it, then look me up ok?


Cheers