Sexual Abuse and Emetophobia

[teachergirl]

Is anyone else suffering from emetophobia due to trauma from sexual
abuse? Mine started at age 7 when I was sexually abused by my father. I feel
pretty alone going through this. My husband tries to be supportive, but he
just doesn't understand what I'm going through, no matter how much I try
to explain. Even when I see therapists(I've seen many) I don't feel like they
get it. I could really use someone to talk to who's been through it. Thanks!

Erin

[kiwi607]

Everyone here has 'been through it' 'going through it' or trying to help someone who is 'in it'!!!

I am not dealing with emet due to sexual abuse, I am actually still in therapy to figure out why/how/when I started with the phobia. I have been where you are with the feeling alone through it, but this site is so amazing and supportive! Other people here understand our crazy quirky things we do to prevent ourselves from becoming s* or to help our anxiety levels if we feel s*! It sounds like your husband tries to understand, but it is hard for people to understand fully if they have never suffered from it themselves. Keep being open with him even if you feel crazy about what you are saying...honestly is and always will be the best policy.

Also, it sometimes takes years to find the right therapist...it took me 10!!! I know that number sounds discouraging, but it was worth the wait. I am in intense therapy along with drug therapy and I am able to function again! I was so debilitated by this phobia that at one point I couldn't even leave my house...so even though I am still moderately phobic of v*, I have moved mountains with my progress in the last three months....

Don't give up, and welcome to site...I do, and I am sure you will find it amazing and therapeutic!

[x hannah x]

I'm so, so sorry to hear what happened to you. Nobody should have to go through that, and I can understand why you could feel alone.

I'm not in the same situation as you regarding the abuse but you can still get a lot of support here when you need it.

Have you talked to a therapist about these things?

[sehsun]

Hi Erin,
I have emetophobia and am also a survivor of sexual abuse. I don't know if the two are related, but I have read about there being a possible correlation. I am very interested in seeing if there is a link between the two.

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone, and please feel free to PM me anytime.

[cashcarstar]

I am sorry to hear about what happened to you. I think it is difficult for non-emets to understand but I find the longer I have been with my boyfriend (6 years now) the more he knows how to deal with my panic and know the right things to say etc.

[allypally.]

Hi teachergirl,

So sorry that you had to go through that as a child, that is somethng that no child should ever have to go through and my heart goes out to you. I wasnt abused as a child, but I was bullied for the whole time I was at school, and excaped rape a number of times (luckily), until I was 15 when I started to get raped repeatedly for about a year. I had the phobia before the rape, but it definatley got worse after. Even now, sometimes the thought of sex and anything sex related just immediately makes me feel n*. So im not in exactly the same boat, but I guess Im in it a little.
Im here if you need to talk hun.
(((hugs))) xxxx

[lyntess]

I've only just recently realized that the sexual abuse I know went on when I was a child could be part of the root of my emetophobia. I don't recall any of the actual raping, and I've never suffered any physical or emotional repurcussions of it (flashbacks, panic attacks, sexual dysfunction, etc)... except, maybe, for this phobia?

Since finding this site, I've been thinking about the cause of my irrational fear. I thought I had it pinned down to an episode with my father (the same person who sexually abused me, as it happens), where I was forced to eat something and got violently s* afterwards-- to his fury and disgust. That is, in fact, the most vivid memory I have of any of the time I spent with him, so I figured that would make sense.

However, several places online (and here) have mentioned a possible connection between emetophobia and sexual abuse. I can honestly say, if this is the worst "side-effect" such a potentially devastating thing has had on me, I am incredibly grateful and content. I can only imagine the pain and mental anguish of women (and men) who live every day of their lives haunted by the memories of what they went through.

*shrug* I don't know. Perhaps it was the combination of traumatic v*ing incident along with the company-- and condemnation-- of the man who had repeatedly abused me? All I know is that, nearly two decades later, I am still trying to rationalize it all out properly, in the hopes of finding peace.

And what is peace? Why, the lack of fear.
Or so I earnestly pray.

[thegoldsky]

I went on a binge a while ago were I read every scientific research article I could find through my school's library on emetophobia. I'm not a psychology student but I am a biology student so I have some experience reading and interpreting scientific studies, and of course it was of interest to me, so I wanted to see what I could find out. One of the studies I read suggested that there was a direct link between emetophobia and some kind of traumatizing or stressful experience during a crucial point of development. Basically, a child would experience a v*ing episode around the same time that some other big significant NEGATIVE event (such as sexual abuse, parental divorce, death of a relative, etc), and the child would subconsciously relate v*ing with the horrible things that happened to them. I never put much thought into it but my emetophobia also developed around the same timeframe when I was being sexually abused by a stepfather, so I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility at all.