Am I still normal?

[elainne]

Why am I so scared of vomiting?!
It feels so different!
I rather die than to vomit! PROMISE!

[img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]

[allypally.]

A lot of us dont know why we are scared of v*, I have a few ideas as to why I am scared, but I dont know for sure. I think it was a lot of things combined from when i was little.
So Youre not alone in not knowing why you are scared hun!!
xx

[carri]

You are normal. The phobia is not who you are.
It certainly is not everything about you.
From my experience with a good therapist I found that my phobia came about with a very traumatic vomitting episode by my father at a time in my life when I was going through some very emotional issues e.g separation anxiety. Possibly for you too there was stuff happening when you were little that no-one acknowledged or gave you any emotional support for.
My rational self tells me I have nothing to fear...my irrational self fears it just like you!!!
Look after yourself...get support from the lovely people on this site. Know we all care.
Carri

[elainne]

[carri & allypally] how many years do you think would i still wait just to be totally cured from this illness? Yeah, maybe there was a time that i also had a traumatic experience in vomiting. Can't we cure ourselves on our own?

[prncesspnk]

elainne, have you tried therapy yet?? cognitive behavioral therapy (or
cbt) is what apparently works best for this phobia, i've been doing this
for about 13 or 14 years off/on with very little success, but i'm going to
keep trying!!

[party_boi3423]

Being abnormal is a aspect of defining one's characteristics.
This phobia is an attachment to a person and does not define who they are.
The good news is that, what is attached to a person can be unattached; this phobia can be got rid of!

[allypally.]

Hi again hun,

I think we are all capable of getting rid if this phobia with the right help and support. Even if we cant get rid of it completely, we can all definately learn how to control it and lead a practically 'normal' (hate that phrase!!) life. It may never go away completely, i cant imagine ever 'liking' v* (if you know what i mean?!) but I think a phobia can be turned in to a dislike with the right treatment.
You just need to find the right kind of help that will work for you hun. If you find the right help, you could be feeling LOADS better within a few months. I totally believe that. xxxxxxxx

[elainne]

[prncesspnk] how come you have an on and off treatment? for about 13 or 14 yrs? actually i haven't try any therapies yet. 'coz i don't know anyone here in our place that could possibly help me. Is emetophobia a psychological problem or what? I am really confuse about this thing! That's why i can do nothing about it...sorry if I got so many questions here...I just wanna be enlightened...Thank You So Much!

[party_boi] Yeah, but it won't be easy to get rid of it right? it would really take time...but still i wanna be treated right away...

[allypally] Really? just in few months? how am i gonna do it? to whom am i going to ask for help? doctor or what?

[wackydeli]

Wouldn't it be great if you could remove the phobia as easily as you can remove something like, I don't know, a wart? Just buy some over-the-counter freezing treatment and zap! Gone! [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

Unfortunately it isn't that easy. From what I've read on the site, the key is finding a good therapist who you feel comfortable with and understands the situation. Together with them you can come up with a form of treatment that will hopefully be best for you to overcome the fear.

[prncesspnk]

elainne, the reason i go back and forth is that sometimes my anxiety is
under control and sometimes it is out of control. with this phobia, you
have good times and bad times, as i'm sure you know. yes, this phobia
is definitely psychological... that's what phobias are.

[jezebel89]

I've only been in therapy for a few months and also feel loads better, Ally! But you have to work hard too. It's not just like, Bam, I'm better because I dragged myself to an office once a week. It's putting yourself out there in situations you don't like, or thinking about things you don't want to think about.

For me, I always felt the same way Elainne. And then I found this amazing group of friends who just accepted the phobia (they were some of the first people I ever talked about it with). Now, they don't treat me any differently than, say, someone else with a different problem. It's just like, Oh I'm sick today, I'd better not hang around her. We even joke about it! But it's also not something that I want to define me, like I'm not afraid that if I get rid of this phobia they won't like me.

[sage]

Elainne: if you go to my website at emetophobiahelp.blogspot.com you can find some articles I wrote with good information about the phobia, what contributes to it, and how to find someone to help you.
Good luck!Edited by: sage

[elainne]

Halo guyz! Im so sori for the very, very, very late response. I was so busy with my studies this past few days.

Anyway, thanks for your advices!
[jezebel89] good for you coz your friends know about your situation. but in my case, i dont think they would bother to understand about my fear.

[prncesspnk] i've been doing some of your techniques everytime i am disgusted. and they really work! thankz!

[wackydeli] are you already treated from this sickness? for how many years?

[sage] hi! yeah, i'll try to see that website asap!

[ziegfeldgirl]

elainne, have you tried therapy yet?? cognitive behavioral therapy (or
cbt) is what apparently works best for this phobia, i've been doing this
for about 13 or 14 years off/on with very little success, but i'm going to
keep trying!!

I haven't found CBT to be helpful either. Have you tried desensitization? I'm too afraid!

[wackydeli]

I started desensitization Monday. I reached level 16, that was smooth sailing, but now I'm a little scared to get into the harder stuff next Monday! [img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]

I'm not cured yet but I'm hopeful that I will be able to overcome it.

[elainne]

guyz, what do you mean by CBT and desensitization? howcome you're scared about it?

[juliab3]

well, everybody has a fear. yours is the fear od vomiting taken to teh extreme, you are still normal in all other senses but that