Hello all! I stumbled upon this site when researching various things related to my own phobias and anxiety and determined that I may very well be suffering from emetophobia... Some background on me (I apologize for the length, but much of it is simply me venting anonymously):
Basically, I have an irrational fear of vomitting in public. Eating out at a restaurant is possible if it's just me and my girlfriend (but it's still not pleasant, and I usually eat very small, light meals), and nearly impossible with more people. I'm always calculating how close the bathroom or nearest garbage can is if I need to vomit. If I'm traveling with anything in my stomach, I have to be driving. I have to be "in control."
I can fly on airplanes, but only if I've refrained from eating the entire day (which really sucks for afternoon or evening flights).
Unlike some of you, however, I don't seem to have the fear regarding food poisoning and food preparation. It's mostly the fear of being trapped in a public location without an immediate exit in case I need to vomit which affects me the most. Even in class when the teacher goes around the room for people to introduce themselves, every second leading up to my intro involves my heart racing and intense nausea. Even for something as simple as calling roll makes me anxious until I'm bypassed (in case I needed to vomit at the second they call my name). Having to give speeches is an absolute nightmare as well. The entire day I can't eat anything, and am anxious and nauseous constantly. Fearing I might vomit during the speech (the epitome of embarassment), I often go into the bathroom beforehand and dry heave into the toilet until I convince myself that my stomach is empty and I can't possibly vomit.
Thankfully, I'm not actually afraid of vomitting. I can see people vomit in media just fine and not think anything of it, and whenever I vomit it's unpleasant but I don't have any panic attacks associated with it. It's just the fear of vomitting in public and being in a situation where I can't immediately escape to vomit (should I have to for whatever irrational reason my brain thinks up).
When I start thinking back to my childhood for possible causes of this phobia, I can think of several events of vomitting in public as a kid that may have triggered it... But vomitting on the dentist as a young child (and the resulting embarassment of my mother making me tell my father about it) seems to stick out the most.
The anxiety has come and gone but is currently at its worst. In fact, I have a friend's wedding to attend next week that I'm absolutely dreading because of the banquet at the reception (and the possibility of me not driving).
Anyway, researching emetophobia, as well as this site, has led me to some relief that I'm not the only one with such ridiculous symptoms as I've described above. For treatment, I've been reading "When Panic Attacks" which is by the same author of the "Feeling Good Handbook." It's basically full of CBT techniques and has helped a little thus far. I also have some clonazepam (Klonopin) prescribed to me for a surgery several years ago that I've used on occasion, which has resulted in making me feel sleepy (but still fearful and anxious, albeit to a lesser degree).
Here's to hoping I (and all of you as well) can find that cure!
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