To cope, not defeat

[soluene]

I'm curious whether it is possible to be 100% cured, or is that an unrealistic expectation?

About 10 years ago, I discovered I had "emetophobia". But I knew long before that that I reacted irrationally to anything to do with illness or v*. Ten years ago, I could barely leave the house to get to work, would go for weeks without going to the grocery store, refused to drink alcohol or go to a bar, and suffered from constant nausea and panic attacks.

Today, I am amazed at what I can do! I have flown to Europe and back, Costa Rica and back, eaten strange foods and new restaurants, sat in the middle of the theater (instead of in the aisle where I could escape if I needed to v*)...I have given presentations in front of crowds, sat calmly at a formal meal, and entered and exited a business without having a clue where the bathrooms are.

There is hardly anything today that I won't do due to the phobia (NOTE: I still will NOT be in the same room as a sick person nor clean up after them, or do anything that directly involves v*.) So, I don't think I am cured. I just cope. I had moments of pure anxiety while doing every one of those things I mentioned above, but the anxiety passed, and I just kept on going. A therapist once told me that I would never be 'cured', but that I would just learn to live with it, and that was horribly disappointing. But that is exactly what has happened!

Overall, I believe mine is a success story...but to those of you who have come further: is there still hope for more? What do you think??

[alwaysafraid]

I agree with your statement about "coping" rather than "curing". My therapist also told me the phobia itself is not curable rather I will learn to deal with my anxiety surrounding my fear of v* along with other anxieties in my life. I look at controlling my emet now in terms. Of coping strategies rather than looking for the magic answer and it's working better than any previous attempts I've made. I'm glad to hear someone else is in a similar position as me. Thanks for your post.

[soluene]

Thank you for your post! That is a good way to see it, because I had hoped by the time I was my age, I would be completely free of this phobia and especially anxiety in general. But whenever I allow my expectations to get that high, I find myself disappointed and discouraged. Instead, I focus on the many things I can do now that I never could before. For example, I *know* i will have anxiety before I get on every airplane, but I also *know* it will go away. The latter gets me through my life today!

[sage]

Great to see you here soluene!

I try to say always that I have been "successfully treated" rather than "cured". I don't know what cure really means. Since it's not a disease, cure is probably an inappropriate word. Mental illnesses can have such good treatment results that the patient is said to have had "a history of mental illness". Which means they have no symptoms at present.

Anyway, I just think all that is better than telling someone they only have to "cope with it". I mean, people COPE with it 24/7 when they're at their worst with the phobia...

I'm like you Soluene - I do EVERYTHING now and the phobia doesn't limit my life at all. I WOULD probably do the things you won't like be with someone who's sick or clean it up or whatever. But I also know that when it happens (someone else sick) my anxiety shoots up like a rocket - for about 2 seconds. Then I remind myself I'm not afraid anymore and I'm fine! It may not be technically a "cure", but it's a pretty damn fine life!

Take care and great to see you posting. Your story is very inspiring to other people!

[hippychick]

I feel this same way. I no longer have panic attacks though and rarely get anxiety. I can do everything I want to do but if someone is sick near me or I feel sick I get the little 'anxiety rush' until I tell myself its ok. I never call myself cured because I am still technically anxious during the act but I can deal with it.

[paulinek]

I'm really pleased you are feeling so good and emet free, it's good to hear positive tales! Long may this continue.

I got to that stage (i.e could do most things apart from help a s* person or clean it up etc) even though i was, and always will be, alot more ocd with handwashing and kitchen cleanliness and so on than a "normal" person, but a bout of noro set me back big time, but that said, i know i got alot better before and i know it will happen again so i'm not letting it get me down (too much... [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img] )

[soluene]

Sage and Hippychick, glad to see you still on here, and great to hear from you! I'm glad you both are doing so well. I have narrowed my anxiety down to just contagious v* now (so I don't care so much if someone is v*ing from drinking too much), but I hope to get to the point where I can also remind myself that I am not afraid any more.

Good luck with recovery Paulinek, I have found that with every setback, I come back even faster than before. I hope you can do the same!