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  1. #1
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    “CURED OF EMETOPHOBIA”
    © 2003 A. S. Christie
    (please do not reproduce without permission)


    I have been successfully treated for emetophobia, which I suffered from to an extremely serious degree for 40 years. For twenty of those years, I searched for help and was willing to do anything to be rid of this gripping terror in my life. Finally, I succeeded. Here is my story.

    I'm 45 years old. My childhood was quite traumatic with my brother dying in an accident when I was 3, and my dad dying of cancer (literally throwing up to death, it seemed) when I was 9. My mother was psychotic, and always sick and expected me to look after her. Once she went into the hospital "for a rest" when I was only 10 and left me home alone for 3 days, even though I was sick myself. Most of the rest of my childhood was spent in horror and terror every moment. Obviously I associated vomiting with dying - even if I only saw (or thought I would see) someone else do it.

    As time went on I avoided things more and more. In my teens I went to university, and stopped eating almost everything but bananas and digestive cookies (you all know this routine). My fear of others vomiting was so intense that I started avoiding people altogether at one point. I remember sitting on the bed in my room, curled up in fetal position, crying and feeling so terrified that I wanted to die. I thought it would be better to die than to ever be anywhere near someone who vomited, or to ever be sick myself. I thought if I got some sickness that involved vomiting, I would rather kill myself quickly. As soon as that thought entered my head, I knew I needed professional help. I was only 18.

    I got a referral to a psychiatrist from my doctor, and the shame of just telling him my disorder (the first person on the face of this earth that I ever told) sent me into a deep depression. I wallowed in grief for weeks. I had some limited success with this psychiatrist and a 10-week group therapy for emetophobes. At least I stopped obsessing about being sick, and learned some relaxation techniques that I’ve carried with me for years. I learned that I would not be sick just because I thought I felt nauseous. I learned the difference between nausea and anxiety. This kind of therapy is a basic “cognitive-behavioral” approach, and does not involve actually having to vomit in order to get over the fear. (That should be a relief to most of you!) That was over 20 years ago. The test came 9 years ago when I got cancer and went through chemotherapy. I was pretty scared then (of dying, not just of vomiting), but when I did vomit, for the first time since I was treated back in that group (some 15 years earlier), I couldn't believe what a simply "nothing" thing it really was. Since then I've never given being sick myself a second thought.

    Miraculously, I graduated from university and went on to do a Masters degree. I met my husband (we've been married 22 years now). I adopted a son, and gave birth to two girls. They're 29, 21 and 19 now and they are normal, well-adjusted, successful young people. Praise God.

    I still had a huge problem. Although I feared myself vomiting less (so long as I wasn’t “trapped” “in public” I was ok), I was still terrified of others. The whole phobia seemed to get “channeled” into this fear, and it got to ridiculous proportions. I thought I was completely crazy. I didn't have much success with therapists. Most misdiagnosed me, didn't believe me, tried to tell me I must have been sexually abused, etc. I thought I was the only person in the world now who feared seeing someone else vomit. The fear was so gripping and intense that it paralyzed me, and stopped me from enjoying a normal life.

    When my children were sick my husband looked after them, as I would either run out of the house in terror, or lock myself in the basement and curl up in a ball crying. We never traveled anywhere ever. I refused to get in anyone's car, or take people in my car. Once I had to fl
    For more info about emetophobia and treatment:

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  2. #2
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    Wow that really is an amazing story - and very emotive too. I'm so pleased your life is so much better now...not living in fear all the time.


    I have a mild form of emetophobia, which, a couple of years ago, was a lot worse. So I wouldn't say I'm emet-free, but things are a lot better now. There's nothing to my story really, it's pretty basic - last got sick a couple of weeks before my 9th birthday (I'm 19 and a half now), and have been terrified of it ever since. I was never sick much as a child at all, so it wasn't as though I was used to it in any way. But in September 2003 I went to University, and was scared of all the drunken Fresher's etc, and sharing a bathroom with others in my halls of residence. But I realised that only living my life was the way forward, and I have come face-to-face with v* since being at Uni, but I've just had to shrug it aside.


    What helped was probably my social life and everything improved since going to Uni, because the year my emet got bad was very stressful - I was taking A Levels, had lots of problems with my "friends" at my school and was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder which didn't do much for my overall health. All that stress made me more stressed out about emet!


    So while I've never had it that bad, or have never had therapy (there was a point where I considered it though), I believe a healthy state of mind just eases it a little. If you find you're too busy thinking about other things in life, then there will be less room to fear being sick etc. I still avoid boats, fairground rides etc, but I still have a good fun life without it all. I look a bit more logically on it now...I don't waste time being scared of the "next time" I could possibly be sick/see someone else being sick...because for all I know it could be tomorrow or a year's time...or longer. Thankfully now my mind is more at rest, and I keep my emet in the back of my mind.

  3. #3
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    Thank you so much for your story. I have been trying to deal with this problem for about a year now (after trying to ignore and supress it for 30 some years) with some, but not enough successand you give me hope. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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    Awesome...it makes me cry!!!!!!! I can only dream of getting to that point...may God Bless you both Kat

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    Reading all of your stories gives me courage and hope. Thank you all.

    I just finished my training as a physiotherapist and am about to
    interview for a job that is in a hospital where I will be expected to be able
    to hold the basin while people are sick. Before deciding to become a
    phsyio I volunteered at a hospital and when one lady was about to get
    sick, I RAN out of the room and hid. My supervisor was shocked at my
    unprofessional behavior.

    So here I am,4 years of school later, about to face my fear because I
    coudln't let this detrack me from my career after already having lived 20+
    years in fear. I feel like I've already lost so much in life because of this
    phobia and it was not until last night when I discovered the term
    emetophobia, that i feel like I can be heard. No one believed me, I was
    just depressed or anorexic or had anxiety.

    I'm hoping that I too will be able to find a good therapist, try EMDR, and
    have the faith in God to know that things will be ok, and that this too
    shall pass...

  6. #6
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    It is so refreshing to hear all your stories of help. I suffered from this for as long as I can remember, with it meeting its peak in my early twenties. On my path towards seeking a cure, I studied various kinds of therapy, hoping to find the one that would work best for me. In this journey I actually found my passion for life, I received a Master's degree andam now a therapist. Through this I was able to gain increased knowledge into this phobia, realising that it wasn't just a specific phobia as it had started out in my younger years, but became a social phobia in my twenties. I felt alone and that noone could understand what I was going through, until a few years back when I stumbled across this site, which normalised this for me. I have recently completed my own therapy. I found a fabulous therapist who worked with me on "body expereincing" to countercondition this fear. So far I have developed the tools I need to recognise and win over this anxiety by learning how to correctly interpret my bodily sensations. CBT is also helpful to work through and rationalise your thoughts. I highly recommend getting the Agorophobia Workbook. It has techniques that Ilearned on my own and helped me understand how this fear maintains itself. I feel I am on the path to recovery, and now have the tools to battle and successfully overcome my fear. I still fear these same situations, but now I know that I can work through them. I look forward to carrying on with my treatment, and wish you all luck in yours.

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    Reading your success story is like seeing a light at the end of a long tunnell... I am just as bad as you were it sound. Currently looking for a new therapist to help me. But reading your success story give me hope! Thank you!

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    Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. I was moved to tears. I was so happy to see this website you have no idea....I can't even tell you. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories. You have truly made a difference. Edited by: sage

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    YOU'RE GREAT! What an insperation to us all. Hope at last. Thankyou.

  10. #10
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    God Bless you, you are a motivation to me.

  11. #11

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    I haven't visited this site for a few months, since I'm away at
    University and almost always seem to be working on papers and
    studying.

    Anyway, I read this post and thought I would add my own success
    story, since there don't seem to be tons of them around,
    unfortunately.

    Since I was 10 or so, I've had very very bad emetophobia. I was
    generally just afraid when someone in my family or someone close
    to me actually got sick, but in high school it got to the point where I
    got really depressed and phobic. I had panic attacks every single
    day, several times a day, which was, needless to say, hell. My phobia
    grew to the point where I became agorophobic and was afraid to
    leave the house. I came very close to committing suicide since my
    life was such a wreck. My panic attacks basically tore apart my
    family and made me come very close to dropping out of school.

    One day in grade 12 after a particularily bad fight with my parents, I
    decided that I needed to do something about my problem or I would
    literally die from it. I started reading up on phobias and anxiety
    disorder (the book "Freedom from Fear" by Dr. Liebgold was
    particularily helpful), and spent lots of time learning about why I felt
    the way that I did and what I could do about it. It was definately
    hard work, but I made sure I went out even when I didn't feel like it,
    and forced myself to try to find ways to enjoy life again. I got a job,
    and made myself goals like doing well in school and getting into
    University.

    This summer, I kept going out of my way doing things that I didn't
    necessarily want to do, like going on a road trip with my friends, and
    trying to have a good time. It turns out that I had a great time
    getting to do things I couldn't have imagined doing while I was
    extremely phobic. Eventually I got to the point where I could go for
    several days, and then weeks, without having panic attacks or feeling
    anxiety.

    In September I started University at a school 14 hours away from
    home, by car. It was the hugest step i've ever taken in my life, but I
    knew that I could either go forward in my life or continue to struggle.
    Now I'm at University, living in residence with my best friend, where
    people throwing up is a regular thing because of, well,
    overconsumption of alcohol. I'm very VERY happy to say that I
    haven't had a panic attack in over 3 months, and I never experience
    anxiety anymore (except when I have midterms!). I officially
    consider myself cured of emetophobia!

    I know it's kind of confusing as to how exactly I got cured, but I just
    wanted to write this post to say that it IS possible! Nobody deserves
    to have to live with such a frustrating and constantly present phobia,
    and I hope that everybody knows that you have it in you to get over
    it!

    Life is a million times better for me without this damn fear!
    \"We have nothing to fear but fear itself.\"

  12. #12
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    Paula - that's a great story, and a little similar to mine. Sometimes throwing yourself in the deep end is the only way to get something done, and in some cases, probably emetophobia as well. Since being at Uni when I've been busier and happier than ever before, my emet has improved loads. I wouldn't classified completely cured but I'm certainly at the bottom end of the emet scale. Lots of people despise being sick, I have a friend who does and she hasn't been sick for years...she hates it so much, but she's not emetophobic. I'm trying to get into that bracket!


    Let this thread continue to be an inspiration to others. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

  13. #13
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    I cried when I read your story Sage.


    Thanks for sharing this and giving us all hope. I've recently started therapy and the mental health team definitely aren't like yours (appts every three weeks etc!) but I will keep fighting!


    Thankyou [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]


    I traded my dreams for this mess of memories,
    And they just stopped working for me.


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  14. #14
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    Your story definitiely gives me some hope.* I have to say that there are times I feel much les panic about this condition.* Certain events in my life seem to trigger panic.* Unfortunately my father and 2 sisters also suffer from anxiety, so I'm afraid it is in my blood!Edited by: Girlygirl1980s

  15. #15
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    Now I can hope....

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    thank you ... i hope one day to be saying the same thing on how i was cured

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    i actually cried when i read this. i'm really happy for you. i believe my disorder is also linked with childhood trauma. i've neglected therapy for awhile, but now i feel maybe it's time to reconsider it again. i don't want to live my life in fear just like these other people who are hurting, and i don't believe 'god' whoever he may be wants us to to fear something as simple as a microorganism that invades our bodies. thank you for sharing your story, sage. it was a great inspiration to read.

  18. #18
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    Even though I have read your story Sage, reading it again still brings me to tears! It is amazing to read! I desperately want to be cured of this phobia, and I am struggling with the journey I am on. I have spent the past 8 months working with a fabulous therapist and I just can't see an end!!!


    Like those before me I thank you so much for your words.

  19. #19
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    hya everyone, im really finding it interesting reading all your sucess stories, congratulations to you all and thought i might aswell add mine in too...and im being honest now, mine isnt completely gone however ive come so far and believe me if i can do it...you definatly can!!!!...


    My name is Katrina, i Live near Heathrow Airport in London-UK. I am 18 years old and have been suffering with emet since i can remember...My phobia at one time ruled my life...i never went anywhere including school, i avoided everything which would increase the risk of myself or anyone being sick...i have never vomited in public yet, however im quite happy to do it on my own in the comfort of my own or someone elses house....my dream has always been to be an air stewadess because i would love to travel the world, meet new people and work unusual hours, not just a 9-5 job....


    i go out regularly to pubs and clubs and i drink lots of alcohol that usually ends up with my head down the toilet the next day, which i am getting used to, having just turned 18 a couple of months ago!lol..im also used to looking after paraletic friends on the floor chucking thier guts up in my car and on my carpet!!!LOL i actualy thank them for it after because the more i see it the better it gets...


    I have come so far in the last year or so..i never used to eat anythyn which would look horrible if i was to throw it up for example chinese or indian meals..however my ex boyfriend encouraged me to eat a range of different things and i enjoy eating what i like now and enjoying it...


    I have been on holiday twice already this year, that means flying and travlling in coaches etc...yes the places where people are regularlysick!!!


    Going back to my dream job of being an air stewadess i am now working for Excel Airways as an air stewadessbased at Gatwick and have completed my 5 week intensive course...i am now flying and finding it absolutly incredible...i have realised flying is not all about clearing peoples sick up and i am determined to not let this phobia ruin my career, yes i do get panicky when a passenger falls ill but theres no way im going to let it effect me...ive got lots of flights lined up for next month and im very excited about them...i can honestly say if i can do it anyone can i used to be terrible flying...used to sit there with my head phones turned up loud to make sure i couldnt hear anyone sick, and close my eyes so i couldnt see anyone sick...now i hear and see everything!!!


    please guys, if you want to chat, then contact me, i can run through with you methods i use and how i look at things in life, which may be beneficial to you. i can also chat on msn...my addy is [email protected] would be nice to hear from you soon x x

  20. #20
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    hello its great to here about all your storys and reading that there is a cure for this horrbile phobia. mine has been so bad i finly decided with the help of my mum that i need to get this horrbile thing sorted out, im booking myself in at the doctors tomorrow to sort out some help for it. i truly hope this works for me just like it has u
    A.fretwell

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    That story was so moving! I actually cried in it. I'm glad to hear you're cured [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

  22. #22
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    Helllooo.

    I read all your stories and they made me realise there is some hope.

    But has anyone managed to overcome their emet without proffessional help? Im better than I was but far from cured.

    xxx.

    <font color=MAGENTA><font face=\"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"><font size=\"1\">Courage doesn’t always roar sometimes it’s the little voice at the end of the night saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’</font></font></font>

  23. #23
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    I overcame my emet with 3 counseling sessions which honestly didn't focus on emet at all. I explained the reason I needed help, my emet was a major anxiety trigger and we discussed how I believe my emet started (when I was a kid I had IBS but it hadn't been diagnosed, I was in a constant state of nausea) and why I am still holding on to the fear. Then the discussions turned to my control issues, experiences and feelings and before i knew it, I was talking about ex boyfriends and bad hair days and I suddenly felt better. There is hope.
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  24. #24
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    Wow Sage your story is inspirational It is what we are all reaching for and it is so good to know that someone made it, i just wish i lived in America so you could treat me!! x

  25. #25
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    HERE'S A GREAT ONE FROM HELSBELS:


    Hi Guys... I haven't been on the site for probably a year or so... the main reason being that I have been pursuing a cure for my Emetophobia and I felt that spending time on the site was bad for my recovery.


    Anyway, to cut a long story short, I had a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (free on the NHS!!) about this time last year and I finished it just after Christmas. It was really hard work and required a lot of extra input and soul searching over and above the sessions with the therapist. Then I did a lot of work by myself (and continue to do so on an almost daily basis) since the sessions ended and I've been feeling 100% better.


    I know a lot of people have tried various treatments and I also know that a lot of people feel very frustrated when it appears to have not worked. That’s why I thought it might be useful to share some of my experiences to hopefully reassure you that it can work if you are prepared to stick at it and really work hard at making it work for you. I think that the key to successful CBT is being prepared to actually let go of the fear and that can be really hard when you have lived with it for your whole life. Letting go of the fear means accepting the fact that one day you might V and for a lot of people that's impossible... certainly that's the thing I found the hardest but I was at the point where living with the fear was harder and I was completely and utterly fed up with it and wanted to change my whole life.


    I waited for a year before I finally got to see a therapist, but when I did she was really nice and really supportive and we developed a good relationship over the months. I'm not sure if she knew much about Emetophobia, (and I’m not sure that’s even important) so I printed out information from this site and she spent a fair bit of time reading that and researching it before we started. I was also lucky when I saw my doctor who originally referred me because she admitted to me that she had never heard of it either and that she was really surprised by it but she was also really interested (I remember that distinctly) and I was pleasantly surprised by the length of time she spent with me at my initial consultation asking me various questions which she said she needed to do in order to refer me to the right person.


    I also had to fill in a really long questionnaire before I saw the counsellor which answered questions like how did the emet make me feel, what did I want to change about myself, what did I want to achieve from the treatment, how does the phobia affect my life, etc. I think that really helped because it ensured I had realistic expectations of the treatment. I also think it helped her understand what I was going through, sometimes you can’t really express it confidently in words.


    The point of CBT is that you change your behavioural responses to situations so instead of going into a panic when you get nauseous, you have to train yourself to respond in a different way. That's why it won't work unless you are 100% commited because all the work has to be done by you. I had lots of 'homework' to do including one week where I had to record every single time I panicked about V* - what triggered the panic, what my immediate response to the trigger was and to start to think about different ways to react to the situation. It's a real eye opener because a lot of your behaviour is something you do without thinking but this teaches you
    For more info about emetophobia and treatment:

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    DISCLAIMER ~ Any advice I give on this forum is well-intentioned and given as to a peer or friend or for educational purposes. It does not in any way constitute psychotherapeutic or medical advice. Please discuss anything you may learn from my posts with your doctor and psychotherapist prior to making any decisions or changes or taking any actions.



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  26. #26
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    Sage! What an amazing story! Thank you soo much! Since therapy is so expensive,I have been using my faith in God and asking Him to heal me of this, I am already starting to feel better, God is amazing![img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

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    Sage and everyone else who has posted success stories:

    Thank you so much for these messages of hope. Just found this site tonight because DP is feeling unwell and I was starting to panic. On the one hand, it's a comfort knowing that there are others out there with the same problem. On the other hand, it's sad that so many of us are suffering from this.

    This is a problem I have been dealing with, or not dealing with really, for my entire life (going on 40 years). In the last couple of years it's gotten much worse, since my son was born and my mum became very ill. I spent lots of time looking after her and worrying over him (he was quite early and had lots of health problems), as well as DP who was unwell for awhile (son's birth mum, so no morning sickness for me). All the anxiety and sadness made me much more susceptible to quiet panic and phobias.

    My mum had this as well, and I never knew that there was any other way to be. I have the same response as Sage mentioned in her message, of extreme panic that is probably PTSD. Beating this is tremendously important to me, as it has affected my life for so long in both major and minor ways. From dictating what foods to eat (or not), to avoiding certain career choices (teaching, nursing), to avoiding travel to certain places, it's been a constant in my life, and I am so tired of it.

    I have a regular checkup with my doctor next week, and from reading all these posts, I've decided to discuss this with him and start seeking treatment. Even after years of seeing a kind compassionate therapist, I wasn't able to talk about my fear. But now that I've seen that it can be done, I want to overcome this. Thank you everyone for your help!
    </span></font>

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    lorem ipsumlorem ipsumlorem ipsumlorem ipsumlorem ipsumlorem ipsumlorem ipsum.
    Last edited by hanarky; 11-13-2015 at 07:21 PM.

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    Well done for getting over such a troublesome and seemingly untreatable phobia.
    You've just proved that it is not impossible to get rid of it and pushed me in the direction of going to see a therapist.
    Thanks and congratulations!
    x

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    nice to read some of these stories, i guess i could consider my self cured from the anxiety, panic, and fear on the daily basis, but im not cured from how bad i do at coping with nausea and vomiting (when it naturally occurs) all the phobic fear and anxiety returns if i have a nausea episode.


 

 

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