Anyone else just afraid of others?

[mickilv]

Hi all.


I'm Micki and I'm new here. I've always been what I called "pu** phobic" but mostly just of others. For myself, I resist alot, but I'm not phobic about it. From what I read on the site, that's pretty rare. How 'bout everyone else here?


I started doing internet research because I was obsessing about my youngest getting sick. When he did before, I didn't get nauseous or even worry about catching it. I went into absolute terror mode. It wasn't until I found this site and started reading that I realized I had an actual phobia (duh). (You'd think my first clue would have been that nobody else around me behaved this way...) For me, when he was sick, I my knee-jerk reaction would be similar if he was critically ill.


I have to say that I am so reassued simply by seeing the word "phobia." I would still freak if he got sick, but I can talk myself down from thinking that he has a horrible or dangerous illness. Anyone else going through this?


Thanks!


Micki

[Babydoll]

wow, I cant say I am just afraid of others. Im MORE afraid of others, beacuse I cant control them. But I am still VERY phobic about myself. the degree between the difference of the both of themisnt very much of a big one.

[charzysbebe]

I have a friend that is only afraid of others, and she could care less about what she touches and who she is around. I really couldn't imagine only being afraid of others. I have gone through what you are talking about, and it is no fun at all. I hope you find support here on these boards! Glad we all understand each other! [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img] Charlotte

[sarahx]

I would say that i am more phobic of others vomiting, but i am still phobic of myself too! If i had to choose between myself vomiting or watching smeone vomit i would choose myself! Weird i know! I absolutely panic when my daughter feels ill. i just want to run away!


Sarah xxx

[izzybee]

hey. I'm afraid of others and have been for almsot all of my life. Unfortunatly I developed the fear of myself v* too about 4 years ago - but other people v* is still my main phobia.


I hope u enjoy posting on this site and please PM or e-mail me if u want to chat

[2jo2]

I'm afraid of myself and others but if I had to put an amount on either one, my fear of others would be worse.

[Jenneh]

i know of 2 people who are only afraid of others v*ing, one of them is actually bulimic, so are obviouly not at all concerned about themselves v*ing!!


unfortunately, neither of them want to come onto this site, because understandably they dont want to suddenly treat their phobia as smthing huge and let it drag them down.


but ur defenitely not alone.


Jen xxxxx

[rcurran]

I am definitly mostly 90% scared of others vomiting, only 10% of myself vomiting. I can't stand to be near anyone who says that they feel sick. I get all panicky and have to leave. I can't stand the sound mostly. As for myself, I'm not really afraid to do it, I just really don't like to do it, and I do anything I can to hold it back, untill I know I can't anymore. I don't try to avoid germs, or only eat certain foods or anything like that. I only avoid people who say that they feel like they are going to be sick, and people who have been drinking a lot.

[ontariogirl]

I am 50/50, afraid of myself being sick and afraid of seeing other people being sick. In 1983 I was a passenger in a car and seeing some guy hanging out his window puking, it was so gross, I was scared, it freaked me out and had to go home, I cant get that image out of my mind, it was like yesterday.

[sparky2004]

I am fearful of getting sick period, and that includes other people. Yet when I am on duty, I get grossed out but I don't react, as this person needs emergency help. I guess that is the training.

[mbs730]

I am TERRIBLY phobic of others being sick, not so much
myself. Maybe a little more than the average nonemet Joe but... with
others its a bad thing! In fact I have unfortunately come across some
nonemets that dont believe I was sick a few months ago because of how
fearful I am of others which I think is completely unfair but its a
fact. Maybe even if you are sick, and you cant control being sick but
you can sometimes control whether you look at it or not but if its from
someone else, the sound is worse and its just far grosser I guess. I
dont know. my kids are young, baby spit up I can handle but full
fletched v'ing no way! My husband also had a tumor removed earlier this
year and luckily there was never any spread but... he has to be checked
every 4 months and so far negative... he had a ct scan yesterday and we
dont find out anything until Friday and the waiting is awful... but if
if its positive this time he has to go on radiation and if he gets sick
from it, I cant help him because of being so phobic of others being
sick, that including family members! I know I have to do it but I am
scared of sending my kids off to nursery school because them catching
bugs. Not because of fearing so much that I'll catch it but...the kids,
my husband, etc....so no you arent alone as far as that goes. That also
explains why I am one of the fewer emets around that isnt afraid to
eat, in fact I love to eat and have to battle my weight constantly. PM
me
anytime if you want to chat.



Miriam</font>
Edited by: mbs730

[alison03]

I am ONLY afraid of other people getting sick. I have no fear about myself vomiting whatsoever. I have found this somewhat troubling because it seems most of the information out there on emetophobia is focused on the fear of vomiting (not so much on others).

[mbs730]

Well what gets me is that I was sick last 6 weeks ago
but other emets have said they dont flat out believe me that I am an
emet since I am terribly phobic of others and still got sick myself
anyway... I still afraid of myself being sick but not nearly to the
degree of when it comes to others.</font>

[princessmel]

I have to say that I am afraid of others doing "it", but I'm more afraid of myself doing "it". By the way, welcome to the site. [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[pippi]

I am afraid mostly of others because I'm afraid others will give it to me or my family ...does that make sense? Once I have it and I need to V I am okay with the actual doing it...I'm more afraid of having to deal with my kids being sick.
I think we all have degrees of this phobia. You are lucky to not fear doing it yourself!

[faith-marilyn]

absolutely petrified of myself doin it, herd my mum vomit twice this mornin but doesnt particularly bother me xxxx

[sage]

Hey - it's "good" (sorry) to see so many others who are afraid to see or hear someone a ELSE vomit, and not really phobic of themselves. At one time, I thought I was the only one in the universe like this.Not only did I have a "weird" (rare) phobia, but I was rare among the rare! Anyway, now I'm completely cured of this phobia, and I suffered from it terribly - with EXTREMELY severe symptoms, so there's good news.


The other good news is that fearing others is easier to treat than fearing oneself. Gradual exposure (very VERY gradual) is easier to set up and execute, and it works very well.


One thing I discovered through treatment, was that at the "bottom" of my phobic response was really the fear that if I SAW someone vomit, then I would vomit in front of them or "in public", and then everyone would think I was a horrible human being. But this aspect of the phobia did not get uncovered until I was successfully treated for the phobic response...of course everyone varies as to their symptoms and causes.


Welcome to the site, btw!

[2jo2]

I think Pippi said how it is for me, that I think the root of my phobia is that someone else will be sick and then they will give it to me. I haven't been sick in so long that I can't say if I resist or not, but I know if I'm nauseated, I will do anything to just feel better, but I haven't come to the point of almost doing it for years and years and years. I do however always secretly pray that if it does come into my house, that I get it first. I hate the waiting and wondering when or if it's going to strike another person. I also have this suspicion that if I got it first, and then my husband were to get it, that I wouldn't be as afraid of hearing him because I knew that I wouldn't get it again. It's really a rarity that I would ever admit all this, so I must be having a brave day... OMG....