New member...

[dollylicious]

Hi, I would like to say that this site is awesome. I thought I was completely alone in my fear of throwing up. I am 38 years old and have been emetophobic since I can remember. I do have 3 kids and I can tell you that it has NEVER gotten one bit easier to handle when they get sick. I completely have a melt down and run for the hills when they are getting ready to throw up. Thankfully my husband does take over for me. I don't have to do much except go in behind him and clean since he doesn't have this fear, the cleaning doesn't get done to my standard.
As I have read, lysol doesn't kill norovirus...only bleach will kill it. Also, I have read that the only way to catch stomach flu is by not washing your hands and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
I feel like I am going to turn my kids into germaphobes becasue I am always saying "have a good day at school, remember to wash your hands good and don't touch your face" EVERY DAY!!!! They hear this every single day. I think they both do a pretty good job because I have seen them wipe their nose or itch their nose with the back of their hand. BUT...reality is, they are still kids and will forget occasionally. Thats just common sense. SO my question is...is it true that norovirus cannot be contracted by breathing the air around a sick person. (other then particles of course) Just air. Has anyone found if there will ever be a cure or a vaccine for this one day?
I would rather DIE then to throw up!!!! I am a little different then some of you in that I am fine with day to day living, not worried about getting sick in public or anything, (God love you all, I DO understand the fear however). BUT! When someone is clearly sick or has been sick around me or my kids...I FLIP OUT and then become a person that can't sleep, can't eat, can't or won't get to close to anyone for fear of them being sick without symptoms yet etc. I HATE this!!!! I have heard AS USUAL...its going around like wild fire. What can we DO?????

[typical skeleton]

According to the CDC, it is not possible to contract norovirus through breathing air, or more specifically, by inhaling particles exhaled by sick people, as with rhinovirus or influenza.

I understand your phobia has a bit of a mind of its own, but you could turn your kids into things much worse than mere germaphobes if you're not careful. Suggesting good hygiene at an appropriate age is something any mother would do; obsessively enforcing good hygiene at any age is something different.

The main thing is to keep anxiety levels down, and to send a message of love and acceptance.

[olschesky]

welcome to the forum.....your phobia sounds pretty close to mine....i do pretty well day to day....except this stupid time of the year.......since coming here though, i've been a bit more relaxed just knowing that i can't catch sv from just being in a crowd and breathing......had that fear for 50 years......

hope you find some answers and ideas on how to deal with this phobia.......great people here

[griffdiz]

You can only get it through the mouth also. So rubbing your eyes or nose won't hurt.