Christian Emetophobics

[derm_st]

I have been panic stricken for 35 years of my 40 years on this earth. Im curious how many here might have been judged by people in thier own church as not having enough faith, inability to have perfect love because perfect love casteth out fear or rather possessed and been through exorcisms or deliverence ministries in search of any hope at all coming away fearless. Where is God in this?

[KaydeeJayde]

I'm not a Christian, but a couple of people in my family are and have suggested an exorcism when they've seen me having a panic attack, and said that if I were to only have faith in god, I'd be completely cured. I'm of a different religion, but I don't think that more faith would make me any less phobic. Have you experienced this judgment from people in your church?

[iNurtureTheOdd]

While the bible clearly teaches that fear is NOT of God, and that God did not give us a spirit of fear, if what your church is doing hasn't worked, it's probably because you're not actually possessed. So there's nothing to deliver you from, not in that way.

What the bible tells us we ought to do to receive healing:

1. Confess your wrong-doings. To God and to another believer you can trust. This is a "clean slate" thing.

2. Forgive. Anyone who has hurt you. If you can't release others from their sins, what right do you have to expect God to release you from yours?

3. Ask. Be specific when you ask God for your healing.

4. Receive. This takes an act of faith. "Believe that you have recieved it, and it's yours." How would you behave if you really believed your prayer had been answered? Every time Jesus healed someone he would tell them to do something they weren't able to do before he healed them, "Pick up your bed and walk."

5. Thank. Be thankful. For everything. Not just your healing.

6. You can also look into the importance of prayer AND fasting. Often churches ignore the faxting part.

7. Tithing. This sows a seed of faith, of which you will receive the harvest.

8. Pray without ceasing. So you do it.... until. Sometimes "healing miracles" happen instantly, but more often it's a process. Don't get discouraged.

[asianeko]

I was raised in the church, though I no longer consider myself a Christian. I was already no longer in the faith when my emetophobia started controlling my life. I tried everything, and once that didn't work I tried praying again, and speaking to Christians about my phobia. Personally, that didn't help me at all. I don't feel like I was judged at all, but then again I wasn't in a church or speaking with a Pastor or anything. I know the Pastor I grew up with would never judge me for something like this.

However, I will admit that my hypnotherapist did something that could fall under religious context. In addition to the normal relaxation and imagining my fear going away, he had me do what almost felt like a little mini mild exorcism. He swears it's what makes his hypnotherapy so effective. I have never heard of another therapist doing this, but let me explain his procedure. It sounds a little wonky, but bear with me, because it worked.

He had me relax, and say the first thing that comes to mind for the whole process. It involves a series of questions, from which he determines if a fear is embodied in me due to reasons beyond my own. He left it sort of open to interpretation, but to me it felt almost as though he were suggesting little spirits had inhabited my mind, and the fears were manifesting themselves in me through them. He spoke with the "spirits" (or perhaps just the roots of my fears, depending on how you want to look at it) and asked them why they were afraid of vomit, and if it was fair to make me feel this way. He asked how old the spirits were, and when they came into my life. He then asked if they wanted to be freed, and cured of their fear. When they answered yes (which was immediately from all but one) he had a little speech about how the angel Gabriel would help them cross and be happy, then how they were going up into a beam of light, and they were gone. For the one who said no, he asked why, and then convinced "her" to go as well.

As insane as that sounds, it really worked. Do I believe the "spirits" were actual being inside me? No, I don't think so. But I'm a very open person who never decides yes or no on these things. Perhaps it was just giving a name and a personality to my fears, and casting the fears out of me mentally. Maybe it's just a really neat party trick. Whatever it was, it worked. I walked out of that first session (and the two that followed... Yes, only three sessions) feeling more confident than I had since emetophobia had set in. A few months later I had a massive bout of Noro and was completely fine. I didn't cry or panic once. I really attribute a huge part of my healing to that therapist.

Wow, this got long and almost off topic. Anyhow, that could be considered religious to some I guess. I was raised Lutheran, so the Saints and Angels were never really a big deal to me like they are in Catholicism. Regardless, it worked.

[KaydeeJayde]

Wow, Asianeko, that's amazing. That's certainly something different!!

[hairyfairy]

I`m an atheist, but if I believed in god, I would question why, if he loves us so much, would he make us able to v. I mean why would`nt he just create us like rats & horses, who seem to cope perfectly well wthout this body function.

[KaydeeJayde]

They dont cope perfectly well, hairyfairy. Why in the world do you think rat poison works so well? Just a little thought for you :-)

[derm_st]

Thank you all for sharing. I am a christian and attend an Assembly Of God Church. I have gone there my whole life. My phobia started at age 5 and was on medication for many years especially at night. I will be 40 in June and can remember every instance of vomiting, I was 7, in second grade,....then 8 and not again until 17. The episode when I was 17 send me on a down hill spiral of panic attacks and not eating. I almost did not graduate high school and everyone thought I was a hopeless. I went to many specialist but ended up at my family Dr. who put me on Xanax which was 22 years ago. As much as I hate the stigma attached to someone who takes such a medication it has literally given me somewhat of a life.
I am married and have 3 children, Colton who is 15, Hope who is 9 and Josie SinClair who is 4. I went through all pregnancies without vomiting and 3 c-sections. I ended up in the medical field of Dermatology where I still get to do major surgery but my patients never get sick. ( Gods grace). I have had gall bladder surgery and 5 ERCPs with biliary stents and never once vomited,....and of course it took tons of will power. I get nauseated very easy but use my drugs like Xanax and Zofran and for the most horrible times,..Phenergan. I have learned to sit in my car with the air conditioner on and freeze my body which seems to cause my brain to say,...forget about vomiting,...we have to keep her warm! I remember writing scriptures on my bedroom walls and quoting non stop and fasting a praying. Most in my church said I did not have perfect love and what I was experiencing was lack of faith and of course demon possession. Then,...those possessed who get delivered usually vomit out their demons so I have decided I will just live with them. I remember one time they had me stand in front of a bathroom mirror,...told me to see Jesus in the mirror and stick my finger down my throat and vomit for him. I did about 25 times and gagged but never vomited and that experience has only made me worse. I have clawed my chest when nauseaed for distraction. Vomit follows me. At least 3 times weekly someone pulls over to vomit. Im afraid of my kids so my husband has always taken care of them and the saddest thing of all is my first daughter Hope who is 9,...has the same phobia only worse. She is being treated at Childrens Hospital with Klonopin and Resperyl? Hope has no idea I have this because I have been so good at hiding it. I hurt for her soooo bad and feel so guilty. I have yet to met someone who actually overcame this phobia.
I question a lot why God would allow me or my daughter to suffer in so much torment when we live for him daily. Wonder if its just a thorn in my side but Im getting very weary,.....just being honest. I hurt so bad for Hope and to know there is not much to offer her makes me more depressed.
I know that through it all,....I have accomplished more than most by marriage,...3 children and a career in the medical field and to me,....is that not God making a way where there seems no way??
I will keep trusting God because he said in our weakness, He is made strong. Paul had a messenger from satan who tormented him and asked God three times to take it away and God didn't and said, My grace is sufficent for thee. Maybe its my thorn but its only getting worse the older I get and its hard not to consider the sweet sleep of death to finally not be fearful every second of every day. It is always a fight in me,...and for once I would love to experience peace.....just rambling.....thanks for listening if you have read this....

Thy will be done,
Samantha

[ann32]

I am achristian too and I have this phobia all you cann do is pray and trust god will heal you and your daughter of this. God does not want us to suffer, you know that is not his intention. Maybe the lesson he is tryin to teach you with your daughter is to show you how you actually are and to stand up to this phobia. Lay hamds over your daughter and whenever your fear or phobia or panic kick in I just say satan, I rebuke you in the name of jesus christ, and I will tell you it works. Even if you have to repeat it 1000 times until those feelings go away. But you know you have to trust and believe in the lord. Feel better!

[jandub]

I am a Christian, and while I still struggle with this from time to time, for the most part, I believe that my faith and God is what carries me through day to day. Especially if one of my kids get sick, I really rely on the Lord to help me help them. If I did not have my faith, I would be in a mental institution, sincerely. And when things get worse and I start to feel myself slipping into that anxiety ridden state of mind that makes me crazy and depressed, I put more effort into my relationship with Him, and while it doesn't go away, it maybe gets put in perspective for me, if that makes sense. God never promised us that we would go through this life without struggles and mountains to climb, but I very much believe that He has gotten me through the very lowest and darkest times of my life. I also believe that God wants us to be happy and healthy! I am so sorry you and your daughter are going through this. I am not sure about that church...that seems strange to me. And scary! My son was having symptoms of emetophobia pretty badly, and I prayed about it a lot, he even stopped eating for about two months except canned mandarin oranges. But, we got our church involved, and through a lot of prayer and some counseling, he's better now, and I'm not trying to scare anyone at all, but I've noticed that he's less scared to v* now due in large part...to vomiting. Instead of praying for the feeling to go away, he's prayed that it just comes out quick so he feels better, and it does. I also bought the book The Power of A Praying Parent. It has done a world of good, the prayers in there are so perfect. Anyway, I do understand your questions, I have so many too. I will be praying for you and your daughter and I really hope that things get better. Hugs to you.

[stacey74]

I am a Christian also. I've struggled with this since I was 4. My worst time by far was about 7 years ago when i lost about 20 lbs and was under 100 (i'm only 5'1 )because I was scared to eat anything for fear of v*.
I just recently discovered that it had a name...haha

I know that perfect love casteth out all fear and that i do not have a spirit of fear , but one of power ,love and a sound mind and all the other scriptures on fear (Psalm 91). I don't know why God allows this in my life, but I know that everything we go through is for HIs glory.

i too have the book power of a praying parent and also the power of a praying woman. they are very good for specific scriptures and prayers of various subjects.

I can answer without a doubt that God is right by your side, as He is mine because His word says he never leaves you nor forsakes you, if you've trusted His only son Jesus for your eternal salvation. hope this helps.

[ashley11]

Reading all of these posts has made me feel so much better. I am 30 years old and have had this since I was 6. I have 2 little girls and my 6 year old also seems to have this too. I was doing well for about 15 years, it never went completely away, but I could control it. I have only had a sv* 3 times and i never was s* during my pregnancies. I v* for the first time in 14 years in 2008 when I had a gall bladder attack. It slowly made things worse. I had my gall bladder removed, so I do not have that anymore but live in constant fear of noro, especially in winter months. In the middle of February we all came down with the sv* and that is what has set my daughter off, it was very traumatic. I have prayed about this with her and do not know what to do. Unfortunatly she knows I also have this fear. I did not handle things so well when we were all s* in february. But is taking over her life. She has bad panic attacks and only wants to go to school, home and she will go to my parents house and that is it. We can't even go out to dinner anymore. I just do not know what to do about this, I am so stressed out all the time!

[derm_st]

Asianeko!!!! Thank you for sharing this. Im about to take this little message and go disect it step by step for sure. I did not know what to expect when posting the possible spiritual side of this "demon" or "blessing". I almost didnt even do it!!!! The thing is,.....when your desperate, any method that has any tease of hope is accepted and attempted inspite of feeling ashamed.

By Gods Grace

[asianeko]

Asianeko!!!! Thank you for sharing this. Im about to take this little message and go disect it step by step for sure. I did not know what to expect when posting the possible spiritual side of this "demon" or "blessing". I almost didnt even do it!!!! The thing is,.....when your desperate, any method that has any tease of hope is accepted and attempted inspite of feeling ashamed.

By Gods Grace

I'm sure the therapist wouldn't mind talking to you about it if you have any questions as well. His name is Bob Roberts and he's based out of Columbus, Ohio. I don't think he's a Christian, but I may be wrong. Not sure if that applies to if you'd be interested in speaking to him or not. I know he sure doesn't act like one :P

[mizzy316]

Christ has helped me through *so* much. Especially in relation to this.