I don't even understand emetophobia

[Sam_]

I am eighteen and haven't thrown up at all since I was four. I remember all the times I did very specifically, nearly all of them were from being carsick or drinking too much juice at once. I have never in my life that I remember vomited from being sick and when I was little doing it I have no memory of being scared or freaking out. Last march I woke up in the middle of the night really sick, I coughed and gagged and retched and felt horrible and finally decided to give up and vomit cus I just wanted to feel better and I couldnt! Every time i stood up straight I was gagging again and I seriously tried to vomit and i couldn't but I came so close so over the few days I was sick I never actually vomited. Anyway my point is I remember thinking very specifically once I could finally keep myself from gagging that it WASN'T THAT BAD. I didn't like it nor did I want to do it again but it wasn't the end of the world either. And I kept thinking "really this is what ive been afraid of my whole life?" but I just don't get t because this lasted about sx days and I was so happy and it came back for no reason! And now m exactly back to the way I was. I wish we could just snap our fingers and understand that it isn't that bad. Even when I think I feel sick I remember that one night and I'm like oh god no. It just doesn't make sense thanks for reading

[out_of_order]

Phobias don't make sense because they have nothing to do with the thing that's feared. For example, someone who has a spider phobia reacts exactly the same way you and I do towards vomiting. They experience the same crazy level of terror and do everything to avoid seeing or thinking of a spider. Now even they know that a teeny little spider isn't going to harm them, so it's not the spider that's the problem, it's the extreme level of fear they've linked to the spider that's the problem. Same with us. It isn't vomting that's the problem - even though yes it feels awful and nobody likes doing it or wants to do it - but it's not the worst thing in the world we've made it out to be. It's the extreme level of fear we've associated with vomiting. The real problem is we have an anxiety disorder and not so much the "thing" that triggers that anxiety/panic response. I hope that makes sense.

[Sam_]

Wow you are completely right. I'm hoping I'm on the road to beating this. Thank you it makes perfect sense