My Story

[cwilschke]

Hello, all! I am so happy to have found this support site. I am a self-diagnosed emetophobe, having faced issues with v* since I was about eleven. My name is Corinne, I am 18 and about to head off to college in a few days. Unlike most with emetophobia, I have no fear of v* myself--it's the sight or sound of others around me v* that sends me into embarrassing anxiety attacks. I had a trigger event occur right before starting fifth grade; I can remember distinctly while watching the movie "The Sandlot," there was a very graphic v* scene in the movie. For whatever reason, after watching that scene, I ran off and hid into another room, uncontrollably shaking and sobbing. Ever since that day, I have been awfully afraid of getting v* on or being around v*. Since then, I have also been very afraid to watch movies, I will always ask my supportive friends if a movie we are about to watch is "emetophobe-friendly," and then only will I be okay with watching it. I had a particularly bad anxiety episode after watching the movie "Bridesmaids" with my friends...unknowingly walked into a horrible movie-watching experience there. But anyways, just wanted to get myself out there; I had another bad panic episode on a car ride home last night and I figured it's time I try and get some help and support. Thanks in advance!

[nbutcher97]

Hey Corinne! Welcome to the site (although I'm fairly new here myself)! It's great that you are so aware of the limitations of your emetophobia and that you have friends who know about it. For films and the like, where you don't know about the content in advance, I would try not to focus on it too much, although I'm aware that saying that is like telling you not to breathe. I guess I would advise keeping a track internally of distractions that work well for you. I find things like playing or listening to music if I'm in a place where it's practical, but for somewhere with other people or a confined area I like to try games on my phone or word puzzles or sudoku. Whatever keeps your attention from wandering! With the films, maybe it would be an idea to find out from the internet or friends of some well known films that have v* scenes in them, so you can avoid watching them, or make an excuse to leave the room when you know something's about to happen.

Hope this helps!
Naomi

[amoriari]

Welcome! I'm pretty new too but this site has already changed my life. You're not alone!! I think movies can be totally triggering and I have learned to just plug ears, close eyes, leave the room if I can't avoid the movie altogether. I hope this forum is as helpful for you as it has been for me. Also...the sandlot ruined me too. I watched that movie in school and it was a really hard issue for me. I haven't ever watched it again because I can't focus on anything else in it.

[Sam_]

I saw that part in 8th grade we didn't even watch the whole movie my teacher just put in the v scene and was like "this is the part where they're getting sick" although I don't remember why she did that I think she must have had some reason haha