New here, with a sick household :(

[Carolynm]

Found this forum while Googling ways to avoid the stomach flu, as it appears it has hit my household--and I am a definite emetophobe. I think it stems from very rarely being sick as a kid--my family has "strong stomachs" as my mom puts it--as I have no traumatic experience associated with getting sick that I can remember...

Anyway, my 20mo. old got sick on Sunday afternoon/Sunday night, and now my husband has caught it. I'm just waiting for my 4yr old and me to be next, and the worrying and waiting is probably far worse than actually getting it, which makes me feel so incredibly silly! My poor husband is the one who's sick and I'm the one who's a wreck and needing comfort. How backwards is that?

Sigh. I am glad to have found this forum and other people who "get it"...now if only I could get over it!!!

[HEH18]

Sorry to hear it's hit your family Carolynm! Just use bleach/lysol and wash wash wash those hands!! You can avoid it if you don't touch your face unless you've washed well

Emetophobia can be such a life sucking phobia, it's definitely difficult to deal with. I'm finally in therapy to work through the phobia, took my entire life (28 yrs) to actually realize I want to kick this, as it's gotten worse in the past 4 years. For me I learned the phobia from my dad, as I never had anything that I can remember being specifically traumatizing and my mom says I've had this as long as she can remember. I am also someone with a strong stomach, haven't gotten a stomach flu in I don't even know how long, at least 15 yrs! Funny how something most people with our phobia seem to be naturally resistant to, takes up SO much of our lives isn't it?

Anyways. Hope you can calm a bit, and find some things to distract yourself over the next few days!