Am I the only one?

[DefyingGravity]

Hey,
Am I the only one who freaks out more about other people vomiting than I do about myself I do not get as bad about getting sick myself as I do about other being ill. I drink alcohol, sometimes to the extreme of getting sick, I can eat happily in a restaurant without worrying about the food, ride on roller coasters without worrying they will make me ill, and do not use hand sanitizer religiously or unnecessarily. However, if someone even starts to cough near me, I start freaking out they are going to throw up. I get scared when somebody else drinks too much alcohol, or says that a ride makes them feel unwell, or that they don't like the food etc... I have even tried to read peoples texts if they have been sat next to me and I think they are ill. I once even got out of my car on the motorway because my niece was sick and I couldn't cope. If I hear someone say they feel unwell, I have to move away from them, refuse to hug them etc... and I start to shake, and then feel nauseous and I don't think it is because I am worried about getting sick myself, because I don't even think about that (at least not on a conscious level). I think it may stem from something else, but I honestly can't think what... maybe my lack of control over the situation?
reading through post on here, it seems that I really am the only one who suffers from Emetophobia in this way, like apart from just being 'abnormal' for suffering with it, I am also abnormal within the community please tell me there are more of you out there!

[Cynna]

You are not alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had a thread about this, but there were computer issues so it may have disappeared. We seem to be in the minority here, but we do exist. We are emets. I think there are at least 10 or more that replied to my thread. There are probably more out there that did not see the thread. It is awful since you never know when it will strike. Some have fear from all aspects of v...

I shake, cry, have the flight or fight feeling, get n...., unable to think straight, and will run someone over if I see someone v...... I have once done it in "sympathy". I only have mild anxiety when I do it myself. I am a semi hermit due to this fear. I thought I was the only one also till I came here.

I do not like roller coasters since I am afraid others will v....

Although we may have a slightly different trigger, we share a lot of the same panic feelings as the people who are afraid to v... themselves.

Welcome.

[DefyingGravity]

Oh thank you!!! It's good to know there is at least someone else out there!
I get the exact same thing, especially the n...., and crying, and people are always the same "Why are you crying, you're not the one who is ill" They just don't understand :/
I can't go on a rollercoaster if I think someone will v..... recently I was at a themepark queuing for a ride, and the person who was going to be sat behind me was eating a burger and drinking milkshake, just about to get on a rollercoaster!!! Needless to say, I did not go on that ride, and he did v.....
I can't go on spinny rides for the same reason, not only do they make me ill, but i worry about how they affect others too.
It is good to know that we are not weird though, and you are right about sharing the same triggers. It is emet, just a different branch I feel. And one day I hope to be able to leave my house without fear of other's illnesses.
Thank you again, you've made a young lady feel much better about herself!

[Cynna]

I called my family and told them I was not the only one when I found the site. I screamed that it had a name.

[Cynna]

Read your intro. Mine is from either my pyloric stenosis as a baby or by my sister v.. from the top bunk and trapping me. I think the entrapment is a major thing. We have that in common.

[DefyingGravity]

So did I, I was so happy to prove to them that it was something legitimate, and that there were others out there and we do have that in common entrapment does seem to be the thing that sticks out to me most, and I am so glad I have at east you to talk to about it now

[Flyingzuccini]

I'm so glad that I found this thread. When I first heard of emetophobia I was thrilled that what I felt had a name! The more I started to read about it, the more I realized that it wasn't exactly what I have. I worry way more about other people vomiting. I'm not scared of it because I'm worried about getting sick myself. I think it has something to so with knowing that if it's me, I can control it. If it's someone else I can't do anything to stop it!

I can't even stand seeing it in movies! Drunk people especially get to me because quite often they have no control over it at all! I don't like going out to bars and I don't like having people that I don't know and haven't drank with before at my house. It sounds weird, but the people that have drinks over here regularly, I feel like I can trust them not to get sick. People that I don't know? Who knows what could happen!

I actually wish that our phobia was called something different. It may be a 'fear of vomiting' but I feel like it isn't the same at all as what most emetophobics are feeling!

[Cynna]

What all are emets. We have the same panic feelings, but just a different trigger.

Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DefyingGravity]

I agree with Cynna, we are all emets, we are just a different branch of it but I am so glad as well the find that there are other people the same as me!
and yeah, I get wary around drunk people and stuff like that too, especially people I dont really know, or who I know always get sick. and I'm the same with movies, TV shows, any of it, I cant watch, though I try to make myself :L
Welcome to you!!

[brittneylee]

Oh, man, I'm so jealous of you all! I can deal with other people v*ing relatively well. Seeing it in movies doesn't upset me, going to theme parks, dealing with hungover people, food poisoning, et cetera. As long as I know it's not a sv*, I have almost no issues seeing or hearing other people v*. I drive myself insane thinking that *I* am going to throw up, and it totally controls my life. I know both types of emet are horrible to live with, but I'd trade places with you in a second!

[Ana Bellini]

I'm a freak I cannot hear, smell, see or do vomit. When I feel it's going to happen on TV I close my eyes and put my hands on my ears. When someone is sick, I just avoid them. When I'm sick, I just want my dad to be there and hold me forever.

If this fear keeps this way, I'll never be able to have children

[Cynna]

Brittney, I think you guys have it easier. When you are scared of someone else v... it could happen anywhere, anytime, anyplace. There is no preparing for it sometimes. It could happen in a middle of a bank of all places. It is so random. The panic is immediate and intense.

When the ones that are afraid to v... feel bad, they can take antiemetics and an anti anxiety drug if needed. I guess the feeling of n... can hit you guys suddenly out of the blue too.

Who am I kidding.....emet sucks no matter which type or combo of types you have. Panic attacks suck! Emets that are afraid of v... can not escape their own tummy like someone who is afraid of snakes can avoid snakes. Emets who are afraid of others v... cannot avoid people like the ones that can avoid snakes. Every person on Earth has the potential to v... They only way for us to totally avoid it is to become a hermit. Options are becomming a hermit or removing your tummy. Neither option is good. Neither type of emet is better than the other. Both types suck.......

To end this depressing post on a postive.....there is hope and treatment. I passed something today on the way to my car that could have been v... I did not freak. I tried to tell myself it was mushed crackers. (I work at a grocery store so crackers could be a possibility.) I watched 2 movies recently with v.. scenes with my eyes and ears uncovered with no panic. I am an emet since birth.

[Cynna]

Before I came to this site, I did not know you could get sick from v.. particles. I would freak out if anyone v.. in front of me. Drunk, motion sickness, noro, chemo, etc v... was all the same to me.

[Cynna]

V.... is v... to some of us emets. Drunk v... freak us out as much as noro v.....