Day from hell. Exposed. Made fun of. The works.

[jadeshine]

The title says it all. Such a bad day. I went to work already very anxious because I've missed four days of Prozac. I got through six hours of my shift. Walked into the back office and my coworker was throwing up in the trash can. I ran out and into my managers office because he wasn't in there and started having a panic attack and sobbing. He came back and asked what was going on. I confided in him about my phobia and that I was in therapy and on medication for it and that it's a very real thing for me. He laughed in my face. Called it ridiculous. I walked away to wash my hands and go cry in the break room. Came back into the office and told him that he hurt my feelings, but in the middle of me telling him I broke down in tears and ran back out. Once I calmed down and came back he told me I could go home. I had to go back into the office where my coworker got sick because my purse was there, and I gave her some of my Dramamine and a peppermint and she hugged me. She freaking hugged me. I grabbed my purse and ran out and drove home in tears. My purse is in my car because I feel like it's contaminated. I've scrubbed my hands and used my sanitizer. Now I'm just in bed shaking. I don't even know how to feel right now.

[lizzo]

Wow. I can't imagine what it would feel like to be treated like that by your boss. Honestly I'm almost wondering if that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Id speak to HR about it.

[jadeshine]

I really like my boss, I never would have expected it from him. I'm not mad at him anymore, I don't think he meant to hurt my feelings, I think he just didn't know how to react. :c

[punchbuggy]

I'm sorry that happened to you today . I once confided in a friend of 20 years and he burst out laughing. I think ppl just don't understand the reality of it. I'm glad you didn't take it personal but it's still a bit hurtful. It was really nice of you to offer a mint and med to your coworker don't worry about contamination too much and keep up with your hygiene you will be just fine.

[Mamafear]

Lizzo, I thought the same thing, what a frightening experience! You'll be okay sweetie, I have had so many stupid sicky people hug me (and little sicky people sick on me and I didn't once get sick. My thoughts are with you. X

[Kinetic]

I feel for you, on top of it all your boss laughed at you in the middle of a panic attack. I know you said you were no longer mad at him, but what an insensitive prick he was. You deserve some sort of apology, but just remember its not worth dwelling on the ignorance of some people, which it seems you have done. This shows you are a good and resilient person.

Are you certain that its a virus? It could be pregnancy or medication or bad food which made her ill. There are numerous possibilities. And like mamafear said, I have had sick people hug me and nothing has happened.

I really think you should make sure you take your prozac every day, especially when you are already feeling anxious.

[chris_alice]

I don't think being laughed at is cause for a lawsuit. Now, if he fires you for being emetophobic, that's a different story.

The reason some people laugh in our faces is because telling "normal" people that we are in therapy because we're afraid of vomiting is like saying we're in therapy because we're afraid of breathing. To most people, it's just another bodily function, albeit a very unpleasant one.
I once watched a show where they were talking about strange phobias and people were terrified of things like olives and aluminum foil. I laughed. I thought it was the most ridiculous thing to have a phobia of these things. But then I realized that their reaction to olives and aluminium foil was exactly the same extreme reaction I have to vomiting. So, while I don't understan their phobia and laughed at it (and still do to be honest), I understand that it affects them exactly the same as my phobia affects me. BUT I STILL LAUGH.

I'm so sorry you went through this, and I hope you're feeling better now. It was nice of your boss to let you go home. If he was a complete prick and didn't take your phobia seriously, he would not have let you go home, he would have expected you to pull yourself together and get to work.

[sadie1001]

That completely sucks, I'm sorry you had such a bad day. That would have freaked me out, too. Try to relax and breathe....I'm sure you were careful when you got home and washed up,etc., so I doubt you were exposed.

I agree with chris_alice, and I have actually thought about that same kind of thing many times before. It is nearly impossible for a "normal" person to understand just how terrified we are of something that most other people just think of as an unpleasant bodily function. Just like maybe we can't understand someone else's irrational fear of spiders, or a certain number, or any number of things. That's what makes us feel so alone, and that's what is so nice about finding a place like this where everyone else understands you and you can tell them anything.

[fixxxer2012]

I don't think being laughed at is cause for a lawsuit. Now, if he fires you for being emetophobic, that's a different story.

The reason some people laugh in our faces is because telling "normal" people that we are in therapy because we're afraid of vomiting is like saying we're in therapy because we're afraid of breathing. To most people, it's just another bodily function, albeit a very unpleasant one.
I once watched a show where they were talking about strange phobias and people were terrified of things like olives and aluminum foil. I laughed. I thought it was the most ridiculous thing to have a phobia of these things. But then I realized that their reaction to olives and aluminium foil was exactly the same extreme reaction I have to vomiting. So, while I don't understan their phobia and laughed at it (and still do to be honest), I understand that it affects them exactly the same as my phobia affects me. BUT I STILL LAUGH.

I'm so sorry you went through this, and I hope you're feeling better now. It was nice of your boss to let you go home. If he was a complete prick and didn't take your phobia seriously, he would not have let you go home, he would have expected you to pull yourself together and get to work.

actually if any mental illness affects your job you can be let go. most states have whats called at-will employment. im sorry you went through this anyways though.

[chris_alice]

actually if any mental illness affects your job you can be let go. most states have whats called at-will employment.

Really? I didn't know that. I thought they had to make "reasonable accommodation" for any disability.

[hairyfairy]

I can`t understand why people think emetophobia is so funny, I mean, how would they like it if we made fun of their spider or dark phobias?

[jess0930]

I wouldn't even have let them hug me. I would have ran away. hahaha I hate it when people don't understand. I am sorry you had to go through that. You will be okay. Take a shower (that always makes me feel better because I feel clean again and then run a bath after the shower. It will make you feel better. My last therapist laughed at me about my phobia. I know how you feel.