New here/exposure concern

[Mythology101]

Hi Everyone!,


****I just re-read my post and its kind of all over the place. Whoops.



I am extremely happy that I have found this website. I consider myself to have started being emetophobic from age 9. I'm 24 now and I feel like my phobia relaxes a little but then something that I consider highly traumatic will cause it to flare and rage. As of recent compared to when I was a kid, I feel it's been pretty bad. My main fear revolves around "it" being contagious. It's really bizarre to me because I can be around drunk people v* and even people with fp as long as I know I didn't eat what they ate. So I guess like a large majority of people here I avoid potential sv* havers like the PLAGUE. I actually get really mad at people who I know have recently had a sv* and then bring themselves around me or out in public. I went 10 yrs without having a sv* and this past winter I caught one. :-( ALL BECAUSE I TOLD MY BOYFRIEND NOT TO GO TO HIS FRIENDS HOUSE HOURS AFTER HIS FRIEND FINISHED V* AND D*. And he did. He said what most normal people think "oh well they're done being sick so they're fine". Wrong. We both got "it" at the same time and while it was short lived, my phobia peaked and has been creeping up on me slowly. My boyfriend had terrible kidney stones about a month ago and was v* and couldn't stop and I felt so helpless at first because before we went to the ER I wasn't sure what could have been wrong with him. Once it was determined that his v* was caused by him having kidney stones I was super relieved. But there has been too much sicky episodes this year for me to deal with. So then two days later at work a coworker says she had a 24hr sv* and for the week following I thought for sure I was going to get it. But I didn't. So now two days ago (about 54 hrs according to my countdown) I walked past a girl, I was about 11 ft away, who v* in to a trash can. A trash can in a mall I should say. So I have been counting down and obsessing over the fact that even though its been 48 hrs some sources claim you're not in the clear until after 72 hrs. I hate it. I haven't told my boyfriend about this particular time because I think talking out loud about it to someone who doesn't understand how I see this as threat will just freak me out more. He does know about my phobia. But I don't talk about it because its embarrassing, there's bigger things I should be concerned with. Not to insult anyone here, I'm more saying I feel embarrassed and don't want to burden loved ones. So yeah. I'm so hungry but I'm afraid to eat. ((( and when we went to the ER for his kidney stones they gave him zofran 4mg. And I have since taken 3 without telling him...I feel really bad. It's just comforting knowing that if I actually am sick there is something in my house that can prevent it/ ease the nausea.

[Syrup]

We all understand. Feeling the need to 'count down' is the WORST! First of all, the girl in the mall could have v*ed for a million and one reasons. It's highly unlikely that she would have been walking around the mall with a sv*. That being said, even if, worse case scenario it WAS a virus it's HIGHLY unlikely that you would catch anything walking past her. I understand that everyone fears the particles, but the particles spread in the direction that someone is getting sick. She wasn't v*ing in your direction, she was v*ing down. Particles don't fly up and towards people, they don't have a life of their own! You are 100% safe. NO WAY are you getting it! I am CERTAIN.

You do have to keep reminding yourself though, that if/when you ever get sick again you CAN handle it. You've done it before and could do it again. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for!

Try not to worry, you are fine!

[Mythology101]

Thank you so much for your reassurance!! It's day three and I am off to work feeling alright!

[Camanja05]

I understand exactly! When someone around me even mentions that they might have had a SV. I'm washing, scrubbing, and secretly cussing them inside my head for potentially exposing me. I know that sounds mean to have those thoughts, but I can't help it. If someone in my house says they think they might have it, I automatically put on my make shift hazmat suit. (Garbage bag with a hole cut for my head, gloves, face mask, and massive amounts of bleach any Lysol. If you get the mental picture, you might realize that I probably look like an idiot! Lol! So I know how panicky you must feel, but she didn't V in you and you didn't touch the trad can. Also, you can't be 100% sure that she was even contagious. Try and relax, I think you are in the clear. But know that you are not alone in feeling this way!