Teacher who need help

[swheeler25]

I am 44 years old and just started teaching second grade 2 years ago. Prior to teaching, I was a Cardiac RN. I have always feared v*ing, but never let it control my life. After teaching for only 1 month, I caught an SV and v*ed for the first time in 21 years. At first it didn't affect me, but now my fears are out of control. I now have a strong fear of contracting a SV from one of my students. My husband and I have no children, so I have never really had to worry about catching an SV. It has gotten worse over the last 5 months and I have lost 10 lbs. because I am afraid to eat very much. I scrub my hands at school so much that they crack and bleed. I hold my breath around my students, because I am afraid each one of them is contagious. I lay awake every night in a sweat with the fear that maybe I caught something that day at school. To make matters worse, the universal excuse for students being out of school is a SV. I have at least 2 children per day tell me they feel sick at their stomach. It is driving me crazy! I can't escape from it! The only time I feel normal is when we have more than 3 days off from school. Most SV's have a 12-48 hour incubation period, so I feel safe after 2 days. I won't touch door knobs at school or anything else the kids have touched. Worse thing of all; I will have my Master's degree in Elementary Education in 3 months. How can I continue teaching when it is driving me crazy? I am not the type to take anti-anxiety medication and I certainly do not want to try desensitation. My family does not understand this phobia. Except for my identical twin, who is also a teacher and caught the same SV that I did. She is also having the same exact problems. Any other teachers out there with this problem? I need help!

[stella9]

I wish I could help you. I am not a teacher, but was married ten years (married very young) before I had children and rarely got sick. Then I had kids. I was never as sick as I was last year when my son was in Kindergarten. The reason - I volunteered two days a week for "Circles" which meant I was in the school two hours two times a week. From September until March I had just about everything, including pneumonia, bronchitis, laryngitis, a sv (D*, N*, chills and fever) and several colds. The year before, when he was in preschool, I was sick non-stop for two months. The bottom line is kids carry very hardy illnesses. You will come in touch with everything they touch and sneeze upon. From what other teachers have shared with me - you will be sick quite a bit the first two years of teaching, but after that your immune system is very very strong and you will never be sick.


Stella

[samara's on tv]

I always admire people who can teach because I know I'd never be able to do it. I mean tons of screaming kids...sick kids...the possibility of V*ing in the classroom. I could NEVER do that. I have a rather strong immune system but as I'm hearing now it's probably because I choose NOT to be around kids. I don't like kids very much they irk me. That and the fact that they are germ factories.


I would tell you not to worry about it though. When I was in school I hardly ever got sick. I can remember having only 2 stomach viruses to date. I think what Stella said is true. You might get sick a lot for the first two years or so but then your immune system will strengthen and you'll hardly ever get sick. I mean I remember all the teachers I had and they were RARELY out sick. If teaching was such a horrible place to pick up diseases then people wouldn't do it.


~Monica

[swheeler25]

Most the teachers in my school have told me my immune system will catch up in two years when it comes to colds and respiratory illnesses. However, they tell me they have always caught at least 1 stomach bug per year. Not very encouraging news. The sad thing is that I am really a good teacher. I love to give hugs and the parents really like me. I have to admit all the student contact makes me come home each day and get in the shower to scrub.

[suze]

I'm not a teacher either..i lecture young adults so it's not quite the same. I feel so sorry for you though...I'm not much help but you have my empathy. There are a few teachers on this site though who I'm sure will post here once they come on line. Hang on in there ok, help and advice is on its way!

[purpleteacher]

I'm substitute teaching right now and I'm hoping to get fully certified soon. The fear you are describing fits me perfectly! I am absolutely petrifed of contracting something from my kids, yet I love them and enjoy teaching so much - which makes it hard. I'm a good sub too --- I get called by teachers and secretaries to work at schools because they know I can handle the job I have a good rep as a sub in my district, which is encouraging, but it is hard to deal with too because I have this "silent fear" that I know holds me back in the classroom - even though I try and not let others notice.


I catch every cold and upper-respiratory infection that goes around. I'm constantly sick with a cough and my nose never leaves me alone. I dread the SV and going from school to school makes it hard because I'm always exposed to "new germs".


I don't know how to deal with it very well. It controls me and that scares me more than anything. My only trick to dealing with it is to make myself remember that kids really aren't sick all the time and that my job isn't about dealing with illness, it is about dealing with education.


My worst habit is that I am ALWAYS picking at my lips. I cannot stop and I know part of it is nerves, but I cannot keep my hands away from my mouth. I know that makes me more likely to get sick, so I make sure I keep my hand sanitizer around and use it every chance I get.

[swheeler25]

I constantly wash my hands and have my kids wash their hands before they put a bite of food in their mouths. I got a great book about preventing germs. The book basically says that if you keep your hands away from your mouth and eyes then you are less likely to contract colds and stomach bugs. That means no chewing on pencils or licking your fingers after cheetos. Its a hard practice for the kids, but I practice it with a goal in mind. No stomach bugs! Going to school each day waiting to hear who has a SV next is such a chore. The replies I am receiving make me feel good about teaching. I just hope I can control my fear of stomach bugs enough to keep me from leaving this great and rewarding profession.

[murphy]

Hey swheeler25,


I know EXACTLY how you are feeling. You sound exactly like I did when I began working with children. I have been a kindergarten teacher for 11 years now. Before I began teaching I worked in a preschool and caught everything. That is when my emet started. I questioned my whole life. I knew there was no way I could become a teacher like I always wanted. Well I have stuck with it. I have gotten much better over the years but I do still struggle with it. I love teaching and am really loved at my school by kids and parents like yourself. That really keeps me going. Here are a few things I do to try to fight germs. My students bring in their own bottle of Purell and I make them use it before snack and lunch. It really isn't going to make much of a difference washing your hands so much they crack and bleed. Just keep your hands away from your face and make sure to wash before you eat. Also keep in mind that from what I have learned aboutsvs, people aren't contagious until they show symptoms so you will be fine hugging the kids and being around them. You sound like a wonderful teacher. Don't let this stop you. If you need to talk more feel free to pm me. I totally understand!!!


Murphy

[swheeler25]

Thanks Murphy-


It feels good to know there are other teachers out there that feel the same as I do. So many teachers at my school could care less if they get a SV. I wish I could be more like them. The strange thing is that I have been working with children for over 20 years in some capacity and was also a Registered Nurse. I never caught even 1 SV before I starting teaching full time. As a former nurse, I know what it takes to prevent all these illnesses. I just let my mind get carried away and I spend just about every waking minute when I am not teaching worrying about getting sick with a stomach bug. I have talked to my preacher several times and my family about my phobia and I am just afraid it is going to make me leave teaching. Nobody seems to have a good solution for me.

[murphy]

I also worry just about 24/7. I am sooooo tired of it but am not sure how to stop it. I just try to go about my business. I can't let it stop me from doing things I would normally do without this stupid emet. It used to stop me and now that it usually doesn't I feel I have made progress. I wish I had a good solution for you b/c then I would have one for me. Are you on any medication?


Murphy

[swheeler25]

I am not taking any medication. I feel like an anti-anxiety med would contain side effects I do not wish to have and mask part of my personality. Its hard being a nurse and teacher. The old saying "ignorance is bliss" pertains to me in more ways than one. I know too much about meds and illnesses. I too go about my business each day. Nobody at my school would ever suspect that I live in fear of catching a stomach bug every minute I'm at school or at home. I do hope that it will get better or this may be my last year teaching. Who knows, once I get my Master's degree maybe I can teach on line and not worry so much.

[happyteacher]

swheeler25,


I too am a teacher and I totally agree with murphy, don't let this stop you!!!! I have been teaching for 4 years. In the first 2 years I caught everything under the sun: flu (not the stomach kind!), strep throat, numerous colds, and pneumonia (for which I was prescribed a steroid that left me heaving on my mother in law's bathroom floor!). Since then, I haven't caught anything at all. Your immune system becomes alot more hardy after a few years.


I know kids do tell you alot that they have stomach aches, but how often does it end up being the dreaded V*? Less than 1% of the time. I have yet to have a student sick in my room and after 4 years, I don't even miss a beat when they tell me they don't feel well unless their body language tells me otherwise. My students are helping me in this respect and I love them for it.


As for medication, there is no shame in it. I don't take daily meds, but I have Xanax for rough patches like you are going through (I take about 20 pills in 4-6 months). It grounds you a little and lets you get a grip. It's not sedating or personality altering AT ALL.


I began the road to recovery 1 year ago after living with this nightmare for 26 years. I have come so far with the help of my therapist and my husband. I am still severely emetophobic, with fear of myself being sick, but with the fear of others being worse. I have been doing exposure therapy for 6 months and I will be moving on from pictures to motion clips in the next few months. It took me 6 months to just BELIEVE I could be helped, then things started to move a lot faster. Exposure does work, youCAN do it, I am. It's hard and I have cried and freaked out, but ithelps and the more you fight through, the more empowered you are.


Swheeler, please, find a trained professional and start some therapy. You need to empower yourself. Teaching is such a blessing. Don't surrender your students to this thing. Fight against it, I do everyday.


happyteacher

[swheeler25]

I agree kids do embelish their illnesses. I just get exhausted with the seed being planted in my head everyday! Why don't they ever say they have a sore throat as an excuse to go home? Why does it have to be a stomach bug? Their parents are even worse. The universal excuse for a child's absense is a stomach bug. I am a very strong person, but I am not willing to go through exposure therapy as a means of curing my phobia. I don't think you ever cure a phobia. I think you just learn to deal with it. I guess I use the analogy that a person who has a fear of flying wouldn't become a flight attendant. I never knew that I had emetiphobia until I became a teacher, so it makes it more difficult for me. After many years of working with children and working as a nurse, I never had this fear. It also makes it tough being 44 years old. I sometimes feel like life is too short to stay miserable at work. I have always been a fun and carefree person. I love to travel, play golf, and watch sports. My job is now affecting those things I love. I just don't want to have to take medication to survive. Maybe God is trying to tell me something.

[rubysoho120]

Im not a teacher but Im sure your not alone. I would die in your
situation. My mom is a daycare provider in our house. I was in panic
24 hours a day 7 days a week, especially when someone was
actually sick. i did all the same things as you. Only I had to move out
because I started to loose all my sleep, insomina every night for a
month. So I moved out. I'm sorry this phobia sucks so much, but
your lucky you have a sister who understands, no one I know
understands.

[crimgoddess]

<<<My job is now affecting those things I love>>>


I wouldn't say that your job is affecting the things that you enjoy- it's the phobia. I know you believe that it will never be overcome- but have you ever spoken to a counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist about your options? I'm not one to use/abuse psychiatric medications either- and if you don't think exposure therapy is for you, there are other options available. Wouldn't you rather find out what these are, and maybe try some before giving up?


If this is your only issue relating to teaching that you find problematic- and otherwise you are very happy in this profession, then I would try to do what I can to alleviate this fear. No, you may not get rid of it entirely- but you can learn some ways by which you can cope, so it's not as great of a concern to you. Or, have you considered teaching a higher grade? When they are older they are more likely to make it to the bathroom, and be able to bettervocalise 'why' they don't feel well.


Good luck If you truly enjoy teaching and being in the classroom, I would hate to see yougive that up over this phobia!


*amber*

[Robbie A Carlson]

Being a teacher, I often used https://www.capstoneproject.net/our-...esign-project/ for help searching information for my students. It is my go-to platform for comprehensive capstone design projects. I recommend that teachers who find it difficult to prepare educational material pay attention to it.