Obsessively panicked about winter and noro

[kaiilyn_23]

As winter approaches, I'm starting to obsess and panic about norovirus. My emetophobia has been horrible the last year; I was semi-recovered before or at least functioning normally. Now, once again, it consumes and plagues my life.

I'm starting to freak out about getting it, almost like a countdown, despite the fact that I've had it once in the last 16 years... possibly twice, but that might have been food poisoning. I love my boyfriend, but my anxiety is even worse now because I freak out that he'll come home with it, and then it'll be inevitable that I'll catch it or have been contaminated before realizing he's sick. It's so unhealthy, the amount of time I spend worrying about possibilities and being sick.

I think what really triggered me today was reading on a local Facebook group that "there's a bad stomach flu going around" after someone posted about what they thought was a bad hangover. The post about the hangover didn't bother me; reading about people being sick because of reasons other than noro doesn't bother me. But once I read that comment, I freaked out, thought too much about it, and started feeling nauseous.

Now I have a stomach ache, half convinced I'm sick and then half convinced/rationalizing that I'm completely fine and this fear is stupid. Because it is, it's stupid! But beyond our control to a certain degree. I wouldn't wish this phobia on anyone. It's horrible because vomiting is a normal component of our lifespan... it's not a normalcy like BM's where it's a daily occurrence, but it happens every so often just like a cold or flu. I know these things. Deep down, I'm rational, but somewhere there's a disconnect and two completely different thought processes.

I. Hate. Emetophobia!

[thecheesecake17]

Bless you - reminds me of Christmas eve 2015 when I stepped in (TRIGGER) a tiny bit of what looked like IT. And literally let it spoil the best few days of Christmas.. :/ this fear is so so irrational but it's there and I understand your frustration!

Strangely though I cant get as scared as most emets about social media posts because I see it as a good warning,plus there is 0.0000000% we can get it from that person so long as we're on the other side of the screen simply reading about it.... However I say that probably cos I don't have many friends with little children...

I'm really sorry to hear the irrational thoughts you're bound to but my very intense emet fears vanished around 13 months ago as did my obsessive hand washing and I have been PERFECT.. so my point is, if you're this diligent about your chances etc, you're most likely not to suffer...

I hope you're ok

[Kflano]

I'm just curious, how did your emet fears vanish?

[Catsme]

Hi, love!

Sorry to hear your phobia has been playing up recently (tell me about it!). It's no fun. I get super stressed this time of year, too - and I haven't had v* since I was a child...and I don't plan on changing that fact. Like you, I'd do anything to prevent it.

However...there are some ways to make that possible. In fact - it actually IS possible!! To be honest, good hygiene is really a total solution. I once had the good fortune to meet with a medical researcher who specialised in bacteriology and virology. It was really a stroke of luck! I told him that I prayed for a vaccine, because it was ruining my life. "Why aren't they inventing one sooner?" I asked. His response to my fears were thus: "Because norovirus is nothing to worry about, that's why! Why are you worried about norovirus? Norovirus is such a simple thing to kill. You wash your hands, problem over. Don't cross contaminate. Keep clean. I don't know one person who follows these rules who has ever had it. Stop worrying and shut up!" (OK, he didn't actually say the shut up part.) This really helped to allay my fears big time.
You could also ask your BF to wash his hands, and teach him the methods, maybe? That could help you with the 'outside contamination' kind of things. (There's a page on this site telling you about hand washing and proper technique! I showed this to my mom for when I stay over at her place, and she uses it all the time now - neither have us have ever had an SV* since I was a kid, and that was quite a damn long time ago ).
Another thing to point out is that actually, v* is NOT a normal part of human life (this is a good thing). Technically, it actually means that our organisms have been attacked by an outside toxin, and the v* is the reaction to that toxin. We never actually HAVE to v*, if we avoid those toxins. Sure, it's impossible to always prevent things like colds and flu (get a flu shot, they're magic!), but colds and flu are upper respiratory tract infections and don't cause v* anyway (sometimes just mild n*).

I'm sure you'll be fine, love!! Keep well and stay safe :-)

XOXOXO

[thecheesecake17]

I'm just curious, how did your emet fears vanish?

Very gradual process which included a huge emotional fixation.. basically distraction. But the "vanishing" is merely a loose term to describe the comparison between 2015 me and 2017 me. I know I'm semi recovered because I eat. During my peak emet I eat like a mouse.. but I went through a big house move and a horrible breakup, both terrible stresses but I had no room for v* thoughts. At least not consistent or frequent ones.. instead of "will I v* today?" It was "will I see my partner and his ex today?"

Buttttt once emet, always an emet ; I refused to eat an award winning pie today as I was scared!

[issa]

Thank you SO much for this!!! I needed to read this