Worst that can happen . . ?

[snakemed]

I wonder what other people will say, but I sometimes think "What is it that I'm afraid of about v*?"


Normal people will say things like "It won't kill you, you'll survive" and for most people, it is just a fact of life that they might be sick. It's not like that to me, and I'm sure other emets. A lot of therapists have asked if I am afraid that someone who isv* will die, but it's not that. No one can understand just how horrible v* is,as a fear it is worse than dying or anything. I think this is an overwhelming feeling that is common in phobias unfortunately.


One art therapist had an interesting psychoanalytic theorythat I was really afraid of things, such as emotions, coming out of people (like the v*)! Could be, I guess. It's a bit like when someone is really upset and hysterical and you think they might never stop crying. I am more afraid of other people, especially my Mum getting ill, although obviously it's not something I want to do either. A lot of my anxieties have been about protecting her from germs and bugs. (and things that upset or distress her perhaps?)

[sassenacch]

i don't know, i just think the whole process is just horrible. i mean, i know i won't die from it or anything, but it's just the feeling of it, you know? plus it's disgusting.


what makes me crazy is that people have all kinds of phobias, like say, of spiders. but nobody ridicules them for it. i have a pet python (colby, he's awesome) & my mom is so afraid of snakes she barely can set foot in my apartment, but i just throw a towel over his cage when she's there. i mean, it just seems like us emets get ragged on the most for what we're afraid of when people are afraid of all kinds of things. why is it so hard for someone to accept that we just cannot stand v*? i understand people's fear of my snake...


i don't know, maybe that's not a fair analysis, it's just that sometimes it's awfully frustrating. it's not like we WANT to feel like this, you know?

[daffodil]

I agree with sassenacch. If we had a phobia of something else, something more "socially acceptable", I think we'd get more consideratoin from others. It really pisses me off, actually, and I have told very few people because of fear of ridicule.

[crimgoddess]

The thing is, if the person's fear of spiders, snakes, etc. was to the point where it consumed a massive part of their lives, damned straight people would question it, tell them that they are wasting a significant part of their lives allowing this to move to the forefront, etc. I really don't think it's a matter of "well, this is my phobia, you should accept it"- I don't think ANYONE, not even the person who has the fear, SHOULD accept it if it is causing significant distress. I think this is especially true when a partner is involved, as it does end up affecting part of their lives as well.


Yes, many people have phobias, but I think the difference as to whether a phobia is a minor inconvenience or whether it is severe enough that the person expends a significant portion of energy on it, and it begins to affect their quality of life.


I am also a firm believer that vomit isn't truly what people are scared of- that this phobia is a convenient scapegoat for other more deep-rooted fears and anxiety. I think that it's easierfor your mind to focus on vomit andvomitting, which is somethingthat essentially cannot be controlled, than to focus on other issues which are troubling.


*amber*

[sassenacch]

now see, i don't believe in that at all. i think for some people, yes, it can be a convenient scapegoat. but i wasn't abused, i don't have any real issues with anything, i have a bit of depression but it runs in my family, basically, i have had this since i can remember & i don't know why. if i had to pick something to be afraid of, i would most certainly have picked spiders or something like that. :P





i will say though, that my cousin has it too. he's 6 years older than me & i didn't know he had it til about 2 years ago but he's just as bad.

[crimgoddess]

I don't really think it's a matter of us consciously 'picking' our issues to be channelled into this phobia- I think that subconsciously, vomit becomes associated with other negative emotions, fears, or anxiety that we have a hard time expressing in other ways. Trust me, I wouldn't have picked this one either!


If you have had this as long as you can remember, it may have even been the case that you were so young that you couldn't vocalize or even be able to really pinpoint what the 'real' problem was- but vomit and vomitting is a physical thing; a definite entity that you could focus on. It doesn't necessarily have to be somethingas heinous asabuse- it can be anything really.


My phobia began between grade 1 and grade 2, and I'm willing to bet that it has something to do with the fact that at around that time my parents were having some problems in their marriage, they decided I was going to go to a different school, I moved to a new neighbourhood, etc. It was nothing that was necessarily extremely negative, but still enough to cause a decent amount of anxiety for someone so little. Put that together with an experience which involves vomitting (either yourself, family member, or a friend), and bingo, you have a perfect fear to channel your excess anxiety that you don't know how to express.


*amber*

[surfjunkie]

Wow! You guys just completely enlightened me and made a few things
make sense!

Amber-when you mentioned that it really isn't the vomit and vomitting,
but rather an emotional or anxiety situtation linked to it, it all became so
clear!

When I was in fourth grade, they diagnosed me as hypoglycemic. I would
have to eat high protein things frequently to keep my blood sugar level at
a good place. If I got too low, I would get queasy, sweaty palms, heart
palpitations, nauseaous, etc.......everything almost exactly how my panic
attacks act. I can remember when my emet. began.......fourth grade when
a boy vomitted in the door way of the classroom. I felt trapped and
panicked, but my blood sugar was probably low and I associated that
situation with the physical reactions with my body!!! It makes a whole lot
of sense!!!!! So, what do I do now?!

Sometimes I kid around and wish that I could be afraid of paper clips or
something that seems so incredibly ridiculous. (Although I am a teacher
and use paper clips quite often!) [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

But, I guess that some people might think
that what we are afraid of is ridiculous. I get some real funny looks when
I tell people that emet. is a real thing.

Anyway, I've gotten off on a tangent here, but thanks for the
enlightenment. Now, I might be one step closer to getting through this
and getting on the other side of it!

[snakemed]

Interesting thoughts everyone! Thanks. It is rare to get the chance to find out what other emets feel like.


I wish I was afraid of something that I wouldn't have to come across so often. My Mum is scared of tarantulas (I think I spelt that wrong!!) - those HUGE spiders, but seeing as we live in Scotland, we are unlikely to ever come across many, maybe at the zoo!


PS - Sassenacch has a pet snake, cool!! I have a rat, and some people are scared of him too. My previous rats had bright red eyes, I think that was what used to freak people out, and the tails.


PPS - I don't think any of my rats have ever v*ed! lol

[sassenacch]

hahaha i have to watch who handles colby when he's just eaten, because pythons will v* up their food if they feel threatened & they just ate, because it takes them a long time to digest & it's hard to protect themselves then. i'm constantly afraid someone's going to pick him up right after he's eaten & scare him & blah! here comes a partially digested mouse!





ew, if that ever happened i don't know if i'd be able to clean it. ew ew ew.

[samara's on tv]

I want a python! That's freakin SWEET! Where did you get him? I just don't know if I'd be able to feed him mice because when I was in grade school there was a snake in the science lab and a lot of other animals. I was in Ecology club and that meant taking care of a set of animals in the lab. Well I got the mice, and I got so attached to them, they were SO CUTE! Also on another note I don't think rats can vomit cause I think I heard that like something to do with a poison that kills them. They eat it and it makes them really thirsty and so they drink a lot and it expands in their stomach or something but they can't vomit it up.


Anyway, my therapist suggested that my emet might stem from being adopted. Before I came to my parents that I have now I was switched between two homes and never really had a chance to connect with someone as a MOTHER or anything you know? There was no imprinting (I think that's what it's called) and although I'm too young to remember it still effects me. But I think Amber might be right about it just being a scapegoat for other anxieties. That's why I'm determined to become a nurse and get over it! It may take a while but I can do it, I know I can!


~Monica

[snakemed]

rats can't v*? what a great choice of pet lol![img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]