Do your families know about your emet?

[dreamer]

Just curious.... One thing that strikes me about the various posts is how many of you haven't told anyone about your emet. I've always been very open about it, andas I've had it since I was a toddler, my family have always been aware of it. I remember one time when I was about nine and staying with my aunt & uncle. We were watching tv when my cousin suddenly v*d. I ran out of the room crying and screaming that I wanted to go home. And they took me - no questions asked, and no fuss!


My close friends know, and I've always told boyfriends. My personal experience is that people can be very understanding. What does everyone else think? Do your friends and family know about your emet? Are they supportive? If not, why not?





And if I'm being too nosey, please excuse me and don't answer!!!

[jodi054]

my family know .... cant say that totally understand but i dont you can until you suffer like we do ... but they do try


bless them [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[harmonygirl72]

Everyone that is close to me in any way knows. And, 99.99% of them are supportive. The only real problem I have is my 16 year old sister. I try to say it's cause she's young, but she is very unsympathetic about it, even to the point of saying she doesn't "believe in phobias". Argh! But, the rest of my family, boyfriend, friends, co-workers, are all very supportive!


Mary

[Girlygirl1980s]

My mother and husband know, and only one of my friend's knows. My ex-husband knew, as well. When you are very close to people, it is hard not to tell them. My mother and husband are pretty supportive. I've only been with my husband for about two years, so I am just opening up to him.

[silver]

I have just started opening up about it more to my husband andI feel a lot better now that I have. He doesn't understand to the extent that the fear affects me, but he is supportive about it. My mom and best friend also know and aren't exactly supportive...I feel really stupid even mentioning when I am afraid to them now. I have a new really close friend whom I have told and she is 100% supportive and helpful, she is good at talking me down when I get worked up. I also support her with her fears which include wind...so I guess that we all have OUR things and fears.

[aguerra29]

Only mu husband, two friends, and my therapist know I have this phobia. Heck, I didn't even know it was a phobia until 2 years ago. When I did tell my husband he said he always knew I didn't like to throw up, but didn't realize it was to the level it is. I think it makes me a weak person, so I don't tell anyone. I talked a little but with my dad - trying to ascertain if my mom was afraid of vomiting too. I don't think I will ever tell anyone else. I don't want to be judged.

[laneyb]

My hubby knows and hes really good about it, my dad also knows (he suffers from anxiety and depression) so I told him so he knew there was someone else that understand the anxiety issue (my mum just doesnt get "things" like this).


I recently told a colleague who was fantastic about it, and admitted minor emet stuff to me, and I told my boss who I think was a little embarrasedand didnt know what to say but has been very accomodating. My boss still talks about her son when he is sick and when we have been out and she has v* and that doesnt bother me, it almnosthelps me to stay sane becos she is treating me like Im "normal"!!!!!


Laney xx

[mjewell]

I have just recently told my parents and grandparents. They always knew i had anxiety from the time I was little but they never made the connection to feeling sick or someone else being sick and being anxious.


My husband has known since before we were married. That is actually what bonded us, lol. Many of my co-workers and friends know too. They are all supportive and don't make me feel like an idiot or anything, but I only have one friend who is always aware of it. Whenever we are out someplace and I get quiet or fidgety, she just knows, and asks me if I want to get out of there. I love her for that. Everyone else just sort of "forgets" unless I remind them.

[purpleteacher]

My friends and family know. My family makes fun of me and my friends are supportive. I have also told collegues too and they were surprisingly supportive. I teach and I hateP* - but I love kids and I have a passion for teaching. I have found many other emet teachers along the way --- I even had one teacher give me some Lysol

[abbey_16]

Well i wouldnt say all my family know but my close family do and some close friends.


My partner is kinda getting used to it now... lol he found it hard to understand at first but yea things are looking up

[samara's on tv]

My whole family knows. They have always known, not that they ever had a name for it until recently. When I came out and explained it to them with the name of the phobia and everything they were like, "Yeah we knew that." I mean it's pretty hard NOT to notice that someone has a fear of vomiting when everytime their sisters got sick they would run out of the room screaming and crying and wouldn't come within 3 feet of them when they were sick. The only person who was surprised to hear it was my sister and she looked at me and said, "Is this a new thing?" and my mom laughed and said, "Where were you when you used to get sick and she would run off screaming and crying?" But then again I don't get along with that sister and I know as much about her as she does about me...which is practically nothing. But yeah they know and they are rather supportive. I mean sometimes my mom tells me to "Just get over it" and my sister will make gagging noises to freak me out but I get back at her by picking up a spider and holding it close to her. LoL I know that's mean but what she does to me is mean so :P!


~Monica

[daffodil]

I have only told my husband recently, and he didn't make a big deal out of it. That was a big step for me. I have not been very open about it to anyone until recently, but I am starting to. Everyone close to me knows I am a germ-a-phobe, though, and like to tease me about it from time to time.

[tcsarah]

I went for 20-odd years without telling a single soul aboutmy emet or panic attacks. I then discovered via a problem page in a magazine there were others that felt the same way and I didn't feel such a freak (!), so started opening up about things. Now I have absolutely no reservations in telling anybody. Most of my family and friends and most of my fiance's family and friends know about the emet. And telling people about it has lessened the effects it has on me as bottling it up made it feel way worse.

[ontariogirl]

We didn't know what was wrong with me when this struck at the age of 9. Around the age of 30 something I found out that it was a phobia. Told my family and friends. I have full support from everyone in my life. They don't understand 100% but they are there.

[trixie]

My close family know and they are supportive. My hubby and oldest son are both brilliant - i am so lucky.

[csjones]

Both my parents know, because I freak out in front of them often. Now understanding it is another matter!!!!

[stephiewephie05]

my family & friends are very supportive.

[confusedgirl]

I haven't told anyone... well I've told people I'm scared of sickness, but never that its an actual phobia. I tried to tell my mom one time that I thought I had a phobia, but she told me to just get over it. But then again, that was when my sister had a sv... my mom had to take care of her. I feel like my family thinks that my emet is anact to get attention... because they'll tell me to just "quit worrying about myself and support the person who is actually sick." when I'm worried about having been exposed to something. So I don't really know how to go about telling them :/

[Babydoll]

anyone who knows me pretty much knows my phobia. All of them are very supportive, and don't make me feel odd in the least. I think thats because I don't make a big deal about it - so neither do they.


trust me, those who think you are wierd, are ignorant. there are MANY wierder things out there than this. I think we have it pretty easy. Imagine being afraid of cars, or the sun, or something that you have toface daily!


My point - make your point known, but don't make it a big deal - and neither will anyone else.


another point that just occured to me - if someone gives me a funny look like " why on earth would you be afraid of that?'' and I can tell them the parts of the brain that are affected and all the theories that surround it - so they realize I'm far from an idiot then. People can't argue with brain anatomy, lol.Edited by: Babydoll

[valkyriegrl]

My close family all know. I grew up in a house that was emetophobic, so my mother can relate! My boyfriend doesn't really understand, but he accepts it as how I am.