Hi, I've just joined and have to say how helpful it is knowing I'm in a forum of people who totally understand what it's like being emetephobic. I'm 32 and have had varying severities of being emetophobic for 20 years.

For some reason it's got worse over the last few years. I dread the winter months when noro is at it's worst. I look at the newspapers in the shops daily waiting for the inevitable Stomach Bug Sweeps UK. Lately I've had so many close calls with people who've had it and then spend the next few days waiting to get it.

It's night time when I'm worse. I wake up most nights around 2am and convince myself I've got a bug and have to get up until the nausea passes (at least an hour, usually two). This forum is so great though as no-one in my life really understands. They don't realise it's in the Top Ten most common phobias.
And unlike others, there is no escape from the fear of v*. If you're scared of spiders you can simply leave the room. What can you do with this? It's an invisible enemy and that's what makes it more terrifying for me.

Sorry for rambling, it's just nice to write some of it down and to be among friends.