Hello everybody!

I've had Emetophobia since a horrible experience with a stomach bug when I was in the 5th grade. I remember being scared to vomit when feeling sick starting around the 1st grade around the same time my mother got remarried to my jerk step father. Before that I had no fear from what I remember. The 5th grade incident is when the emetophobia cronically started to intruded my thoughts.
I am now 34 and still suffering from Emetophobia. I still miss out on a lot of things like alcohol, parties, family dinners, traveling and eating out anywhere (during the winter time). I hate the winter months (NOV-APRIL)!!! My emetophobia greatly decreases when it gets warmer out.

Even though it would be best to get cured of this phobia I have increased my quality of life somewhat by becoming educated on what can actually cause nausea/vomiting. I 'm scared of having nausea and vomiting myself but not others unless it's contagious. I'm basically terrified of contagious vomit/stools.
Other body fluids from people due to drinking too much, drug side effects, food poisioning or other non contagious vomiting... I don't fear.

The biggest problem seems to be norovirus like many others here. I can controll to an extent other ways of getting stomach issues like motion sickness or food poisoning, but with norovirus you can get it from swallowing airborn particles and nobody knows how long it survives on surfaces. So if I hear someone had vomited somewhere due to a suspected stomach virus I basically wont go to their house or where ever it happened for a few weeks. Learning that you can't get noro from saliva or being near someone that has it, and it can be washed off you're hands has made a big difference for me.
Everbody seems so "dirty to me when they stick their hands in their mouth, bite nails, eat and cook without washing hands !!!
I believe besides getting over this phobia some how a norovirus vaccine would lower my anxiety x's 1000 and I would have a much better quality of life! Until then I can continue my 100's of crazy rituals and keep my antiemetics/resperators handy for emergencies.

Thank's for reading