Living in fear

[Dannym1705]

Hello All.

New to this forum. Ive suffered with this condition since I was 6 years old. I had surgery and after this I vomited. It was only recently I realised that this was what triggered it.

Im 29 years old have 3 lovely children and a partner. I feel I can generally live my life quite well. I work full time, I eat quite well although I check dates on everything!!!!!! I will travel and socialise quite well although I am T-Total. Lately though I feel like things have got slightly worse for me, I have never sort help for myself over this, I am currently recieving counselling for health anxeity and awaiting CBT also, as the weeks go on though I am strating to realise that the real problem is my emetophobia.

My oldest son is currently sick with norovirus and as usual I have got myself worked up incase I catch it, this upsets me the fact I care more for my own mental state, my partner cares more for his well being, I wish I could be like that.Not to say I dont care for him and wish he was not ill, but I cant stop obssessing about it. I have seen many things on the internet about treatment but having lived with this for so long I feel its too late.

My family are quite supportive and understand to some extent how I feel but that does not take away the fact that I feel alone. I try to tell myself all the time that being sick is not the end of the world but if I get a feeling of nausea it just strikes fear into me.

I wish I could change but dont know how, while my son was being sick i shouted up are you ok, he shouted down yes im fine dad im almost done now. Its like I felt envy, wishing I could face something like that so easy. Hopefully one day I will beat this?

Any suggestions? Thank you for reading.

[Avath]

I would suggest going to the information part of this forum and reading about the norovirus. I found it very comforting, and very different from the fear mongering newspaper like to do.

Have you seen anyone about your fear? Try to reach out to someone that can help you, a proffesional. You're not weak or crazy, this fear has just gotten out of control and you need help learning how to reign it in. You don't have to live like this, but you have to be BRAVE and face it. Find the courage and make the first step. It'll be scary, it's scary for me right now in treatment, but I know that the fear is not going to get worse. Only better. It's only going to ease. The fear doesn't own you! Don't let it think it can.

[Dannym1705]

Thanks for reply, wasnt sure I would get one that quick. I know I must be brave, thank you for the encouragment it means a lot.
My counseller is aware of my phobia but I said it was not much of a problem, i think i lied so that we didnt go into detail!!!! Think I will mention it next week, its my last session next week then im on the waiting list for CBT, do you think I should mention this to them. If you dont mind me asking what treatment are you undergoing at present? How are you finding it.

Once again thanks for replying it givin me great relief knowing im not the only one suffering from this.

[Avath]

I'm in CBT. I've posted in the Experience subforum about my first two sessions and how my treatment is going and what I'm being asked to do. Maybe it'll give you an idea? Remember that every treatment is different though.

You should definetly tell your counsler, s/he might be able to bump you up the list if they realise how bad it is for you. I had a regular counsler before and I told her that if this phobia didn't change soon I wouldn't be able to go on. After a year and a half on the waiting list it only took a phone call from her to bump me right up to the top of the list and I started my treatment two weeks after. Fight! Make a racket! Make them REALLY hear you.

[Dannym1705]

Ok, thank you so much for your time, I will speak to him about it. Where would I find the information on norovirus on here?

[Avath]

Under the "emetophobia information and research" subforum. It's the first one on the subforum list

[Dannym1705]

Does anybody know if hypnotherapy can help this phobia
I understand everybody is different and that some people have this condition more severe than others but has anybody heard of any success stories using this method?

Look forward to replies

[KaydeeJayde]

Hypnotherapy didn't work for the phobia for me. It made me more able to deal with general anxiety, and be more relaxed, but it didn't help me to not be afraid of people v*ing around me. That having been said, it might work wonders for you. Even if it only helps you relax a bit, it was worth a try, yes?