Emetophobia - Mostly Women

[Paisley]

Why is it mostly women who suffer from emetophobia? Have you noticed?

I wonder why that is.

[becca44]

I had noticed, although there may be as many male phobics out there that keep it to themselves, maybe because they feel ashamed or embarrassed about it, most men dont like to admit fear of anything let alone a natural bodily function, women are much more likely to be open and discuss it as we do on this forum.

[Paisley]

That's a good point Becca, wonder if that's true.

[deeendnamtoe]

I've taken a few gender sociology courses and from what I've learned, more women are diagnosed and treated for anxiety disorders and phobias. The other interesting fact is that men consume on average much more alcohol than women and this is often associated with stress. Although this is obviously not everyone's story, women probably tend to internalize their stress more when men tend to reach for the bottle!

[sdfl]

It could be a fine coincidence, the way women are wired and men are wired, or simply that more women are apt to come out with it and want to seek help rather than internalize it. I have noticed on this board the female population greatly outweighs the males, but when it comes down to individuals.... no one will truly ever know the reason why.. there are probably 100 + different reasons!

[Theshadow]

I am a male and I suffer from it pretty badly.

[Paisley]

I've taken a few gender sociology courses and from what I've learned, more women are diagnosed and treated for anxiety disorders and phobias. The other interesting fact is that men consume on average much more alcohol than women and this is often associated with stress. Although this is obviously not everyone's story, women probably tend to internalize their stress more when men tend to reach for the bottle!

Good point. AA is full of people with undiagnosed or untreated anxiety disorders.

[Paisley]

It could be a fine coincidence, the way women are wired and men are wired, or simply that more women are apt to come out with it and want to seek help rather than internalize it. I have noticed on this board the female population greatly outweighs the males, but when it comes down to individuals.... no one will truly ever know the reason why.. there are probably 100 + different reasons!

I wonder if there isn't a hormonal component. My anxiety, and therefore this phobia, gets much worse around that time of the month.

[Paisley]

I am a male and I suffer from it pretty badly.

So you're the rooster in the hen house, so to speak.

[roadtofreedom]

im a male, only i do keep it to myself (other than the internet) thats why i try hiding my panics (makes these attacks even harder).
i hate letting people know what i feel, dont take this the wrong way anyone but when i show emotion i feel like a homo

[deeendnamtoe]

im a male, only i do keep it to myself (other than the internet) thats why i try hiding my panics (makes these attacks even harder).
i hate letting people know what i feel, dont take this the wrong way anyone but when i show emotion i feel like a homo

A large reason why men do not disclose information about themselves is through homophobic ideas that many people have been raised with. It's generally considered "okay" for women to be this way but not men. It's a little ridiculous, but we can't help the way we've all been socialized.

[Lola444]

Theres a famous british guy, Charlie Brooker...he's funny, witty, cool...just done a critically aclaimed tv series..He just spoken out about emetophobia! He admits that its rare for males to have it (although obviously it happens) and that he lies awake at night worrying that he'll be s* and he has what he descibes as pretty severe emet. I thought it was really brave for him to tell the world :-)

[jkl81]

Another male emet here. I've noticed the same thing but over the years Ive seen more men show up on IES, though I was one of the very very few men when I first got here in 2008.

[cinque]

I do like Charlie Brooker. Has he written something about it recently?

I do think that men are just less likely to join the forum. I guess we'll just never know. I imagine there may be more female emets, but not quite as skewed towards women as you'd think from the membership on here.

[matheau]

I've had emetophobia since I can remember. I've been to combat, been shot at, and eventually was injured from an IED. And people trying to kill me scared me less than vomiting. I will go to the ER for antiemetics before I'll vomit. I would rather die, plain and simple. (I am also a male. This was my original purpose for the reply lol) It's very tough because I have four young daughters, and when they contract illnesses that end in vomiting, my babies watch their tough soldier dad melt into a distraught mess. It's horribly embarrassing.

[Psychochick29]

I've had emetophobia since I can remember. I've been to combat, been shot at, and eventually was injured from an IED. And people trying to kill me scared me less than vomiting. I will go to the ER for antiemetics before I'll vomit. I would rather die, plain and simple. (I am also a male. This was my original purpose for the reply lol) It's very tough because I have four young daughters, and when they contract illnesses that end in vomiting, my babies watch their tough soldier dad melt into a distraught mess. It's horribly embarrassing.

*THIS* right here is incredibly brave to come out with. I'm a 27 yr old female (who's husband just found out today about my emet- heck. I just found out that it had a name, lol). I've had it for as long as I could remember and always hid it. I didn't understand how so many other people can V and just shrug it off like "whatever!". Your story really helps me feel so much more normal. Thank you for sharing. (and even though I'm Canadian- you're likely American- thank you for doing what you did overseas.)

[matheau]

*THIS* right here is incredibly brave to come out with. I'm a 27 yr old female (who's husband just found out today about my emet- heck. I just found out that it had a name, lol). I've had it for as long as I could remember and always hid it. I didn't understand how so many other people can V and just shrug it off like "whatever!". Your story really helps me feel so much more normal. Thank you for sharing. (and even though I'm Canadian- you're likely American- thank you for doing what you did overseas.)

Well I'm glad it helps. I myself have been avoiding the topic entirely most of my life, and just recently discovered that this is a real condition. Luckily, the meds my doctor prescribed for PTSD are also antiemetics (remeron/mirtazapine). It feels good to know that I am not alone here, because this thing has made life decisions for me, no drinking, no drugs, no amusement parks, NO public restrooms, no anything that could lead to such an illness. I won't even go to a movie theater, because I once came down with a virus after I was in one. If I even have the slightest hint or even idea that v is a possibility, I panic, pace, hyperventalate, shake... Even cry. It's a horrible thing to endure. Even though I would never wish it upon anyone, I'm glad there are others all the same. And, yes, I am American, and thank you, I wish I could go back, but the injuries I sustained in the blast have left me disabled.

[matheau]

I was trying to PM this to you, but it said I had to have ten posts. Lol red tape.

I'm glad you have managed. I have developed many ways over the years to distract myself from the nausea. My most used, and most effective has been Calvin and Hobbes, which, no one seems to know about anymore, but through my childhood, and still into my adulthood, it has been my "safe place" so to speak. I am very glad that my experiences could help you through even a small amount of this horror. It's good that you have a supportive spouse as well, that is paramount to not going absolutely bankers while we have the anxiety episodes.

I am Matheau by the way.

I know all about the feeling you have. The crazy person thing. Lol my dad used to say I reminded him of one of those when I would freak out. He did his best to use his goofy sense of humor to make me snap out of it...

Keep in touch, I'd love to hear more about your history with emetophobia.

[Psychochick29]

Calvin and Hobbes eh? I love them!! My "fixation" is solitaire on my iPhone. Lol. Gives me a distraction

My history goes back to pretty early childhood. I can count the number of times I have V'd in my life. I've been dealing with rather intense anxiety for about 3 years, an in therapy for that I realized that it goes back MUCH further than that (I remember having emet outbreaks when I was only 6 or 7). For the longest time I thought my N was caused by anxiety, but have finally realized its more the opposite. I'll get some sort of trigger that I have associated with V'ing before (quick temperature changes, dizziness, dry mouth, etc) and that one little thing will send me into a spiral.

Reading other people's stories on here has really opened my eyes to what is actually going on and helped me connect the dots a lot better.

I have (unintentionally) done a fair amount of exposure desensitizing over the past few years (the N and V words don't bother me, but I still have issues with the P word). It doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to if someone else is ill, but for some reason I still go crazy if someone says they feel ill. Lol makes no sense to me. Probably just thinking that I'll get it too or something.

Do you know when or how yours started? Have you done any therapy or on any meds that help?? Ive seen a counsellor and am on Luvox which does help some.

I'd love to hear what coping skills you might have found. Maybe we can help each other out

[Psychochick29]

Oops. That was rude. I'm Tiffany by the way