Hello agains. It's been a while since I've been here

[centipede]

Hello fellow emets,
It's been a few years since I've been to this forum. Over time my emetophobia lessened to a degree that if someone near me had an sv or v* I would no longer freak out. Every now and then, I would have a relapse but for the most part I've been able to go back to my normal life.

Since I was a kid I've had a mild fear of V* and getting sick but when I reached my mid-thirties it started to take control of my life. The worst part was when I went 3 weeks barely eating any food. I felt hungry but was too afraid to eat anything and had to force myself to eat enough to keep me alive. My emetophobia was brought on by anxiety. At the time I was having financial burdens and feared losing my job. I remember around the time it started, in the fall. I tend to get depressed in the fall and winter because I hate the cold weather and the darkness.

After reading a few horror stories of some emets having lousy therapists and not having the money to see one, my only option was to do what I can to help myself even if it just helped me a little. The first thing I did was to understand what phobias are, why people get SV, and what ways could I prevent getting sick. There's a book that was mentioned several times on this forum called The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne. To this day, I still go back to that book when I'm feeling bad. It's a great book and I highly recommend it.

Diet, exercise, and taking on hobbies also made a big difference. I signed up for karate classes. Believe it or not, that was the hardest thing for me to do as an emetophobia. The reason for that is that there are so many kids classes there and kids are always sick spreading germs. While the karate dojo is well maintained and clean, it still has a gym-like environment with people sweating all over and all of the classes are on the same mat where we have to be barefoot. During my very first class I overheard a woman tell someone she just had a SV. Not something I cared to hear. So to say it was a challenge for me to not freak out there is an understatement. I always keep hand sanitizer and kept telling myself if I used it frequently during karate and wash my hands as soon as I leave, I won't catch anything. This was 5 years ago and I'm now a first degree black belt going for my second.

I also added healthier foods to my diet which include immune boosting supplements. I figured that if my immune system was boosted, I would be less likely to get sick.

Last year I began running/jogging against my will. In order to pass my black belt test I had to run 2 miles and I always hated running. This was another hurdle to overcome because when I get out of breath I get panic attacks and I heard that runner's nausea is common. So I would run chewing mint or ginger gum and always felt fine. I learned to love running and now do it 3 times per week. Without even trying, I lost weight from this.

I picked up some hobbies which include baking and cookie/cake decorating. On the side I teach classes on how to decorate cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. This keeps me out of the house and my mind occupied so I don't worry as much.

From time to time I have a relapse but for the most part, I've been doing well. For those of you who feel hopeless, please don't. If you have the resources for therapy then go for it. But if you don't, there are ways to lessen the struggles and maybe even get over it on your own.

[Tolduiwasill]

Hi im 26 and i live in england. ive had cbt as its free here on the NHS. its helped but its all about the work u have to put in yourself, and its true, u have to do this yourself ultimately. i had a bad nite last nite and got really angry and upset. i tend to get angry nowadays when i get anxious because i know that im nearly at the end of this phobia, so when i get anxious i get mad n hate myself, then i just cry with dispair. I do live quite normally though. i am an assistant social worker which is a very demanding and stressful job and people put me on the spot everyday. i do eat out and i do have takeaways. i also do most things that everyone else does but there are a few things that still hold me bk and i know only i can get rid of this now. Things likee having a nice alcoholic drink like i used to would be nice, but i cant bring myself to have more than two. found that doing all the things i was afraid of and carrying on as normal regardless how hard it was, was the best thing i ever did. i became agraphobic with it before and didnt want to eat or go to work, i couldnt even go to the shop. awful.

Its nice to hear your story and i agree with what ur saying, and most of all, well done. u beat that evil phobia and that is hard. Thank you for telling your story, its always good to hear its been overcome x

[out_of_order]

Congratulations on all your accomplishments! You are proof that expensive therapy isn't always necessary to overcome this, that this CAN be overcome (or at least controlled to a point where it doesn't run and ruin your life) and that there is more than one way to overcome emetophobia. I hope a lot of people here, especially those who can't afford therapy, read your story, realize they don't have to live in fear, and get inspired to take control of their own recovery.

[Murder-my-soul]

Wow I love this! I am taking Celexa in hopes that contolling my serotonin levels will help me cope with this phobia a bit more. I just started so it's ahrd to say if it's workign or not. That's something I would NEVER do before was to take pills. Everyday I progress a little more. I went back to actually eating whereas before I never did.

I am glad you are able to cope!