Sudden phobia and scared to sleep...can you guys relate?

[MirandaC]

First of all, my phobia started the same day I began getting severe anxiety; March 12th, 2012. Since then, I haven't slept well. I go to bed around 4:30AM on average. This is due to the fact that most cases of v* I hear about happen at night/very early morning (Midnight to 4AM). I won't sleep until I'm starving - to make sure there's no food in my stomach should I feel n*. If I feel the slightest bit of n*, I have an anxiety attack and tremors which last for hours. When I calm down enough to try and fall asleep, my body feels like it's shaking, but physically, I am still. The majority of times I've v* have been at night, but the last time I did it was two years ago, which was breaking an 8-year streak. I'm still not at all certain why or how my phobia popped up literally overnight. I had never scared of v* before. I was curious if it's normal to have the phobia paired with crippling anxiety just materialize like that, and also if anyone had any tricks as to how to cope and fall asleep. I feel like I've tried it all and am at my wit's end. Thank you to anyone who replies.

[rexymeteorite]

Its a tad unusual, at least for this phobia, for it to pop up as fast as it did for you. But I suppose, hypothetically, if the vomiting episode was traumatizing enough for your brain to associate it with mortal danger, then I suppose that yes it could pop up quickly. Most of us have had emetophobia for the majority of our lives, but I would assume its possible for it to develop that quickly.

And the fear of night/sleep makes sense as a side phobia because if your brain associated vomiting with danger and vomiting with night, then it follows logic that it also associated night with danger. I am also afraid of night/sleep because my brain has made those exact same associations, just over a longer period of time.

The good news is, your emet might be easier to "cure" because the associations are still new and not yet set into stone. For us, its been so long and anxiety has been the one coping mechanism for us for so long that it is literally set in stone (not incurable but extremely difficult to cure). But for you since the association is fresh in your mind it might be easier to break!

[MirandaC]

That's good to hear! I suppose I've disliked throwing up and avoided it as much as possible before the fact that it became a "phobia." That night when it started, I didn't sleep. I didn't throw up, either, but I felt extremely nauseous and had the anxiety symptoms that have stuck with me to this day. I did take a homeopathic remedy for my anxiety (Stramonium, if anyone knows about that sort of thing), and that calmed it down for a few months. It's been resurfacing again recently, though. Not cool.

[minn198]

I know how u feel I also can't sleep at night fear I will *v when everyone is asleep and I'm on my own I lie awake most nights panicking that I'm goin to be ill. I've not *v in over ten years but since giving birth my phobia has got worse and uncontrollable, I feel nauseous everyday and suffer bad acid reflux I'm scared to leave the house I hardly eat which makes me more nauseous like a conscious circle. I've been ill a few time where I almost *v but never do could it be my mind stopping it?

[Kaikey]

Hello Miranda, I know how you feel about this phobia just coming on. I've had it for about 4 years now and I'm almost 25 years old. Something triggered it because I haven't v* for about 10 years+ before I developed this fear. Before then, it wasn't even an issue. For me, I guess more attention to the feeling now that I was older. I'm getting better with the night. I have maybe 1 or 2 nights a month where I panic just a bit but not too bad. You can get better and I know it's frustrating!!!

[minn198]

I fear goin sleep every night my phobia got worse since having my daughter I'm afraid she will catch something and I lay awake panicking when she moves. She was car *s the other day and I went into major panic mode
I just want to get my life back and enjoy being a mum

[Syrup]

I used to be the same, laying in bed waiting. I decided to 'treat myself' one day at the store. I bought a movie that I've longed to see and a cute fleece blanket. I wont let myself watch the movie or use the blanket and have set it aside for 'when it happens'. That was a few years ago. I know that I have those two 'fun' items if/when it ever happens. Not sure why, but it's done the trick. I've done the same for my son, unfortunately we've watched a few of the movies that we bought him! Knowing that I have a plan and something to look forward to helped me to sleep easy - odd but true! It's also helped me to relax when caring for a sickie boy.