Please help me!!! sever emetophobia sufferer

[lobmn001]

Hi everyone,

I am 18 years of age and have recently moved to the city from a country town for college. I am very family orientated and miss my family every single day but I'm still lucky enough to see them every fortnight!

Ever since I was a little boy I have absolutely hated the fact and thought of vomiting. I used to get funny feelings in my stomach and later saw a psychologist which helped me feel better. I have also suffered from OCD for about 6 years and believe that if I do certain rituals or traditions, this will help stop the probability of me getting sick!

Since I have moved away from home I have found that my emetophobia has returned stronger than ever!! I found my self thinking about the thought of vomiting at least 3-5 times and day which has an impact on my life!!! it has stopped ,e from working and even attending college lectures and workshops. Every time I see, to think about vomiting I feel physically ill! Symptoms being; extreme nausea, shakes, heart racing, sweaty hands, flatuelence, sometimes diarrhoea and so on!

The funny thing is that since my emetophobia has returned I have vomited a number of times once from over drinking the other from playing sport and another from a possible lactose food intolerance; yet it still seems to be ,y number one fear and I just don't know how I can help myself and get myself back to my usual self! it's honestly ruining my social life and I always find myself feeling physically ill to the point where I feel like I'm going to vomit on at least one occasion on a daily basis! I keep saying to myself that vomiting is only a sickness and that everyone will get it and everyone has gotten over it - I mean look I've had it and I find myself today still here living and feeling relatively normal. However, it still constantly plays on my mind!!! I dred the fact that I'm like this and I just want to be back to how I was! Is anyone else similar to me? Is there anything I should do to help cure my phobia?? Please help. Thank you for your time

[Venustraphobia]

I am so much like you, it's insane! Just so you know, although some people on here claim otherwise, there are no quick "cures" for emetophobia. It's psychological, so you need to (for lack of a better word) "trick" your mind out of thinking it's sick. Have you tried relaxation techniques? Like deep breathing or meditation? This helps me in times of panic. Whatever you do, please, please, please don't take anti-nausea/anti-vomiting medications! A lot of people on here recommend for people to do that and it doesn't help you recover, it makes things worse in the long run.

[katiekat786]

I will second that - don't take zofran or phenergan if you can possibly help it! I had chronic nausea for a year an a half. I was nauseous 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It's mostly gone now, but I still have my bad days (hence why I'm on this site today...). Because I'm emet and was having so many frequent panic attacks that I was practically living at the ER, the doctors put me on both of the above meds. All it does is create a mental dependence. You're not physically dependent where you will have withdrawal if you stop, but you will mentally train yourself that as long as you take the meds you won't v* which is not necessarily true. Then when you run out and the doc won't prescribe anymore you will start having real panic attacks because your brain will say "what now? We are going to v* all the time because we don't have our meds!!!"
What I recommend is to come up with a relaxation and/or distraction ritual. Try laying really still for 15 minutes, taking slow repetitive breaths, something. Come up with a ritual that makes you feel better. For example: I don't go to bed before 11pm because in 8th grade (I'm 26 now) I v*'d at 11pm and mentally if I "make it" past that time then I'm okay. Find something that works for you. I would avoid drinking or other activities that can induce v* (no I'm not being hypocritical. I'm so afraid that alcohol will make me n* that I haven't had a sip of alcohol since 2010). Keep some saltine crackers handy at all times, sometimes when you get real anxious/nervous you can cause excess acid in your stomach that can make you feel n*. Saltines can absorb that extra acid and help settle your stomach. Sprite or 7up can help too. Small sips. I know this never helps, but really you just have to remind yourself that it's all in your head. Of course, if you figure out how to make that work, let me know, because I'm still trying to convince myself of that.
Good luck!!!

[lobmn001]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who suffers so severely from this anxiety disorder. however, i know exactly what your going through and hope u find yourself feeling better soon! I have tried relaxation techniques and they do seem to work. Usually when a panic attack sets in and I feel ill I try to take a nap and when I wake up I feel so much better. Panic attacks seem to spring up in places where vomiting has started or occurred before. Is this also like you? I sposs I just have to keep trying to get through these hard times. Thanks for your feedback - just talking about my issues to someone relieves me

[lobmn001]

Thank you so much katiekat and venustraphobia I will try your recommendation for sure! it's amazing how the human mind can mentally make us feel vulnerable to these things time and time again. I will let you know on any progress and look forward to hearing about your success.

Regards