Bad or good ???

[punchbuggy]

I keep coming across threads that say this site is making them worse and im a bit confused as to why? maybe because i havent realized it yet or maybe because i just dont see it that way. I think this site is great and supportive. we are all on different levels with our fight against this phobiaand that could make a difference but all in all , i think this site has helped me since i joined it, i like being able to relate to people like me , considering this is the first time in my life i have ever heard of others that suffer from the same thing but i dunno i think so far its good ... maybe my thoughts will change with time because i did notice someone mentioned " yeah it helps the new members but not the ones who have been on for a while" but i guess we will see.

[antz]

Bad or good?? I myself have wondered this as I have only just recently joined also. I find that there are days were I feel great and emets hasn't been a concern. Other days where I am stressed and anxious I actually do find that the site can aggreviate things a little in that there is a lot of talk about sv's... but that is how we all support each other and learn to deal with our phobia.


It's a catch 22 that's for sure!!

[tcsarah]

This site has never made things worse for me, only helped by allowing me to discuss feelings and worries with people who totally understand.


I'm not as bad with emet as I used to be and don't worry daily about things like catching sv's that may be doing the rounds, I guess If I was preoccupied with that it wouldn't help to come here and keep reading about them, I dunno.


I also like to come here and try and help others with advice and support when I can.


So IES has been a 100% positive thing for me.

[xroofusx]

I found this site has helped me a massive!! deal. I had loads of support when i started eating again from guys on here and it really helped me along and in times when i felt bad, so same here 100 % thing for me to.

[ontariogirl]

I have found that this site has helped me become a little stronger with in myself. Reading some postshas helped me remember my past when this phobia started. These are the postsof younger emets and what they are going through now. I amstill trying to deal with the past actions that I did to myself.
Some posts can gross me out and yes it does overwhelm me so I take a break and come back later.
Thisforum has helped me in a lot of ways and I am glad that I can come here and get support and most importantly give support.

[Girlygirl1980s]

I originally joined this site to get some support on my upcoming anesthesia and surgery. However, I do find that sometimes it makes me feel worse, and this is why: On a regular day in our lives, how often do we really encounter sv* or v*? Probably not too many days out of a year. But when we come on here, that's all you hear about. So it makes me feel like I have to worry about these things every single day, when in reality, that is not the case. Does anyone else agree with me? I'm not saying this site isn't helpful, because I have gotten some great support and information. That is just my feeling as to why some people find this site makes them worse.

[kate1966]

Ilove this site. I understand though how it can disturb you if you are having a bad emet day. It depends on the post, but sometimes they do strike a panic mode in me...but 9 times out of 10 i enjoy helping/supporting others in their time of need. I think it's wonderful to be able to talk/pm others about our fears. There's no where else i feel as comfortable than here It's a big relief knowing all of you are here for me when i need you. I would never think of this site as bad. You have to know when to back off if you are feeling overwhelmed by something on here...just take a break and come back when you are feeling better.

[kellybean]

This site had only been good for me. I know people are out there with the same concerns and fears as I have, and I know they can help me deal with them. I hope I can help others as well.

[luna13]

This site is soo great. If it wasn't for the help and support the people on this site give, I would be curled up in a ball crying.

[Babydoll]

well for someone with a phobia - what they are afraid of usually results in an obsessive thought in which you have a hard time not thinking about it. In some ways this site justifies that your irrational fear is something that should be avioded at all costs - which is not really helpful. Because the board places so mmuch emphasis on aviodant behaviours, you may pick up another members ways. for example, you read a post about food poisioning in macdonalds hamburger, and you think, "wow! I shouldnt eat macdonalds anymore". Or you read a post about how a virus is 10 million miles away from you in another state, and yet all you can think about is, "when will It come here and make me sick?"


While the board is great for realizing you're not alone, you have to becareful on how you use the information provided on it.

[punchbuggy]

All of you have good points, and i guess it would be bad to pick up someone else's behaviour. I am just SO unbeleivably thankfull for being able to talk/help/and get support from others that are exactly like me. I just never thought that there were others who were as *crazy* lol as i was until i stumbled upon this site.

[happyteacher]

I find this site theraputic. I can share my concerns when I have them and be there to help people when they need me.

[e-lizabeth]

I'm a bit on the fence on this one. I've been around this site for over 5 years, and I've found it both helpful and problematic, at various times to varying degrees. Sometimes I find that people are incredibly supportive and sometimes I think - sorry guys - that we coddle each other a bit too much, and that we reinforce each others' obsessive patterns of thought and behaviour, and that's not a good thing. I think we tend sometimes to just want to help the person suffering to feel better in the moment that we lose sight of what should be our long-term goals: not just to get through the crisis in the moment but to get through it in a way that will make us stronger, not reinforce our phobias, and help us move toward healng and true recovery.

[marieb73]

It's both.

I am a new member and finding this forum was a relif for me for 2 reasons:

1)There is hope. Some members have really tackled this phobia and that is inspirational

2)I discovered that I am not alone

It is bad because I am thinking about v* a little more than usual and I am a little more panicked.

[smokycat]

To me, its such a relief to have found the site. I have felt the way I do, to varying degrees, for YEARS and thought I was the only one.I enjoy reading people's stories and "listening" to advice from everybody. Very helpful. I find myself nodding and going "Yes! Me too!" for the first time in like 20 years. If only I had a site like this when I was younger......

[shiva]

Something just came to me.... As far as whether this site is helping people or not? Do ya think it has to do with whether the person is a positive or negative thinker???

For instance, I have worked for a year trying to change my negative thoughts to positive ones to help my emetophobia. When I am having a bad day where I can't seem to get a grip on the negative thoughts and come on here, then it is easy to become overwhelmed. But, when I am doing well at controlling my negative thought patterns and hear that a mom or dad dealt with vomit I think "Good for them!" and it gives me hope for myself the next time.

I think we all have to work extremely hard at our thougt patterns and thinking positively. If we do this collectively then there is no reason the site should be bad for anyone..

People are going to have bad/off days. Crap, I get them all the time. They need to be able to come here for support. Once we begin collectively thinking positively, then our support for them will be more proactive rather than making thier post perpetuate fear within us.

Does that make sense???