How old is everyone??

[brandon_r_edson]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I am curious.





I wanna know how old everyone is and how long they have had this phobia.

[brandon_r_edson]

Ah, this has already been a topic. My Bad.

[steph77]

that's funny you should ask that. i was just gonna post asking people to share their emet stories...how old they are, how long they have the phobia, how it's affected their lives. ya beat me


i'm 27. i have 2 cats and a fiance. i have never not been emetophobic. i don't know how it came to be, but my mom told me about a time when i was about 1 and a half (about crawling age) i found and swallowed a staple. being a nurse she reacted swiftly, pulling it out of my throat. there was blood and gagging and afterwards she panicked. maybe it was those horrible feelings and her panic that traumatized me...i don't know.


when i was little, i would avoid other kids and wash my hands obsessively until i got punished. a teacher was concerned with my behavior and contacted my mom, but my mom was mad at the teacher for intruding. therefor, i never got any help. i would go through phases over the years of the fear rearing it's ugly head, then withdrawing somewhat and was always made to feel silly and ashamed of it. i was 'a freak.'


then, when i was 21 and had this great invention called the internet, living away from home by then for 4 years, i felt safe to address this question i had all my life? what was this fear? does anyone else have it? so...looking around to make sure no one was there, i typed 'fear of vomiting' into google search and...whoa... it had a name!!! i was thrilled. and other people, many other people, had this fear. i was no longer a freak!


i have dealt with depression and fought suicide since i was 15 and about 3 years ago, the phobia came out full force. i weighed 84 pounds at one point (i'm 5'6) because i was terrified to eat. i started lexapro and found a supportive partner and am now back to work and up to 115 pounds..lol which feels like i'm fat, comparitively. anyway, i just wanted to share my story and hear others to feel more part of something.


thanks for being here for us


steph

[sillygirl]

I'm pretty new here too, so I haven't read the other string yet either.


I am 23 (almost 24) and have had emet since I was in 1st grade. It was really bad for a couple of years, then my 3rd grade teacher somehow found a way to help me through it. It stayed pretty calm for quite a while, only acting up when I was sick or a close friend or relative was sick. Then, once I started college, I was so stressed that I developed IBS. With all of the stomach problems from IBS I started worrying about my emet again. It actually took me about 4 years to even realize I had IBS (I had never heard of it before) and by the time I figured it out, my emet was out of control. That was about a year ago. I have found ways to help control the IBS, so now I am working on the emet. I am confident that once I can free myself of the emet, my IBS will disappear too.


I live in Colorado and have been married for almost two years. I have two dogs (labrador retrievers) that are so spoiled you would think they are my children. My husband and I are starting to talk about kids, but there is a lot of uncertainty in our lives right now. He is finishing up his degree and will soon be looking for another job. We are also trying to sell our condo and buy a house before we have kids because there just isn't enough room for two adults, two dogs and a baby.


I found this site about 6 months ago and have occasionally looked through the postings. I officially joined a week or two ago and it has been a great support. It is great to get the reassurance I need becaus eeven though my family is supportive, without experiencing it they really have no idea what to say when I start to panic. I am determined to beat this thing and be able to once again enjoy life. I remember being able to eat fast food all the time and go anywher ein public I wanted without ever thinking about it. I was there once and I know I can get back there again.


You guys are great!

[stanward]

I am 29, will be 30 in August.





Stan

[ontariogirl]

I am 39 will be 40 in October. Have had this phobia since the age of 9

[madisonsmom]

I am 35 and had the since 2000 (new I know)

[jesskali]

I am 25 years old and have had the phobia since about age 9.

[kate1966]

[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]Hi...I am 38...soon to be 39...have two sons....15 and 11...have had emet since I can remember...at least since 1st grade.

[harmonygirl72]

I am 32...I have had it forever, I think....

[rachelle]

Hiya,

I'm 17 - will be 18 in June and have had this phobia since I was about 5. Its only been severe for maybe 7 months of my life which prevented me from attending school but now its very mild and i am able to live my life to the full, doing everything Iv always wanted, which includes startingUniversity in October [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]


Rachel x x x

[babygap5]

I'm 29 and have had this since i was about 9.

[aguerra29]

I'm 29, will be 30 in July and I have had this phobia since 4 or 5, although I didn't know what it was until a year ago. I think my mom was an emet and because of her panic when I was sick as a child, I "caught" it. I can't ask her though since she passed away six years ago. I tried to talk to my dad about it. He said she absolutely hated to be "sick". I can remember as a child when I felt ill and told her she was very concerned about the cause of my illness. Looking back it was because she wanted to make sure she couldn't catch it. I have to get this under control before I have children. I do not want to pass this to them ....It's awful.

[steph77]

by the way, guys....sorry if i went off and dominated the subject. i just really needed to tell my story while i was feeling badly. it helped put things in perspective to watch the patterns thru time. i apololgize if i irritated anyone.

[matmysunshine]

Hi, my Name is Christy, and Im 30 and Married and have a 13 month old son. I have always had a fear of seeing other V, and did not like to V myself, but seemed to move along with life quite well, this fear started to get out of control about 9 or 10 months ago, I just suddenly started to fear that I was going to get ill, and could not control,it was a bad 2 or 3 months there, but I have started to regain myself, and keep telling myself, ITs not a big deal, and hope that some how my mind will also agree with me[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]. I keep thinking of how many times I have V my whole life, and its not alot of times, so is it worth my worrying over it so much. I want to some day have another baby, and being that this fear was not around when I got prego with my first, it is keeping me from getting prego with a 2nd, but I think I might just say, the HECK with it, and give my son a little sister.


We shall see Christy

[skon]

21, had the phobia only for about 3 years or so. I always had a thing about throwing up, but since I actually didn't throw up for most of my life, I didn't think about it until I got sick a couple years ago.

[madisonsmom]

by the way, guys....sorry if i went off and dominated the subject. i just really needed to tell my story while i was feeling badly. it helped put things in perspective to watch the patterns thru time. i apololgize if i irritated anyone.

No offense taken[img]smileys/smilies_32.gif[/img] You're fine. Post away! It doesnt look like you offended anyone else either![img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[luna33]

I'm 35, have been emetophobic as long as I can remember. My Mom said even as a child I would freak out whenever my sister v****ed, and would avoid anyplace where she had done so for months. She also said I almost never v****ed myself (thank God).

[spilled_milk]

I'm 14, will be 15 in october. I've had this phobia ever since I was born, or at least since I was very young because I don't remember ever not having it. (it's been at different degrees of intensity though...when i was younger it wasn't that bad)


<3 Anya--

[swiftette]

I am 33 and had this phobia since I was probably8 or 9. It really became a problem when I was 17.

[sunshine16]

I am 13, and have had this phobia since I've had air, lolz.

Read more bout me in the 'who are you' sticky topic of this board. </font>

[helenhd]

I'm 16 (17 in July) and it's debatable how long I have had this phobia. I first really noticing and having panic attacks a little over a year ago. But I do specifically remember a time when my Dad had been v*** (he wasn't actually sick it turned out he had a kidney stone and the pain was making him v***). This was 5 or so years ago. I locked myself in another room, wouldn't go near the bathroom for the rest of the week, wore earmuffs to block out any sound, hummed to myself for the same reason, and held my breath for as long as possible in intervals. If that wasn't emetophobia, I don't know what is. *lol* So I guess subcontiously I've had it for a while. Until now, I dont' think I've ever realized that.

[2jo2]

I'm 30 and have had this phobia about as long... I don't remember not being afraid of it.

[roxxi277]

I just turned 28. I have had this phobia since I was about 17.

[wing]

I'm 15 and I've had Emet sinceI was 4 but not as bad until I turned 7-8 years old.

[spinnerchick]

I'm 32 (almost 33) and I first remember freaking out over v* when I was in nursery school. I was 3.I've probably always hademet but that was my first actual experience.

[wing]

I'm 16 (17 in July) and it's debatable how long I have had this phobia. I first really noticing and having panic attacks a little over a year ago. But I do specifically remember a time when my Dad had been v*** (he wasn't actually sick it turned out he had a kidney stone and the pain was making him v***). This was 5 or so years ago. I locked myself in another room, wouldn't go near the bathroom for the rest of the week, wore earmuffs to block out any sound, hummed to myself for the same reason, and held my breath for as long as possible in intervals. If that wasn't emetophobia, I don't know what is. *lol* So I guess subcontiously I've had it for a while. Until now, I dont' think I've ever realized that.

I remember once also when i was 3-4 years old and my dad got sick as well with food poisoning. I'd never seen him sick before and that scared me *SO* much. I didnt run but i was very shaken. Kinda haunts me.

[jennyleigh1975]

HI!! I am 29, will be 30 in May, and my earliest memory of having this phobia is around age 8-10. My phobia has changed some over the years. There are some things that dont bother me like they used to. Used to, I couldnt stand to be around anyone the was voming, or might vomit, ect ........ didnt matter the cause. Now I can deal with the actual act, if I have to, my biggest fear now is of me catching it and doing the deed.

[mitch04133]

Hi, I am 26, and will be 27 in June. I have had this phobia since about 10. And it has gotten bad in the past year or so.

[texas-darlin]

Hi I'm 41 but a "young" 41. I've had annoying fear since 6yrs old.



Goes to show ya..you can be my age and still wrestle with this fear daily.



I wish I knew the magic words to help us all



Renee

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