anyone suffer from a phobia of vomiting?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2005
anyone suffer from a phobia of vomiting?
3
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 6:13am

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone suffers from a fear of vomiting?
I can't remember the exact name, I thinks it's emeotophobia,
something like that.

I thought I was the only one who suffered from it, until recently
I saw on the net it was one of the top ten phobias that people
suffer from.

It makes panic attacks much worse, because you are terrified
that you will vomit, and you're nervous because of that, and
then the nerves cause you to feel nauseous so it's a vicious
cycle.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Emma

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Thu, 12-01-2005 - 12:08pm

Yep! Yours truly has emetaphobia. I never knew there was a name for it until I found this board. It really wreaks havoc when I get a stomach bug. Lots of anxiety & an occasional panic attack develops. But, I don't worry about it on a daily basis. If it's a constant fear & interfering with your day to day functioning, Emma, maybe you ought to consider meds and/or treatment. There is probably specialized desensitization treatment out there, but that would require a search & alot of motivation on your part.


Living with our fears is possible. Putting the fear into perspective helps. You need to reassure yourself there's nothing dangerous about vomiting. It's no different than any other bodily function. It, like many other fears is a control issue. If we can't control it, then we're darn scared. Positive thinking, belly breathing & relaxation skills may help. Check out our *coping tips & tricks* folder below. All fears & phobias are treated the same, so try any of them & see what fits! Good luck & GBU! (((hugs))) jan


 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2005
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 12:09am

Hi Jan,

I'm not saying that I'm glad that you suffer from it, but I am
glad to find someone that has it too. I had seen a psychiatrist
about it a while back, and she didn't completely understand. She
thought it was a fear of vomiting in public, but no, if I'm at
home I get nervous too (though in public it's different). My
hubby had problems with depression and was seeing a therapist,
and I asked the therapist if he heard about the phobia and
he said no. That really made me feel like no one understood.
When I was a preteen, I told my pediatrician, and he didn't get
it either. He said "I don't like to vomit either." People don't
understand that it's not that I don't like doing it, I'm terrified.

I suffer from social anxiety too. I can't go out to eat, because
I worry I may get sick. I don't like to eat before going out, unless
it's just shopping, because I worry I might get sick or feel bad
in public. I just feel safer at home. What bothers me the most, is
I want to get pregnant but I'm scared that I will feel sick the
whole time, even if it's just from nerves or worrying about being
sick. How did you cope when you were pregnant? Were you sick? I
know that every pregnancy is different, and I also know that I can
handle it.

I am not nearly as bad as I used to be. I've had this problem every
since I was a small child. The thing is, when I actually get sick,
I don't feel nervous, I just go to the bathroom and do what I have
to do. I don't panic or feel nervous. When I'm feeling sick and I
don't vomit, that's when I get panicky.

It's so weird, I never knew this was a true phobia. It's so nice to
be able to share this with someone who truly understands. My husband
knows about it, but he's never seen me truly in a panic so I don't
think he quite gets it.

Thanks for your help.

Monica

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 12-02-2005 - 12:58am

For my first pregnancy, I was working night shift. I did have some nausea when I got up in the late afternoon, but it never occurred to me that it was morning sickness. Ignorance is bliss. LOL Or so they say. I never got anxious & worried I might vomit. Second time around, I had no nausea @ all. You might be surprised & not have any either.


I would think that there are therapists out there who would be able to help you with emetaphobia. You just ran into some bad luck. I think anxiety disorders are more common & more *out there* nowadays & can be recognized. It wouldn't be a bad idea to seek some help before you become pregnant. Sort of preventive measures, so you can have good coping skills in place if you need them. You have a great attitude! That's awesome! Keep thinking positively that you can deal with whatever comes your way. Maybe that will be all you need.


Good luck! Keep in touch. We all need some measure of support to help us through. That's why we're here! (((hugs))) jan