Hey there

I am not sure if anyone else out there feels the same but I have anxiety and a little depression but mainly the anxiety/panic disorder. I have been on and off meds for about 15 years. Basically, I came across today this thing called emetophobia on a website and it described me to a tee. I cannot believe it. For years I have been getting psych counselling yet nobody ha said emetophobia.

Basically, when I was younger I used to dread throwing up. I can even remember couting the months between vomiting "oh, I haven't vomited for 14 months" ! It has morphed a bit over the years so that when I feel anxious I feel sick which is the thing I fear most, feeling sick. Feeling like you are going to be sick or pass out or whatever and doing it in front of people and/or being a long way from home (my mental safety).

I have good periods and bad periods. Sometimes I feel fine and I will do things, travel, go out on my boat etc. but at the moment I am the opposite and have been struggling. I am waiting for the Prozac to work a bit (4 weeks now) but nothing.

I just had to share this with people. I feel like I have had my own little breakthrough and it means something to me.

Thanks for listening and I would be interested to haer if anyone else feels the same.

Hi Bodicifer

I have never heard of emetophobia before, so this is interesting. Being ill, or getting ill is horrible for anyone, but when it becomes an anxiety and almost an obsesssion, it must be really terrible.
As far as the prozac is going, try giving it a couple more weeks and if nothing is happening, go back to the pdoc and tell them there is nothing happening.

Trace

Bodicifer--

Oh my goodness, yes! I know exactly how you feel! I have never heard of Emetophobia before... but it sounds pretty close to what I have been feeling too. I constantly worry about throwing up/fainting... especially when I know I am going to be around people, and even when I am driving. The only time I feel decent is when I am at home.... its like my safe haven. This may seem really weird.. but if I am to go to a restaurant or someplace where I am going to be hanging out for a while ... I always have to make sure where the bathroom is and to make sure I am close to it most of the time "just incase". It's really sad that I feel the need to do that and it is really starting to interfere in my life. Worrying about being sick is probably the major cause of my anxiety right now.... and it really scares me because I just don't know how to make it stop. Sometimes it makes me wonder if I have social anxiety too since being around people is when I feel at my worst

Well, Bodicifer, I really wish ya luck and I hope you start feeling better soon

Thanks nealy57. My sister is the same as me. It is really weird. Your assessment/experience is the same as mine. Sometimes I go for periods where I am fine and I rarely even think about it but other times I have always got to have an escape plan.

I have emetophobia and have since I was a kid. I am in the minority in that I am deathly afraid of others vomiting but not myself. To give an example - when I was 8, I was in a fast food bathroom and someone came in and threw up - ever since that day I avoid public bathrooms if at all possible and if I do have to go in one, I am on edge the whole time. I thought I was, well, crazy :) until a few years ago when I typed "fear of vomit" into Google and discovered the emetophobia pages. I now belong to an emet message board which is wonderful, and really just knowing I'm not alone in that fear has helped! I have read that it is probably one of the top 5 phobias but no one knows it because we are all so embarrassed about it that we don't talk about it and don't seek help. Which describes me to a tee, I've only told 2 people (outside of the message board) and have never even told a therapist, though I have seen a couple for other things. At any rate, know that you are most definitely not alone!

Hi Bodicifer,

I had a fear of vomiting brought on by panic disorder a few years back. I typed "Fear of vomiting" into google too, and found this Emetophobia word. It's kinda cool to put a word to it, but that's all it is to me, a word. All fears start for a reason (or a danger) and may continue on as irrational fears when that danger has passed.(phobia) It's our way of feeling in control. Like if I can control these things, or this one thing, then everything else will be ok, and I'll be safe. No matter what the phobia is of, it's made from the same thing - fear of losing control.
There are so many names given to phobia's nowadays, I mean the list is forever getting bigger. All these names are only describing the object or topic of the fear. At the end of it all, every phobia is the same and very treatable.

Totally agree thanks Tweed. I suppose in a way I just got comfort in being able to put a name to it and thinking that there are actually others who go through the same thing. Mine is more about being sick, vomiting or fainitng etc. in front of people and/or away from home (my safety). It's funny though, although sometimes when I feel sick I feel I am going to die, I am not afraid of dying.

Rationally it all comes down to trusting myself that I can cope in any situation