emetophobia (fear of vomiting)

[Marthax]

I am so interested in what others have said to you about this because I have always suffered from the same thing as well.

It's all the time... and like I saw you mention, I always feel I have contracted food poisoning. I still eat enough but it gets in the way. I only eat bland things, never meat because of it. And yet, I STILL worry just as much.

I just had this problem last night... and at the end of this past week were the most recent times.

What I tried to do was CONCENTRATE on my stomach and try and "find" myself there and I realized I wasn't sick to my stomach at all.. and it was only the chemicals in my body from the anxiety. I did find a little bit of comfort in that.

I am calling my doctor on Monday and going to find a therapist. I think between a therapist and the support here this can be cured.

As I'm reading some responses, as others have said about being hungry and it making you feel sick, I feel that way a LOT in the past month! I hate it!

[Wally Gator]

I completely understand how you feel and I had the same thing.

I retired from the military after 23 years of service (Marine Corps/Army) and suffered much of my adult life in the military with severe anxiety. Having been in and out of emergency rooms throughout the world, as well as an inpatient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I can say that the cause of my suffering is not important to share, but what is important to share is my recovery process. Total recovery is possible and I'm living, breathing proof. Don’t let anyone ever tell you you can’t recover because you can.

Over the years I have been on every drug imaginable, from Xanax to Imipramine to Prozac. As well, I've been to dozens of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists. The drugs and the people all meant well and genuinely wanted to help. But, unfortunately, they simply did not have the right combination. For me, that combination came through a program called CHAANGE. And, my permanent recovery started in 1988 when my wife read a book called "Free From Fears" and enrolled me in the CHAANGE Program. The Program has been around since 1979 and they have helped hundreds of thousands of people who have suffered with and overcame their battle with severe anxiety (this can be from PTSD, OCD, panic attacks, generalized anxiety, agoraphobia, etc ..). The director of the program is a WWII Marine vet and former sufferer.

I have recently learned that they now give the book away for FREE and you can download it through the Internet. I am hopeful it can do for you what it did for me. It literally set me free.

The book can be found at freefromfears

I wish you the very best in your recovery. If there is something else I can do to help, please let me know.

[Arei]

emetophobia is a word that most people have never come across, but it is the fifth most common phobia. And it is the reason for my agrophobia indirectly. Due to my refusal to go anywhere that may cause me to vomit i.e. anywhere where there may be a sick person. and from doing anything which will make me feel ill such as drinking or going on fast rides.

Wow, someone I can finally relate to. I was extremely frightened starting in 2nd grade, when I suddenly developed these stomach pains, this strange nausea I had never felt before. Before this, the only time I had stomach pain meant I was going to throw up. So for about 2 years, I lived in constant fear of throwing up. My cousin (who was born right before this started) had a tendency to get sick often, and I would just be horrified to be around her when she was sick. Or anyone who was sick, I was terrified beyond belief. During this period I dropped 30 pounds and kept them off those 2 years, I probably only ate enough to sustain myself. I was paranoid (I was 8-10 when the episodes were at its worst), I was hooked on Zantac and Mylanta, one time (and this is the only time it's ever happened) I got heartburn after eating a taco, I nearly jumped out of my skin, and I think I had only one other episode of heartburn during this time too (and i havent had it anymore since).

They ruled out acid reflux and everything under the sun, and after they did the ultrasound that was it, they didn't try anymore, and I had gotten so used to it. It took quite a few years (especially because I entered a new, very stressful situation that has lasted for years now) before I got off of mylanta all the time, but it happened.


Anyway, about the emetophobia, it has stuck around to a certain degree.

The last stomach virus I had before the one I got last november had been 9 years previous. This came on suddenly, I had just finished my first day at a new job (this was the day after thanksgiving) and had dinner and I got this weird feeling like it was a hunger cramp but it obviously wasn't. I went to go to bed and I felt something try to come up and I was like "Oh no X_X" but it went away and I went to sleep.

As usual with any stomach bug I have ever had (that I can remember, but this was exactly like the last time) it wakes me up, I sit up, think "oh crap" then spew everywhere. I can't really tell when I'm about to throw up, because it seriously had been a nearly 10 year gap since I got sick.

Which is weird, when I feel nauseated bad like im gonna spew I dont, but when I feel just slightly off, then I get sick =/ it's weird.


The best thing, is once you throw up you feel better. I will psyche myself in the future to realize if I NEED to throw up, that it will be ok afterwards and it won't happen again. I normally just throw up once (get it ALL out) then I don't have to again for the duration of the stomach bug.


Here's the thing, if you feel anxious, taking the Mylanta or some sort of antacid will help your stomach. If it doesn't help, you might have a stomach bug/ate something nasty. It always helps me if im just anxious, but it will have no effect is something is really off down there (and it makes diaherrea worse, so dont take it if you have that)


Now I'm dreading thanksgiving because I dont want to see those relatives again who got us ALL sick. My mom gets stomach bugs easier then anything, and she may get one but I normally dont contract it. This time EVERYONE ELSE not in their immediate family who hadn't already had the bug caught it. I normally don't catch stomach bugs either, but this had to have been particularly nasty.


And there are other things I do to help myself calm down and realize I'm not going to vomit. The only times I have vomited are times with stomach bugs (or the stomach flu I had for a week one time). I'm always:

1. Light headed
2. Fever

If I'm feeling super nauseated from anxiety or something, I check myself "you aren't sick, so you aren't going to throw up." It helps. Same with when I got major nausea that lasted for 2 straight days taking augmentin, I somehow psyched myself quickly into thinking I wasn't going to puke.

I don't get any warning sign before I puke, it just happens. So if I feel so nauseated like I'm going to barf at any second, I'm not going it. It always just spontaneously happens (which is bad because I end up covered in it), but that really helps to keep my fear in check so my anxiety goes down and I can start to untense.

[helpmarcproject]

Have you ever seen the movie "What About Bob"? There is a certain element of what you are talking about in this movie. I know I hate vomiting cause it means something is not right with my body--I think its not the fear of vomiting but rather the fear of having something wrong and my fear of dying. Would you agree?

One of the things I really push on my website is the fact that you have to take a risk and mask your fear in order to get over it. Now in this case I am not saying stick your finger down your throat so you can vomit and try to deal with your fear, but rather follow the five steps I have outlined in my research. Click on the website attached to my signature block to read more.

[randomben]

i had to join this site just to share my experiences with this.. WOW. I am so glad that there are others facing this.

My fear of vomitting stems from when i was a kid around 10 years old and I had a lead role in the school play. I was so nervous on the big night I couldnt get on stage because I thought i would vomit in front of the whole school and parents right on the stage and be humiliated.

The fear has come and gone over the years and seems to come when i am feeling down or experiencing other stressful aspects to my life. funny how you guys mention ant-acids as I take these regularly aswell... what is the link here? Is the mental symptoms presenting themselves as a physical expressions?

So far me fear is triggered same as you guys - when I am in a place where immediate isolation is not possible. This makes getting on with life very difficult indeed as I am a young businessman who is always having meetings and presentations etc. Top triggers and nightmare scenarios include:

- flying (take off and landing when you have to stay in your seat
- job interviews: where running out of the room holding a hand to your mouth and gagging would seem absolutely rediculous and humilating
- big meetings / presentations etc: above reasons
- eating at restaraunts: but only with people I dont really know e.g. a new girlfriend or business people etc.

Not really sure what advice I can offer the group, but to say, please keep posting here about your experiences with this so we can all help each other. The best things for me is - deep breathes, making myself vomit prior to stressful event so I know there is nothing in my stomach, scoping out new places before stress - so i know where exits/restrooms are in the event of a panic attack.

Good luck all of you. With strenght and good luck, we can beat this terrible affliction. RandomBen.

[Topcat]

OMG reading these posts are amazing it sounds so like me I cant believe it.

I have lived my life in so much fear of of being sick and trying to avoid it at all costs, I dont eat out and if I do it has to be at certain places and then I worry for hours after, I have never been drunk, I hate taking new medication and if the word vomiting appears on possible side effects I usually wont take it, I have to say that having two children has helped me to some degree and I am always very good with them now if they are ill (I was a nightmare when they were younger) the most stupid thing I can recall was when I was in labour with my second child and I started to feel sick and started to panic about it, they said they would inject me with anti-nausea medicine and I asked "could it make me sick" !!! Even in my state of panic I realised how stupid I sounded :laugh:

[John1294]

hi, well i'm john. I just turned 14 back in december and i have been diagnosed with agoraphobia by my counceler. I have a really bad fear of getting sick and vomiting. i don't know really when or why it started it just like came on and stuff. It throws me into a panic if i even hear someone say "i don't feel good" i have gotten to the point also where i am being homeschooled because i would refuse to go to school because i thought i would get sick. my anxiety attacks have lessened a lot since i have been homeschooled but i have been being urged to go back to a school. i take ativan when needed to calm me down but sometimes it doesnt work.

[Topcat]

hi, well i'm john. I just turned 14 back in december and i have been diagnosed with agoraphobia by my counceler. I have a really bad fear of getting sick and vomiting. i don't know really when or why it started it just like came on and stuff. It throws me into a panic if i even hear someone say "i don't feel good" i have gotten to the point also where i am being homeschooled because i would refuse to go to school because i thought i would get sick. my anxiety attacks have lessened a lot since i have been homeschooled but i have been being urged to go back to a school. i take ativan when needed to calm me down but sometimes it doesnt work.

Hi John

I really feel for you as I know how awful it is to have this fear as it has dominated most of my life and im 42 now and to make things worse I suffer from IBS which gives me bad nausea.

When I was a child I hated going to school and have avoided all situations that could lead to vomiting (getting drunk, eating strange foods, staying away from sick people etc) but I have managed to have two children which has helped me a great deal and I now work in a school which obviously has sick kids in it from time to time, and I do seem more able to cope with it now far better than when I was younger.

It would be really good if you could try to conquer this fear as soon as possible rather than letting it ruin your life, i know its hard but talking to your counsellor is a good start and try an push yourself to do a little more each day, obviously take things slowly an stop when you feel its becoming too much but please try because you are so young and I know from experience how this could affect your life.

You need to find something that makes you feel good, whether it be walking, swimming, running, cycling, reading etc. Also make sure that you invite your mates over lots to keep socialising.

[dunky]

In 3rd grade, our cafeteria was being renovated, so we all ate in the classrooms. This was terrible for me for some reason, and I threw up nearly every day, it got to the point that I would have to eat my food outside the class and come back in when I felt better.

Ever since then, I've acknowledged that I had a sensitive stomach. Sights, smells and even sound can set me off, given that I'm feeling sick. There's been no way for me to prevent it other than leaving. It's a terrible feeling to have in general. I honestly believe that if it weren't for my fear of vomitting, I would be able to manage my anxiety a lot easier.

[Topcat]

Sights, smells and even sound can set me off, It's a terrible feeling to have in general. I honestly believe that if it weren't for my fear of vomitting, I would be able to manage my anxiety a lot easier.

This sounds so much like me, sometimes just thinking about something can make me heave.

I also think believe that me fear of being sick makes me more nervous (so I feel more sick), it is a horrible fear to have as it is one that is hard to avoid, if nerves makes you feel sick daily you cant stop it but if you are scared of say dogs or planes etc you can try to avoid them.