Questions about Emetophobia.

[clbrooks14]

Hello Everyone. I am doing a speech on Emetophobia and was wondering if some of you would like to help me out by answering the following questions.
1. Do you think this fear of being ill started from a traumatic childhood experience?
2. How do you avoid vomiting? (Such as rituals)
3. How does this effect you from participating in daily activities?

[NaiveAndTrue]

1. For me, no. Panic Attacks and anxiety run in my family. When I started getting those around age 13, one of my symptoms was nausea. After that I equated vomiting with fear.
2. Deep breathing, cold air and continual swallowing. To the point that if I feel even a twinge, I swallow as a reflex. Sometimes I'm nauseated and want to 'get it over with', but can't stop from swallowing anyway.
3. Not much anymore. I get nervous if someone around me is sick, or if I don't feel well. I'll avoid things that can make me sick - medicines with the side effect, rollercoasters, boats and alcohol, but that's about it now. If I'm someplace new or crowded, I need to know where the exits and the bathrooms are to feel comfortable.


I consider myself mostly cured. I used to be much worse - to the point where I had to be forced to leave the house.

[Jessmonkey]

1) Not so much a traumatic experience, but I was around 13 y/o looking after my younger sister and she was sick and I panicked, since then I was always a little touchy about the subject of V*. Then around 2 years ago, both me and the hubby got SV and it made everything 100 times worse!!!
2) For me, its a dose of anti emetics, a good wash of my hands, a cup of peppermint tea and using the relaxation techniques I was taught, eg belly breathing and muscle tension relaxation.
3) Sometimes, I still try to be as normal as possible for the sake of my husband but will avoid travelling on public transport, working in offices/shops, eating in strange places and alcohol.

[EnglishTeacherEmet]

1. I'm not sure if it was one specific event that triggered it for me or not. I can hardly remember I time I didn't freak out about v*.
2. I just try to wash hands religiously, bleach all hard surfaces (if someone is sick in my home), avoid touching my face, etc. If I am feeling n*, I try to go outside for fresh air, swallow a lot, breathe deeply, and pray not to v*.
3. So far, I am able to function pretty normally. I am just extra careful out in public with hand washing, using the Gold Bond hand sanitizer, not touching my face, etc. I am also vigilant with these things with my children and encourage my husband to be as well. I am careful what I order if we go out to eat (no fish, no cream-based sauces, nothing too spicy). I do get a little panicky with the girls at school, knowing how exposed they are in school and don't follow the hand washing and not touching their faces when I'm not around.

[Mamafear]

Hi, 1. I don't know, but it was a mild fear until my four children all got Norovirus twice and we had to take the baby to a and e because we couldn't rouse her. Her blood pressure was really low and her pulse too high.
2. Aside from keeping all commonly touched surfaces clean, I put my childrens felt pens facing the same way, I hang washing in groups, I have very set routes when I'm going anywhere, if I make a mistake when typing, I need to start the word again, and when reading a story to my children, need to start the sentence again. There are more.
3.I don't go out unless I absolutely have to, except to drop my children at school, and for our nightly post dinner walk. I can't comfort my children when they'
re sick because my body behaves like it's in shock, which I know seems really cruel, but it would be worse for them to see me that way. I feel like a sitting duck because every day, my 3 children go to three seperate schools exposed to germs, and every day they come back home with their germs.

[hairyfairy]

1. Iv`e always dreaded vting, but since a bad experience with too much alcohol in 1997, much more so.
2 I can normally prevent vting with willpower, & anti emtics. And of course being very hygienic.
3. I try to avoid crowds, & being unemployed makes it easier to keep away from other people & not be exposed to bugs on a regular basis.




!. Iv`e no idea when it started, only that Iv`e always dreaded vting, but it got worse after a bad experience with too much alcohol in 1997.