No one knows - my story...

[needhelp]

Hello. I suffer from emetaphobia and I wanted to write my story. In part to help myself and to hopefully help someone else know they aren't alone. See I have been suffering from this since I was at least a teenager - possibly before, although I don't remember. But for me, the fear isn't constant, but only rears its head when someone nearby is s--- with something that is potentially contagious to me. Last night, my son was s--- which has prompted this latest episode - which will last for several days until I think we're past the stage where someone else might catch whatever it was. Of course for all I know, it could have just been that he ate too much, but I can't talk myself into assuming that.


So, here I am. No one around me knows truly what its like to live with this. My wife and a few of my close relatives know about my fear, but they don't know what it feels like to carry it around. There are so many feelings... fear, embarrassment, guilt, sympathy, and on and on. I'm sitting here now unable to even work because I can't reach my wife to see how things are going. I know my son is fine - he woke up this morning saying he felt better, but I have this constant burning urge to get updates as to the state of everyone else. I have this need to be reassured. I fear for myself catching whatever and I have this utter depression because I don't know what I can do about it.


I have tried therapy, but it didn't seem to go anywhere. I tried hypnotherapy, but again, it doesn't seem to have helped. I even tried NLP, but that didn't seem towork either. I don't know what to do because having two small children, I fear this is going to be a very long span of years to get through. I search and search for some miracle cure. I read these postings looking for ways to get help. I can't afford tens of thousands of dollars in therapy. I don't know where to turn.


So, I came here, hoping that at least by sharing my feelings with others who understand them, it might help a little.


Thanks for letting me share.

[kate1966]

Just wanted to say hello....you are not alone....we all feel the same way here...and we are here for you to talk to...and get comfort from...in my case...my husband has no idea i have this phobia...he knows i don't like v...but he has no clue it consumes my every thought....we all here know what it feels like and that's why we are here...to help and support our emet friends....i hope that you will find comfort and peace here...I am sorry you are going through this and that you have to even find this board...but like i said...we are here to listen. I hope that your son is soon back to normal so you can feel safe......Take care...and welcome to our family!!! Kate

[PhilB]

Don't feel alone, I'm in the same boat. My wife knows about it and sympatize.

I have three young children and just went through the SV round at home.



I've tried regular therapy and it didn't help as the doctor did not
believe in that phobia. I had better results with hypnotherapy
where I actually learned where it came from. I also learned from
the therapist that worrying about it is not that different from regular
people, everybody *hates* having a sv. The fine line is obsessing
about it as most of us are doing to a varying degree.

[kate1966]

Oh and by the way how old are your children...mine are 15 and almost 12 now...and if this reassures you....mine haven't been sick in about 4 yrs for the oldest one and 2 yrs for the youngest one.....knock on wood.....I am keeping my fingers crossed...so if yours are young..you can look forward to the fact that as they get older...i think they don't get sick as much!!!!! K

[needhelp]

Thanks... my kids are 3 1/2 and 1 - right in those prime years for getting things. And of course, when they do, I assume that likely means I will too. Do you typically get sick from your kids?


In any case I wish there were some help for this. I caught a little of the Dr. Phil show the other day. I think I might try the CBT approach again to see if it will help. I have tried hypnotherapy, but it didn't help.


Thanks again for your support.