Can depression cause emetophobia?

[thedeecee]

When I was 18 I became very depressed. I never sought help (i.e. doctor, counsellor etc) and made myself fight it as best I could. I dropped out of university twice because of it and ended up getting a job 2 minutes away from home. I felt like such a failure. The routine of the job seemed to help and gradually I began to deal with my depression. I spoke to my parents about it and started seeing a cousellor. I am now (happily) depression free.


HOWEVER...


It seems to me that the onset my irrational phobia of others vomiting coincided with the onset of my period of depression. Would this be feasible? Unlike many other emetophobes, I didn't develop the phobia after a particuclar experiencein childhood, although I do remember going through a phase of drawing pictures of people getting sick when I was about 7 or 8. But I have had people v* literally on my feet many times (out drinking) prior to the age of 18!! (though its hard to imagine)


I just want to be able to understand it better - to understand myself better. I'm not ashamed of this phobia. I tell everyone I meet. But it is beginning to annoy me. I'm tired of trying to cope with it or pretending I'm over it to put others at ease.


Having fought and conquered depression I find it really unfair that now I have this to struggle with day in day out.

[babygap5]

It could very well be that the emet was some sort of reaction of your depression. It's wonderful that you are depression free. Maybe you could speak with your counselor about the emet. You were helped to conquer the depression maybe it would help with the emet. I know it's difficult, emet can take such control of your life, much like depression. I've overcome so much of my fear that it rarely bothers me now, which I'm happy about. But, I've also suffered from this so long that I know it can just come back just like that, for no apparant reason.


You shouldn't be ashamed of this phobia, or any other phobia. It is a reaction to something that you are experiencing that just has to get the "kinks" worked out. You shouldn't put up a front just to make people feel more at ease with your fear. Instead, show them this site, that way, they can just how many of "us" there are. This fear effects so many people, emet free people have no clue how wide spread it is.

[kjen]

hiya,


I definitely believe that depression can lead to the onset of phobias...... Me, for instance, Iwas always abit freaky about v* but not to the extent where it bothered me constantly andthought about gettin ill all the time. It was only a few months ago that it got like this.... i had a bad time basically - was so stressed at work, split from my boyfriend of 4 years, got the flu real bad (didn't v* though, not that type of flu!!) and from then on i just went downhill so fast. So depressed..... and thats when i started thinking about v* and how it freaked me out.... and it just snowballed... the more down I felt the more terrified I became of v*..... it has just gotten so outta control i had to take 4 months off work.... i lost 2 stone, wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep properly, didn't wanna go in the shower or get dressed.... gradually things have gotten a little better but I still think about v* and emet constantly and I guess I'm still depressed I just feel like my life is goin no where.......


so, u got any pointers 4 gettin thru the depression??!!! well done to you for gettin thru it. it must have been so difficult on your own...


whereabouts r u in ireland? if u ever wanna chat PM me!!