update on Margaret!

[Margaret]

Hi guys! Remember me?


I see I am not the only old member giving an update. What a coincedense!


So, where do I begin? Last time I was here I told you about my book about emetophobia being published, right?The book was a hit. A lot of papers and magazines wrote articles about this 'new' phobia and my book. Also a few television programms have made items about it. I truely think emetophobia is not an unknown phobia anymore in the Netherlands. My Dutch emetophobia site has a lot of new members. We count 1150 in total now. So that's very good news!!


With me everything is going well. Last august my hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We are still very happy. We even start to think about starting a family in a few years! But first, I want to have more controll over my emet!


Emetwise it is still not great.A year ago I started therapy andmadea list of everything I do with anxiety or avoid. He adviced me to avoid everything on the list, and start practising with the easiest one on the list. When I could do that one without anxiety, I would practice the next easiest one. So now, I canhike, shop in little stores andvisit my parents without anxiety. Nowadays I am practising with driving long distances with my hubby. So his theory does work, but there are still a lot of situations I avoid (visiting others, restaurants, parties etc.). It takes time to practise it all, I have to be patient. But sometimes I am not.


My therapist is really good! Next to the above form of exposure therapy he helps me understand where the anxiety comes from. I have learned that a lot of times the anxiety comes from having a conflict or being afraid to be in one. So he learns me how to act when I have a disagreement, and how to recognise the anxiety coming from that or other situations, and how not to linkthat anxietyto possible panicking or vomiting. A lot of the time the anxiety I feel is even normal, before I get in a vicious circle in which I make it worse because I think the anxiety is the start of a panic attack. It is about labelling it right.


How are you guys doing??

[ejb199]

Hey Margaret - its good to hear that u are doing well - espec with ur hubby!! i am trying to get therapy right now and have had one reply from a CBT therapist in Bristol - he sounds the most positive i think and also the cheapest...!!

im so pleased the book has been such a hit over there - any news on getting it translated?

takre care - emsxx

[sage]

Hi Margaret!


Good to hear from you. I'm so glad your book was a hit. Mine is still on hold, as I'm writing another book (for my career) and it's taking a lot of time. However, it seems as if emetophobia is getting some more "press" here in the west as well. The "Dr. Phil Show" recently featured an emetophobic, and we had a lot of hits on this site since then.


I'mdoing my third year of counselling training (a clinical residency), and once I'm done I'll be registered as a clinical counsellor in Canada. I can take clients now as a resident, and I offer therapy to any emet in my area for free. I have one person so far taking me up on it.


I try to visit the site every 2-3 days and help out with advice where I can. I'm still totally anxiety-free, and continue to volunteer in the hospital and fly all over the country now.


I think you sound like you're doing just great. Don't worry - it will take time, but you are on the right track and one day you'll wake up and realize that you're just not afraid anymore.


Good to hear from you! Soluene (Pilar) checks in every once in a while and she's doing well also.

[SimplyMe]

MARGARET! It's great to hear you are doing so well! Congratulations on your book being a hit! I bet your book and sage's when it's published will give hope to alot of people who believe they are the only one's suffering. It does sound like you have a great therapist and that you are putting forth the effort necessary! I love happy updates!