If it’s the 5th most common...?

[rachaelr]

Why has no one heard of it, know someone who does or just generally know about it?



When someone was S* at my house with a bunch of friends there I ran
into my room with my fingers in my ears my eyes shut (well I had them
half open when I was running!) crying and curled into a ball on my
bead. My friend who was new to my school was totally shocked...as I
would have been too. She had never seen me like that. Other friends
were discretely aware that I hated V* more than most because I'd shut
my eyes and hold on to their arm to make them walk me past S* on the
ground in town or would express moments of anxiety when someone said
they feltl S*. But I guess this was the first time she had seen this
part of me and she started crying too before I'd even explained. At the
time I didn't know it was an actual phobia with a name, and def not
that it was fifth most common. So my Q is why does no one even know
anyone who knows someone that is has this fear? It would sure help If
people didn't think I was a complete headcase![img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

[hippychick]

I know a lot of people that have at last mild emet, I don't think a lot have it to the degree we do though. My old supervisor at work wasn't as emet as us cos she told a story where she was V* all day from drinking the night before, but if anyone ever said they felt sick in the office she would straight away quiz them, tell them not to be sick near her and even send them home, she said several times that she just can't stand it and seemed anxious. Luckily my friends are understanding. One got drunk and we had to stop the taxi for her to V*, later she was crying so hard at the thought of upsetting me because she hadn't meant to bless her.


From the sounds of things it seems like you do have good friends, the one crying before you explained it and them helping you round V* patches so thats pretty cool. I tell people of my fear in a joke-y way and some of them know the seriousness of it and it's dead sweet cos they will say "When I was V*...Sorry Louise..." hehe


Also people who have it to the degree we do seem to be quite ashamed and it's not talked of often, until 2 years ago no one in my life knew I even had this though I had it all my life.

[kel12347]

My question is that if it's the fifth most common phobia, why in the hell don't many therapists know anything about it. The people who know about my phobia (family, b/f and close friends) and pretty good about keeping me away from things that may upset me, and they always apologize if they mention the word vomit or whatnot. Of course then I feel guilty b/c people have to apologize just b/c I'm nutty.

[mommyof3]

You know, that's a very good question. My husband is a therapist and doesn't really have a clue what the deal is with me. I mean, he knows I don't "like" v* and am funny about when the kids are sick, but he still doesn't "get" it, kwim? He also thinks it's freaky that I haven't v* since I was 8 (knock wood), but doesn't realize how much it haunts me on a daily basis. In his case, though, it may just be that it's too scary to think about your significantother havingsomething like this--denial.


I think maybe one of the reasons is that we have all gotten so good at hiding it. It's sort of like we feel better NOT to talk about it. Plus almost all other phobias you have to be in a certain situation. People with fear of heights just avoid high places, but we can't avoid our phobia because v* is everywhere and you can't control the time or place. I mean, it would have to be a really extreme fear of heights if you are afraid lying in bed that someone might kidnap you and make you stand on the water tower. But that fear (of it striking in the middle of the night, etc.)exists with emet. So it's like it's ok to have a fear of heights because normally you can act like nothing's wrong, but with emet we have to hide it to appear "normal" on a day-to-day basis.I'm digressing here and I guess just having a pity partyfor us becauseI think we have one of the worst phobias in the world!!!

[sage]

I think it's a damn good question why THERAPISTS don't know about it. As for everyone else, vomit doesn't get much "press" because who the heck wants to hear anything about it, even if you don't have a phobia? But it seems like it's coming out the closet a bit more these days with celebreties, Dr. Phil's show, magazine articles, etc. The more publicity it can get, the better. The internet helps, too.

[2jo2]

I wonder the same thing, especially when we hear story after story of people coming here and telling us they've gotten the run-around from doctors thinking they've got anorexia or whatever.

[liriodendron]

Because it's far more profitable to call it OCD and
perscribe all kinds of medication to treat OCD when it's just an
emetophobia issue.



I just read on a major website that emetophoia was a major thing so I
googled it and found this site. This is not a new thing for me but I
was suprised there are so many people here. I have never met anyone who
really shared the same fears as I about "V".

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