Feeling very alone

[sweetfreak]

I have been on this sitesince April and from reading other emets posts, I sometimes feel that my emet is different, and it makes me feel lonely and scared. It seems that most emets are very cautious about expiration dates on food, eating after someone else, letting someone else prepare their food, eating restaurant food, and keeping their hands clean. I have never even thought about any of these things. Sure, if I KNOW someone is sick, I will not eat after them or eat food they have prepared. Also, it seems that many emets feel anxious when talking about V* or seeing it in movies. These things also don't bother me. Ihave also never been afraid ofgoing on rides at amusement parks that may make someone sick. Now, when I am around someone who is V*ing or I feel like I am going to v* myself, I am just as afraid as any other emet. There have been times I have left the house at 2AM in the morning just to get away from someone who had diarrhea. I am also terrified when people around me cough or choke and I fear the whole process of eating so much that I rarelygo out torestaurants because I usually panic when I try to eat out.


What scares me is how can I be cured by gradual exposure therapy when seeing v* in movies, or talking about v* does not cause anxiety in me at all. Is there a way to cure me or am I just going to be stuck with this fear forever? Please, if there is anyone out there whose emet is very similar to mine, I ask you to please respond. I feel very alone.

[Scattycat]

Hi - you're not alone


Everyone's levels of emet are different - I'm similar to you in that I can talk about it (quite graphically) and watch it on TV and I don't get anxious at all. I only get worried if I'm near someone who says they are going to vomit or if I feel ill myself.


I eat in restaurants, drink alcohol (although not vast quantities) and generally live life as a 'normal' person does. I don't wash my hands all the time although if my boyfriend comes home drunk I usually go and sleep on the sofa even though he has never vomitted in the 5 years we've been together.


Nikki

[rhinoseri]

I sometimes get better, then worse, then a bit better again- but yeah, I'm sometimes like how you are, not worrying too much- if there isn't someone actually throwing up. But other times, I'm constantly worrying.

[mbs730]

First
of all... there are different degrees and forms of emetophobia. Also to
let you know I'm very very similar to you so dont feel alone. I am more
cautious than I used to be about what I eat, only because I have had
some recent bad experiences with n and stuff but I am still not afraid
to eat out and stuff. I am definitely not agorophobic. See with me, I
dont freak out if I hear the word either and I also can say it. I just
dont say it often on here because many others cannot even say the word.
Depending on how graphic v scenes are in movies, if they arent all that
graphic I dont get all freaky either. I dont obsess on when I am going
to v if I am not feeling sick and just go about my business however if
I am faced with nausea then that is another issue all together, I DO
FREAK in that case. However I cannot be around ANYONE that is sick, no
matter if they are sick from something contageous or not. I cannot
handle others v'ing at all. And even if someone has v'ed not even
around me I cant be around them. I had a hard time being around my
husband that time after my daughter was born when I was in the
maternity ward and he v'ed at home. He only did it once and wasnt even
around me. There were other factors for me feeling unattracted to him
since then (we are okay now) but that was certainly a factor. So
dont feel alone. I think my emet is similar to yours. Remember everyone
is unique, even when it comes to emetophobia. The world would be a very
boring place if everyone was the same right[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img] However you are NOT alone no matter what.

HTH



Miriam

</span></font>

[sweetfreak]

Thanks so much for your replies. Sometimes, I just hate the fact that they have to"label" mental disorders. Every human brain is so unique and I wonder if it's always a good thing to categorize people. While we are all emets, we certainly don't all think and react the same. Weall deal with things in our own way.

[mbs730]

Labels suck and yeah you are right, one emet is not going to react the same way as another emet.



Miriam

</span></font>