Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to give a little intro on myself, and, well, a thank you! Basically, until yesterday, I have been living my life, for 28 years, with this phobia, without knowing it. It has been awful.

When I was about 9 years old, I can remember having the stomach bug for 2 days straight. It was awful. After that, I was never the same. I developed a profound and life changing fear of being sick. I was hysterical at the thought of getting sick. I would cry non stop to my parents scared to death, begging them not to let me get sick.

I spent my formative years with this fear of getting sick. Ironically, I didn't get the stomach flu again until I was 16 years old. Was sick one time, and thankfully my mother was with me. Since then, and I'm 28, soon to be 29, I've been sick 5 more times.

But, here's my PROBLEM...and I need HELP...this phobia has crippled me. I somehow survived my teen years. Looking back, this phobia was nothing compared what it is now. About two years ago, out of nowhere, I developed severe GI issues, IBS, gastroparesis, hypervisceral sensitivity, and acid reflux. To sum it up, I was nauseaous all of the time. This fueled my anxiety about being sick.

This phobia is ruining my life and any public event I attend I hate it, and I don't know how to stop it. And until yesterday, when I was desperate and googled "fear of vommiting" I thought I was the only one on earth scared to death to be sick. I thought I was alone. Not one person knows about my fear.

I have full blown panic attacks whenever I'm in public, or in a situation where I can't easily leave. If I'm far away from a bathroom, it's sheer terror. I literally make myself almost sick. I struggle to get through concerts, ball games, plane rides, anything other than the comfort of my couch. I am so deathly afraid of being sick in public, and just being sick in general, I can't put into words how awful it is.

I can't stand it anymore, I just wish I didn't have to deal with this. I would love to have kids someday, but I don't know if I can even deal with the thought of potential morning sickness...I can't imagine, the anxiety...

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm enjoying browsing the forums so far.

Thank you for making me feel not so alone...

Laura