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.