Yesterday was the worst!! I'm an elementary teacher who has suffered with this awful phobia since I was 4 or 5 years old. Normally, if I'm in a situation where someone v* I begin shaking, crying, and the diarrhea starts. I work myself into a complete panic attack thinking about the fact that I might get sick. I can't help my students (or anyone else for that matter) when they're ill. I feel so mean afterwards. These little kids are standing there wanting me to comfort them and I just can't do it. I run out of the room. It's more than just germs for me though, because I react the same way if someone is sick at an amusement park, bar, airplane, etc.
This past weekend I had heard of a few people's children being sick. On Monday a few of my students went home with stomachaches. Apparently, my mind never stopped thinking about this. Tuesday morning I was taking my kids to the babysitter and started feeling extremely anxious about my daughter going to school being around children who might get sick. Within minutes I had made myself physically sick. I felt a large lump in my throat. When I got to the babysitter's house I knew I was going to v*. I walked out to the street and dry*. Someone happened to be arriving at the same time, so they got my children in for me. I drove to a parking lot and just cried.
I don't know what to do. This phobia completely takes over my mind. Has anyone tried hypnosis? I'm willing to try anything. Already tried therapy a few years back. It didn't do anything for me. Unfortunately, it's getting worse!!