New to the site and need help!

[olivianoel09]

Hey everyone,

I am a sophomore in college and I've had emetophobia/generalized anxiety disorder for ten years. Being away from home with emetophobia has been difficult, but I am seeing a counselor and I have really supportive friends and family.

Last night, one of my suitemates (who I love dearly) ended up getting a stomach bug, and since then I have been terrified to go back to my room (she's not my roommate, she lives in the room next to me, but we do share a bathroom). I had to run to my room today between classes to get a few things and I actually got one of those masks from the health center and wore it...I felt like a total freak but it was the only way I would go back to my room.

I can stay in my boyfriend's room tonight, but I would much rather sleep in my own bed. But I'm so scared to stay in my room...

I've been looking up how to avoid getting the stomach bug which is helping, but not too much. Any wise words of advice?

[goatiful]

You'll be okay as long as you don't come into contact with any v* and/or put your hands in your mouth/nose without washing them. Are you sure she had a virus though? It could also have been food poisoning or something else. Many things trigger the types of things that set off our phobia but they all aren't necessarily contagious.

I know if I was in your situation I'd be freaking out WAY worse than you are, so you deserve recognition for that! Though you should be fine sleeping in your own room, I would choose to sleep in my boyfriend's room only because I would be having panic attacks all night. Hope that helps!