# Anxiety Disorders > Specific Phobias >  >  Anyone else have Emetophobia?? (The fear of vomiting) help!!!

## Ringling

I am suffering with the fear of vomiting. It has progressively ruined my  life over the years and I am only 19 years old. It's gotten to the  point where I don't want to get out of bed, I only eat because my mom  forces me. I cry every day and every time I eat. I feel nauseous EVERY  WAKING moment. I went to the ER twice because I was malnourished. My mom  now does everything for me besides helping me go to the bathroom. I  can't eat, I can't sleep, It makes me feel like dying!  I just want to  be like everybody else. A couple months ago I was going to work and  college and then I caught a stomach bug that made me puke all over  myself in my boyfriend's room and I have just crumbled ever since. 

First I just avoided. Going anywhere far after I got sick and then it  slowly got to the point where I couldn't even get down the street with  someone else driving for fee if getting carsick. Then I wouldn't leave  the house and one day which was about 3 weeks ago it's just gotten worse  every day.

I feel so pathetic and like there's no hope. I don't smile anymore. I  feel like killing myself because I don't wanna suffer another day like  this. I feel like such a burden on my mom and my boyfriend. Someone  help.. I don't want to be taken away and put on a psychiatric hold  because I would just lose it completely.

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## vishnavi

hi,

did you consult any doctors?don't worry be relaxed everything will be fine...take good care..

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## UNCgirl44

I am not a doctor, so my advise is purely opinion.

Vomiting is actually your body's way of getting rid of harmful substances, so although it's not nice, sometimes it's necessary.
Remember that vomiting is usually over quickly, and as soon as it's over don't you find yourself feeling a lot better?

I think this is something you need to overcome yourself. I think you need to realise that vomiting is not so bad, doesn't happen that often, and other things in life are more important (like going out with your friends or family and enjoying yourself).

I would meditate on it, and by this I mean go somewhere quiet, peaceful and think about this fear of yours. Think it through in a way that convinces yourself you have nothing to fear. Accept that it happens sometimes, yet remind yourself that if it happens it does not mean the end. It's not painful, it's only unpleasant. Doing exercise can be unpleasant, having an ear ache can be unpleasant, doing exams can be unpleasant.

Try not to think about vomiting so much - concentrate on whatever you're doing. If your shopping then think about what you need to/want to get, instead of wondering how dirty things are.

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## Chantellabella

Are you able to at least talk to a doctor or therapist about it? Not talking about it might land you in a hospital if you start avoiding 
food. I'm sorry you're going through this. I know it must be scary

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## Basit

Yeah I also am also suffering from emetophobia

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## Otherside

Yep. I'm Emetophobic. Not to the extreme described above, but I have it. 

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## Cuchculan

Had it for years. Probably my biggest fear today. But it is just another psychological aspect of our all round anxiety. That much I accept. Last time I actually threw up was over 20 years ago. Then 20 years before that as well. 2 times in about 40 years. You would wonder why I had such a fear? I look at my late father. He used to like his drink. Would come home drunk and make himself throw up. Always said it made him feel much better. So growing up it was the sound of a person throwing up I was trying to escape from. Do anything to block that sound out. 

Don't think anybody actually likes throwing up. But we can make it into a much bigger issue. I know I would rather suffer any amounts of pain that simply throw up once for less than one minute. That is how my mind sees things. The pain would be better. One doctor did give me something called Stemitil. Now they are meant to be used if you are actually throwing up. But I began using them like a safety blanket. Take one after a big meal. One before bed too. More to put my mind at ease. Although it is still such a big fear for me, I can talk about and I don't sit here thinking I will throw up every second of the day. Can kick in when I get bad acid reflux. Comes on every so often. 

Very common problem amongst people. More sufferers than you would imagine. When it first became a fear for me they actually had no name for it. As in I would explain my fear to a therapist and they could not call it by a name. The name only came about a few years later. Had one therapist call it sickophobia. Because she couldn't think of anything else to call it. Then we found a name. Then we found lots of others who had it too. With me I tend to eat the same foods most days. Eat at the same times each day. That would be the only full time effects it would have on me. Mind you if anybody tells me they have a bug and the likes the mind can kick into action. That Winter vomiting bug. Escaped it over the years. Closest it got was when my mother had it. I managed to avoid catching it off her. Lucky me. Would certainly not make a good sick patient. I would do whatever it takes to avoid throwing up. Simple as that. But still I know the main problem is all in the mind. I have long spells without any worry at all. Just the way it works with me.

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## lethargic nomad

I can't stand nausea.  It's worse than pain.  Drives me up the wall.  99% of the time it is caused by drinking alcohol for me.  I get really horrific hangovers that last until the evening of the day following heavy drinking.  The nausea doesn't happen while I'm drinking though, so the puking is of no use.  By the time the nausea happens, the alcohol is already in my intestines.  I will actually force myself to vomit just so I can have a few minutes respite from the nausea.  Much of the time it will result in only dry heaving or just bile tainted water.  So yeah, throwing up is not pleasant but nausea is way worse.

I also had horrific nausea when I was pregnant.  Nausea all the time, so bad that I could barely eat anything.  Right after I had the abortion it went away.  So I don't think I can handle pregnancy.  It's pure misery.

I've probably puked hundreds of times from booze and during pregnancy.

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