Emetophobia

Does anyone know of this? Suffer from this? Have any way to completely recover from this? It is classified as an anxiety disorder as well as something that can fall under OCD and other germ related phobias. After talking to a leading eating disorder psychiatrist years ago, it's also apparently classified as an eating disorder.

Emetophobia: The severe or irrational fear of vomit/vomiting.

I could go into my experience with it, as I have made a lot of progress over the years through therapy that's probably not necessary. However, I have suffered from it since I can remember, and at it's very worst I was under 110 pounds (at 5'9) due to starving myself for days under the rationale that no food intake meant no possibility of vomiting (which isn't true but it's an irrational phobia so your brain can convince you of things that aren't true)

Here's a well written FAQ about emetophobia, I've read it many times and agree with all of it. Very informative. Everything they mention in there, every ritual or compulsion I have overcome through intense therapy, save for a list of a small few that just won't go away. Since I have had this for 27 years I fear I will never get rid of it.

http://emetophobia.byethost15.com/emetophobia.html

I post this because, if you do have it I would like to discuss it. Also, I knew I suffered from this for a long time before knowing the actual clinical term for it so I want to help those who might have it yet don't know what it's called or how to research it.

Hello, YES, I have an intense fear of nausea/vomiting, and have developed extremely severe OCD (handwashing/disinfecting) because of this. I also remember the phobia beginning in childhood and got increasingly severe after my Mom died when I was in elementary school. I am seriously panicked all of the time about germs, and suffer getting through each day trying to keep everything 'clean'. It overtakes my life.

I have just started counseling, but refuse to take meds at this point, so who knows what success I will have. I just know that it totally ruins my life, and that of my family also. They are beyond frustrated with me, but I have no control at this point. I barely slept last night 'cause my son had friends over, and I worried all night what germs they were bringing into the house. Never ends..

Edited to add: I have 3 sons (2 grown), and they have been admitted to the hospital at least 6 times due to dehydration from vomiting when they were younger...which needless to say increased my issues fiercely. I even had to call an ambulance the last time, and that was the final straw. I have never recovered from that experience (but he did!)

Post Edited (LHA112) : 1/8/2012 10:34:03 AM (GMT-7)

it's always such a relief to hear I am not alone in this! I honestly believe that my phobia stems from not being able to make an appropriate bond as a baby with a mother figure. As I was adopted, given up from the moment of birth I don't know if I was ever held by my actual mother, then I was in a foster home for a number of months before me parents brought me home, then my sister was born only a few months later and I was handed over to another caretaker so my mom could spend more time with my sister. I wasn't even breast fed.

To make matters worse, the few times in my childhood when I did have a stomach virus (I can remember only two times actually but it had to be more like 4) my mother scolded me, didn't comfort me as I was vomiting, and even threatened me with having to go to the hospital and "get shots" to keep me from vomiting if I didn't stop. Yeah tell that to a 6 year old.

I was hospitialized once for severe malnutrition, misdiagnose with anorexia...it was a mess.

I am a very normal weight now and through exposure therapy I can watch vomit scenes in movies and on TV which is good since medical dramas and horror movies are my passion!

I am at a point I never thought I'd be at, where it doesn't RULE my life but it's still a part of it. I have a hiatal hernia (diagnosed at 18) and all the fun that comes with that, and IBS. At one point I did have an ulcer but it cleared up with medication.

Two years ago I went three days with constant nausea, I didn't eat or drink. At that point I didn't drive, so I ended up calling an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I was so dehydrated they gave me two litres of fluid and had a very hard time even finding a vein to get the IV in. I think the worst part of that whole expereince was at once point I actually WANTED to throw up but I couldn't. Like I tried hard enough to pull a muscle in my chest, but nothing happened.

Anyway, now I live with two roommates (non-emets) and I am constantly scared of one of them getting the dreaded bug as I have to share a bathroom....ugh! It's bad cause it's now that time of year too. Luckily I have the option of leaving for a few days to stay with a friend if such a thing happens. Barring that, I'll grab a motel room.

I look at my sisters, who have never been phobics, in fact one of them is recovering from bulemia. The other is known to vomit the moment she gets nauseous just to feel better. I am the only one in the family with the phobia and was constantly ridiculed for being crazy. All the help I got for it has been in my adult life, but I have worked insanely hard to be where I am now.

It's so 'good' to see others suffer with this. I am currently going bonkers because my kid came home from school and didn't wash his hands well enough for me, and then ate chips....and I know a stomach bug is going around. I can barely function now because I will be waiting for him to get sick.

This phobia/anxiety in general is seriously a form of torture, isn't it? Ugh. I don't even know how to get better...feels hopeless.

Yes it does cassielynn! I have found some on-line help sites for emetophobes...would you like me to post a link for you?

Post anytime!

S.C.