Managing phobia

Hey all -

I haven't posted too much lately, but I check the board almost daily.

My health anxiety has been manageable lately, but now that it's September, my phobia is in full swing and will be for the next 8 months.

For those who don't know, I suffer from extreme emetophobia (an irrational fear of vomiting and anything related to it). Now that we are in the dreaded norovirus season, I live in constant 24/7 fear. Last year I spent nearly $120 on certain hand sanitizers - including ordering some online that is supposedly formulated specifically for that illness.

My phobia is really bad! Like I am afraid to have children because I couldn't take care of them when they are sick. My husband had it 2 years ago and I slept at my parents, came into my apartment wearing a face mask and gloves and went through an entire can of Clorox wipes. A few months ago, he had an upset stomach (at my dance recital of all things) and got sick when we got home. I sat in the hallway of my apartment building rocking back and forth and then sat in my car (this was at midnight).

I keep trying to pep talk myself saying it's a fact of life and it's not going to kill me, but that never helps.

Also, what doesn't help is I deal with chronic nausea which always makes me freak out that I am getting sick (which is happening right now actually). I buy up to 5 boxes of Nauzene tablet sat a time.

Does anyone have any tricks-of-the-trade in dealing with phobias?

Hi SC -

Could you please post that again for me? I may have missed it before, but will check it out for sure.

I did join a forum for emetophobics 2 years ago (I have had this irrational fear for as long as I can remember, but never knew the clinical term for it). The problem is that it can be more anxiety provoking for me than helpful.

Also, there are a lot of young people (teenagers) who like to stir things up and there are cliques. I'm too old for that stuff.

Thank you for the ongoing support.

I have the same phobia. Ugh. I hate this season. I appriciate you asking LB1973 about it as I can use the link to look into the book as well. What are the sanitizers you have found? I have recently been doing some CBT therapy that has seemed to have lowered my phobia a bit. Have you ever looked into or researched CBT? I'd say is definantly worth a shot for you. I know how miserable this fear can be. Mine gets so bad at times it forms a wedge between my fiance and I. :(. I have read a lot about it, and I know it can be managed. If we put half the time and energy into doing the work as we do worring about it.

The sanitizer I use is called Germstar Noro. It has to be ordered online. Wet Ones are good, too. What doesn't work is sanitizer with just alcohol. It has to have benzalkonium chloride in it.

Whenever I eat, I wash AND sanitize - drives my husband insane.