Is there an emetophobia support thread?

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Mumsnet returner. Haven't been around for 6/7 years but I'm really struggling at the moment. Could do with support and somewhere to chat. Anyone care to join me?

Where do you find the information about the number of cases for Scotland? I honestly feel like I’m having a meltdown, I need to get a grip

Never spoke on here about the struggle this causes!
Unfortunately my body acts like it has a bug as soon as I think of a possible way I might have caught it.. that means a lot of suffering from bad belly's and feeling sick. On anxiety meds and beta blockers tried cbt and talking therapy but so far no real improvement.

Anyone found any way to improve the anxiety?!

This time of year is the worst, I dread it every time dd comes home from nursery!!

@Nogodsnomasters yes I have emetophobia and health anxiety. Can’t really describe to people how awful it is. Takes over my whole life.

I wish I knewVemjs I’ve only tried anti depressants, which I didn’t get on with, and gave up. I know this much anxiety can’t go on, I need to visit my gp soon see what an be done.I can’t think of anything else at the moment, and keep checking this thread every half hour, I hope to feel better once the weekend comes, and the schools have finished, feel like staying indoors for a week, so at least I know I won’t have caught it .Its no life !

spoonsmum I feel your pain, I really do. It's consuming. Even a simple cold has me over thinking what if this becomes a chest infection or my legs hurt... OK you're getting the flu then, it's impossible to stop. I've had cbt 3 times! My sister in law messaged me today to say she was d&v in the middle of the night and I have to see her on Xmas eve which I know is a week later but I'm super aware of the fact that it lives on surfaces for weeks and that I know she's not a bleach cleaning person like myself with light switches, door handles etc and my ds5 will touch everything 😭 I wish I could cancel but it's a 10 year tradition and my son would be so disappointed not to see his cousins xx

I have Clinell wipes - are these as good as Sterizar?

The best thing I ever did was CBT and it has really changed my life. But this time of year is so tough. Sterizar is great and we use a lot of it! No control over other people sending ill kids into school though and that is really hard to deal with.

@Nogodsnomasters that would have me panicking, and wanting to cancel. Like my immediate thought would be nope! But then as you say I feel like I potentially deprive other people of being “normal” because of my reactions to things. Argh it’s just so difficult isn’t it. I feel like screaming at my kids that we are all just staying indoors, but that’s my brain; on the outside I can seem pretty normal but the cogs are whirring around like mad inside.

I'm a sufferer too...it's truly awful. However, I try to remember the stats - thanks @newbingepisodes 🙂 - and pray! Tbh.. I'm so fed up with stressing about it. I'm strangely a bit more.. whatever, this year! I have a friend battling illness and its put it into perspective....I'm sure she'd swap a bout of d & v fir what she's going through! That said, I'm fairly alarmed at me dd's plans for an under 16's disco on the 23rd.. praying she stays well for Xmas. I want to stop her going...but I can't, can I....just got to suck it up and keep fingers crossed. It is an awful way to be 😥

spoonsmum that's my exact worry too, that my irrational anxiety is depriving my family of doing normal things, and I don't want to be responsible for that guilt nor do I want my son growing up and thinking my mum was completely neurotic about germs and passing the fear on to him so I try to appear normal, I don't know how well I'm doing at it though!

@Nogodsnomasters yep. Although, at the same time, I actually would like to think that SOME of it rubs off, if you see what I mean. Like I don’t want them turning out like me (I am fully aware that I am unhinged) but if they learn some of the techniques I encourage (or should I say drill into them ) about handwashing, not touching door handles/ escalators etc and avoiding ill people, is that REEEALLY a terrible thing?
Sometimes when I try and rationalise my ridiculous behaviour I just tell people THEY are the crazy ones for NOT doing the things I do. Like why wouldn’t you?!

Need a bit of support.

2yo has had a few iffy nappies and my 5yo (amazing eater) has refused her favourite dinner.

I'm hiding in the other room, feeling hot and panicky and teary.

Hate, hate, hate how this is my default reaction to threat of illness.

Thankfully we've finished up from school / work and have shopping coming on 23rd but I feel that awful anxiety and worry in my stomach.

I've had CBT and am on the waiting list for some exposure therapy but I've lived 30+ years with the stupid phobia and should be able to handle it better.

DP always deals puke but he is not back (works away during week!) until Saturday now

Try not to panic, nothing has happened yet and you have time to be prepared in case it does. If I think one of mine is coming down with something then I make sure there is towel laid on the floor next to their bed with a disposable sick bowl within easy reach. Make sure there is clean spare bedding. If anything happens in the night just put the soiled bedding in the bathtub to deal with in the morning.

@Spoonsmum - thing is, you then get kids who are absolutely hysterical because somebody else is ill. Which makes it incredibly distressing for the kid who is unfortunate enough to be unwell, as they're being made to feel like they're unclean/disgusting/a danger to others.

I've seen it at work.

Somebody is privately undergoing chemo or other medication that makes them feel nauseous or they're a member of staff who is pregnant. The children of emetophobes mention to Mum that so and so was sick today, Mum completely loses it, they are then horrible or panicking in their own right that the Diseased Person is going to make them ill/is dirty/must be avoided.

In any case, as an immunocompromised person myself, I would have thought that I'd catch it when dealing with every sick child on site. Nope. Washing hands properly and a squirt of Dettol surface cleaner has kept me fine.

The hardest part of my job isn't dealing with somebody who is ill, it's dealing with ill people when there is somebody else having a panic attack over somebody else being ill

Thanks so much @FeatherySquawkinton

I have a "go to" for situations like this. Very similar to what you mention although mine are in bunk beds so I make a bed up on the floor etc. I try to keep it fun and not worry them??? But this shit gets noticed doesn't it?

My youngest is disabled and we have so many appointments with different agencies (as an emetophobe, I'm a massive GP / hospital / clinical setting avoider) so my emetophobia has now escalated. Ironically with all the time I've spent in the settings I try to avoid, I've not been any more exposed to vomiting than before? But my rational mind leaves the building when I fear someone is about to puke.

For me the anticipation is the worst. When I'm needed for mopping up or cuddles then I tend to crack on (with the odd crying fit in a different room!!)

Just hate being like this!!!

Having a very bad anxiety attack at present! feel the s word, belly playing up and shaking uncontrollably which causes me to go... "could I be ill?"
What are your tips for the anxiety attacks to pass quicker?!!... I'm sure that's all this is!

Sit down on the floor with your back against the wall. Draw your knees up towards your chest. Rest your hands on your belly. Blow out gently as though you're trying to not blow a candle out and try to visualise the breath coming from your hands.

If need be (because you've been hyperventilating), switch so that you are laying down in a similar fashion. Take however long you need, then slowly get back up again, have small sips of cool/cold water and normal service should resume shortly.

This stops you feeling dizzy, lightheaded and nauseous, brings your breathing back to normal and it's great for dealing with anxiety before it turns into a complete panic attack.

if all else fails, Betablockers/Propranolol are great for this, so see your GP

@MitziK oh I know, and I wouldn’t wish these feelings on anyone, I was just babbling about how my brain works. I hope to goodness my kids don’t end up like me. And I appreciate that dealing with a panicking person is challenging. If I could change it, I would. But my brain just can’t comprehend how “normal” people deal with the situation.

just came across this post.
" Good " to find people struggling and not feeling so alone now.

Hi Vemjs- how are you feeling now?

And welcome FREEM and all other newcomers xx

Crunchymum - missed your post too! How are things?

Morning everyone. We survived the night.

The 5yo woke at 7am singing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and asked for breakfast. No more dodgy nappies from toddler.... so now I'm keeping us on lockdown

@Vemjs

How are you holding up?

Let's just say eventful night..
finally started getting over the attack and went to sleep but at 12 DD who is 1 had high temp and the s word happened...
At this point I was certain I was ill with my belly playing up badly I slept on the sofa in order not to give it to anyone: Even DH was convinced I was ill and booked today off.
Now waking up this morning I feel pretty much fine didn't have to get up in the night at all so presume it was all anxiety once again. Just yet to tell DH that he could of worked as I'm still on the sofa 😩

Happy Christmas all! I hope you're all well and have had a relaxed day xxx

Happy Christmas all :)