People who call themselves emetaphobes - are they for real?

[haychee]

I hadnt even heard of this until a thread i started which mentioned the word puke produced an effect on some that they coudnt even come on to mn until that thread had died. They couldnt even bare to read a word?!

Another thread running now, is talking about how some are affected by this phobia. Some of them i can see it is a real big problem and for them i do have sympathy. But some, who like me, do not like to see others being sick but are classing themselves as emetaphobic - this im finding difficult to comprehend. I dont like it at all - i avoid being too close to someone (eg kissing dh or dc if they have been ill in the last few days) for fear of exposing myself to a possible bug. But im not emetaphobic - please tell me im not.

I do have sympathy and lots of empathy. Your misunderstanding me.

My final word on this subject (tonight ) would be that my mum is absolutely terrified of spiders - whereas I actively like spiders and quite happily "rescue" them from arachnophobes. I find them rather beautiful.
A straw poll tells you nothing.

I worry constantly about traffic near my children.

Im not that good around water either.

Crowds and lifts are worry topics too.

Spiders - im frightened to death of. But i wouldnt say i was arachnaphobic.

I want to vomit when dealing with it, i avoid situations that could put me at risk of getting ill. But im not ematophobic.

Buttons???? Polystyrene?????

havent you heard of button phobia?

I suppose im just a bit hard - i stuggle to empathise with someone who only reacts the same as me, and can only really sympathise for those that are suffering to the extreme.

Good god no! Buttons? really?

I dont like sick, i am nearly sick if I see or smell it.

I can't ever touch public toilets I hover or have to put toilet roll all round the sit. I am convinced that you can catch something off them.

I have to be honest and I say I'm struggling with the concept of a nurse who just doesn't 'get' phobias.

yes really.

flower - do you then class yourself as ematophobic?

I "get" real true nasty extreme life dominating phobias, but those who just dont like certain things and would rather avoid them just need to deal with it (like me and spiders and sick) i dont "get".

How can buttons possibly be scary?

Those people aren't phobic, they simply have a dislike or a fear. There is a big difference.

Do you seriously think people are labelling themselves with a phobia and going as far as getting treatment and therapy, just because they dislike something?

read this haychee

To ask a question like "How can buttons possibly be scary?" sort of proves that you don't understand what a phobia is.

I am tempted to start a thread saying shouldn't nurses understand phobias but am too tired

No i dont think they are going as far as to get therapy etc. Did i say that? Apologies if i did.

Ive already said im naive on this one and ive apologised in advance for that. But well, i needed to know more to fully comprehend the topic. Unfortunatley, i do feel that some use these title too easily for really minor symptoms.

And how can anurse avoid situations which might lead to her being ill? Do you refuse to work with anyone who may be infectious?

Haychee

I posted on your other thread in your support but I think you may have taken this a bit personally. I agree that if you don't like something it is horrible to read about it/see it/smell it etc. I have a fear (not phobia) of a food stuff I know makes me ill. It is not a phobia but I avoid it and any references to it as I then get a horrible sensation for hours. This gives me empathy for those who are genuinely phobic and although I admit I thought the other post was a troll winding you up I think you are going too far in questionning others feelings without really knowing them.
If you want to understand the phobia Google it.

I admire your stance but I also think this was perhaps the wrong subject to pick on - phobias are a touchy subject and perhaps you need to back off now?

Oh, I lied - I have to say that I am really hard, medically speaking. I go a bit faint when lungs get drained - I really don't like that because the needles are fecking huge and they stab them in someones back. I would and have hung around for that person though.

Just because I am "hard" doesn't mean to say I dispute someones phobia though.

That I find incredible.

No, I think of myself as neurotic, I cant stand my children to close to water, I nearly drowned when I was 8, I had things with beaks, I was chased by a big duck with i was young. But where the toilet seat thing came from I do not know.

You can have a phobia about anything.
There was a book at work which I found compelled to read several times as it listed many many phobias and gave you the correct term to use for the phobia.
Buttons were on the list as was hair, rain, windows, water and skin.

I'm going to have to locate the book again now!

you are right there you are naive, thing is we are all different, live and let live i don't think that people who have phobias choose to have phobias.

Here we go, the usual mn stuff. Attack!

I am no longer a nurse - im now a driving instructor - will change my profile thought i already had. But anyways, i was general surgical and didnt have much contact with phobias - far more of a mental health case imo! We may of had a few come through who were needle phobic but thats all.

I just wanted to know more, that was all.

Phobias are usualy related to something that is tangable and quite clear to see what someone might fear of certain things. But buttons?? Why on earth should a general surgical nurse have any knowledge about button phobia? I hadnt even heard of ematophobia until just recently on here. I havnt had a sheltered life so can only assume these people are an extreme minority.
Please dont hesitate to put me right of course.

I have a big problem with the thought of my dcs getting ill - any illness, not just vomiting. The talk at the school gates about the latest bug doing the rounds can bring on a panic attack, and I feel extremely panicky in groups of children like toddler groups, soft play centres and parties. I am forever getting my dcs to wash their hands after going out, and if I hear anyone has been off school or pre-schooll I panic until I know why. But I manage to internalise most of it, and really hope it doesn't affect teh dcs too much. I used to be okay until dd2 had two meningitis scares last year, teh second that day after ds was born and it came at such a vulnerable time.

But as I can sit through achildrens' party w/out running out screaming (just) I do wonder if that makes me phobic or not.