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 understand what people are saying about "you can't avoid upsetting everyone on here"

but there are A LARGE NUMBER of emetophobes on here (whether it is a more common phobia than people usually realise, or whether emetophobes are drawn here because of the support they get, I don't know)

and it is REALLY SIMPLE to avoid upsetting a sizeable minority of posters here - DON'T use upsettingly vivid descriptions of stomach upsets in your title. It's so easy.

Emetophobia is one of the top five phobias. I have read that on many phobia websites. (Not sure what the other 4 are but I would guess at claustrophobia, agoraphobia, arachnophobia and fear of flying).

Just popped back in here to administer hugs to all phobics. A special one for you DG... You've held my hand in the past ! Thanks!

{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}

I had a friend at school who refused to come on school trips because of thsi very reason. Not in touch with her now so don't nkow how she is doing.

Seriously though I am intrigued, as a mum, what if one of your kids is sick ansd you are the sole carer. What would happen? And what if yo0u are sick yourself?

Just curious.

Littlelapin, I came out about my emetophobia here about 2 years ago. I was literally shaking as I admitted that I had a phobia, but was too ashamed to admit what it was. To my surprise, someone guessed in quite short time (because she had the phobia too or knew someone with it, I forget which). The best thing MN has done for me (and I mean that it is a huge thing, not that MN has done nothing for me) is allow me to talk openly about my phobia because I still can't do so in RL.

So many people have joined in the discussion with me. I don't know if they were able to talk about it before MN, but I think some were not able to (lots of people come to the discussion frankly amazed to find they are not alone in their phobia).

I personally don't mind the threads on here about emetophobia though the casual threads where MNers say their child has been sick stupidly put the fear of God into me, as if my children will catch the bug through me MNing!

Oh shit, I said the S word. Am I not supposed to?

Dr Northerner, I dread being the sole carer of my children every single day. That is how the phobia chiefly manifests itself in me. But what would I do? I would get on and deal with it and have a mini breakdown as I dealt with it and then be deeply depressed for weeks after and haunted with images of the illness for the rest of my life. That is not speculation. This has happened and that is how I lead my life. Sad and pathetic, I know.

What would happen if I got ill myself? Well, I haven't been sick with a bug for 33 years and I hope I never will be, but I guess I would have to cope in that situation too. I don't know how I would cope if I were alone though (alone on my own and also alone with the children iyswim)

hi i think haychee should go on youtube.com and type in phobias, there are women on there with phobias of pickles, balloons, clowns, these women are really really petrified, and i feel sosorry for them, i my elf have a phobia of (dont laugh) trains, not every train just steam trains and diesel engines ibreak int oa cold sweat, heart pounding, throat feel like it is closing so iant breath,and uncontroable crying, fortunately i dont have to come into contact with them so thats good. i have never heard of phobias regarding sick, bt feel very sorry for anone who has that

My 12yo son, who is so totally unafraid of all living things that he will let (apologies for the S-word) spiders run up his arm, recently became tearful and terrified and had to leave the room when I said something about 'big flies' and raised my arms up in imitation of flies' wings.
I had no idea this would frighten him. Real flies don't scare him and I'm wondering if the fear relates to me as much as to insects.
It is so totally unconnected with anything in his life (that I know about). Anyone else come across anything like this?

dumbledore, as I said, I get scared at the mere sound of a snake or a cartoon snake, or a cuddly toy snake... Any snake/snake sound/snake inference, scares the living crap out of me. I just meant, is it really irrational to be scared of them, because they are pretty scarey. But now I see what you are saying: it is pretty irrational to be scared of a cuddly toy, but this Sammy Snake puppet, gives me the heebyjeebies!

But franny, what if someone were to post in health, something like 'my daughter keeps being , what can I do'?

I feel really sad for all you with phobia of * because I can avoid mine easily, but you all have children and stuff... Sympathies.

Firstly, i had already apologised in advance for being naive about the topic.

Secondly, i wasnt attacking anyone in particular, i was trying to highlight those that use these "phobic" titles too easily. Those of you (and there appears to be lots) who suffer everyday and it dominayes your lives - i have the deepest sympathy.

All i was trying to point out was that

1. I had never heard of it before coming here
2. I was amazed at even the written word could produce such strong responses
3. That some choose to label or categorise themselves as phobic when really its just a standard fear the most of us have.

Weinstein You could see what i was saying last night and now your friends are here you absolutley cant and i am out of order. I havnt changed my tune - i still feel the same. I have listened, i have learnt alot and will in future be more careful what words i choose to write. But as still a relative newbie i was intruiged and honestly couldnt believe it.

It was not a case of "ive never heard of it and therefore it doesnt exist" at all. But i have had NO expereince of this at all ever! How would, could i possibly know what to say and what not to say.

I apologise again for those of you that i have produced fear and panic in by this thread. But how will i know exactly what to say if i dont "go there"???
I never intended to go out and try to upset anyone and i wish to god i hadnt used the word weak to describe an emetophobe. By using that word i meant to show how someone who only suffers a dislike to s..k and could choose to label themselves as phobic so as to be excused from dealing with it. We could all do that - except me who is virtually a single parent and have to do things i do not like to almost everyday.

Just how far can we go with this? Can we reasonably expect eachother not to write a word that could produce fear and panic to another, especially as there appears to be SO Many different types of phobias out there.

Like buttons! Can i now not use the word buttons??? or polystyrene???

Also i wanted to explore the nature nurture side of the phobia. I am genuinely interested in the topic.

I haven't had time to read much of this thread so I apologise if this post is repeats others and adds nothing.

I have emetaphobia. It is a phobia rather than a normal fear of vomit because it interfers with my daily life. Everyone hate throwing up but for most people it only bothers them when they are ill or a someone is ill in front of them. For me it bothers me daily. In the past it has been so bad that I would estimate I thought about being sick about 75% of my waking hours. Thankfully I am better now but I cannot eat a long list of foods I associate with making me (or others) sick. I cannot go into toilets in pubs or places where people are more liekly to be sick. I avoid people of have been ill in recent weeks, people who know people who have been ill and people who work in hospitals etc.

When my DD (1yrs) was properly sick for the first time last week I put her on the floor while she screamed and retched and I ran. I left my poor distressed daughter at her moment of need (DH was there). I then cried for hours because I had let her down.

There is nothing imagined about emet. It is a terrible phobia. I had CBT and it did help but the therapist told me it is one of the hardest phobias to treat partly because it is not totally irrational. A loofah is unnlikely to acutally hurt you, being ill can. A therapist cannot just gently expose you to throwing up for obvious reasons. He cannot tell you it is nothing to fear as most people do fear it to a degree. So please, do not understimate this phobia just because you think its normal to hate sick.

Haychee - sorry, but I couldn't see what you were saying last night at all. It's sort of what I meant when I was asking if you read any of the posts, as you seemed to carry on regardless! Perhaps you misunderstood my posts.

My smiles are because I am friendly and I mean it in a friendly manner.

These people aren't my friends though. I strongly dispute that one!

Artichokes - fantastic post. Well done you for writing it.

By winestein on Sun 02-Sep-07 22:44:59
Yes, I see what you are trying to say Haychee,

Haychee, don't get upset by all this. I am not upset by anything you have said. We all live and learn don't we?

I personally am not adverse to the use of any words. I am peculiarly drawn to descriptions I really should stay away from, so it is fine by me that you write whatever you want to write. I know other people are more sensitive to the written word than I am though.

I just wanted to say haychee, don't feel put upon here. I wouldn't want that, and I am sure others don't either.

Love and Peace and all that!

Thanyou. (what have you been smoking?)