Emetophobes

[Coughisoff]

We don’t seem quite as irrational now do we 😀

All the hand washing, hand sanitiser, avoiding places and people, carefully preparing food etc.

The rest of the world just caught up with our OCDs and weirdness.

This is a tiny bit light hearted. Also a tiny bit not.

YABU. What has a phobia of vomiting got to do with anything you have listed?

Say what now? What has emetophobia got to do with basic precautions to avoid Covid-19? Seriously - what?

People with phobias aren’t ‘irrational’, they have phobias - it’s out of their control. I don’t really understand your point.

Hi Coughisoff,

Yes you're right. For those that don't understand emetophobes fear anything that causes vomiting (e.g. Norovirus, salmonella) so follow a lot of the same precautions that everyone is now adopting (re. Hand hygiene).

Remember not to use 'OCD' unless you're actually diagnosed with the life restrictive condition though! (maybe you do have contamination OCD but just 'all our OCDs' is like saying all our schizophrenia or all our anorexias. Ocd is horrendous as is Emet at times.

Emetophobe here and as a consequence a longstanding very vigilant (bordering obsessive 🙈) hand washer. I get you OP! Won’t deny I’m secretly pleased good hand hygiene is much higher up on people’s agenda now in the hope less sick bugs will also circulate!

Right yes, because now the time to gloat DFOD

I understand what you mean OP.

No one is gloating. Its about other people understanding the fear and the precautions. Emetophobes do get ridiculed for taking extreme measures to avoid bugs but in a high risk situation anyone can adopt the same behaviours.

I know OP

I just posted in another thread saying that none of my hygiene measures have changed, I have underlying heath conditions etc

I’m also really hoping people actually keep up their apparently new hygiene measures.

I'm not an emetephobe and I have not changed any of my hygiene practices since the advance of covid 19. I'm not in a high risk category neither are my family that live with me so I am not stressing on a personal basis. I still shower daily and wash my hands with soap and water so not sure how I could identify with an irrational feeling or reaction to vomit. If my kid vomits I clean it up. If my kid gets coronavirus i will look after them just the same. Obviously I would not knowingly put myself or children in a situation that might compromise someone elses health where they are in a risk category so I have made sure that if we have to self isolate over the coming weeks that we are sufficient enough not to have to rely or come into contact with those who may be vulnerable. The people who are panic buying are being irrational same as your phobia. I don't judge either of you but I don't identify with you either.

When I went through CBT for this and my many OCD behaviours, it was discussed how infrequently people without this phobia wash their hands and touch their faces etc. I was encouraged to not wash them as often, to touch things and go places none phobic people might. She showed my how she touched a sink in a toilet and didn’t wash her hands. She touched the floor and didn’t wash her hands. I could feel them burning to be washed for her. Even now I can.

I have zero fear about catching COVID19. None at all. I’ll be using the very basic hand hygiene, I’ll not be ramping it up and feeding my old fears. I’ll also not be using any avoidance strategies. I’d rather have COVID than live in fear. True fear is not a place I need to be in again.

People who have a true fear will get that.

Please no more rude and nasty comments. I’m not here for this to be torn apart. I tear myself apart enough as it is. Be kind.

That's brilliant that CBT helped so much Coughisoff and that you're not letting the Coronavirus affect you.

I am struggling a bit with it.

Also just to say you obviously do have Ocd and my comment about ocd wasn't a criticism- it's just I've been hospitalised for months for OCD in the past and 'all our OCDs' sounds like obsessive emet behaviours whereas OCD is a debilitating mental disorder, which is usually chronic and a life long struggle.

I have emet too and completely understood your post!

I get you. Not sure why people who don’t have emetophobia are commenting.

Frequent hand washing etc. are hugely linked to emet as this is done to try and prevent episodes of vomiting.

Mine still is a life long struggle. When my anxiety is higher so is this phobia and subsequent behaviours.

CBT didn’t work for me. Well the first few sessions did. Where you do very low lever exposure. Like writing or saying the word. And writing it down and having it under my pillow. Having children had been the most helpful thing. Coz I’m kind of forced into situations that previously I would have dreaded. And I’ve learned it’s ok. We had a few bugs and I did catch them too and dealt well with it. I’ve had this phobia almost my whole life.

One of my biggest concerns is passing the burden of this to the children. So far they’re complete unaware of it. In fact my eldest wants to have dirty hands so she can get sick and be off school. Like how do I even answer that 😂🙄 calmly of course whilst dying inside...

And then there are some of us with amazing immune systems because we don't wash our hands all the time

I admire you OP and would like to get to that stage with the Ocd and emet too.

Vulpine, as the daughter of a microbiologist I'm sorry but the strength of your immune system is not due to poor hand hygiene. Not washing your hands just puts other people at risk.

I completely get you and your original post OP.

Maybe us emetophobes will be the only survivors of this virus 😂

Also, extremely jealous of the posters that can't even comprehend what you said.

I have terrible emetophobia but I can honestly say I couldn’t give a toss about coronavirus

Emet here too and I know what you mean.

There's currently a sick bug going around school and I'm thrilled everyone is washing their hands so much because then it might not get passed around as much as it usually would!

When I take my youngest to playgroup I normally wash my hands at the end of the session before heading home because toddlers are basically germ factories. On a typical week I will be the only one in the kitchen washing hands. This week all of the adults were in there doing it, it was nice to have some company. I was complimented on how thorough I was. Years of practice, baby

I think some people do just think that emetophobia is a simple fear of being close when someone one throws up whereas most emets have contamination fears re. Norovirus etc.

is OP actually laughing at people who have died from coronavirus ?

People just don't understand, OP. They should not comment. I am sorry for the unkind words- so unnecessary.

Or maybe the OP should explain why her 'affliction' gives her carte blanche to laugh at people who have died.. because she believes they did not wash their hands ?

I have emetephobia.
I also have OCD.
YABVU to say OCDs and OCD behaviours.
But all this panic buying is really affecting my sanitising supply!