Will I get sick? :(

[sickofbeingscaredofbeingsick]

I'm a huge huge emetophobe/terrified of getting any form of gastro illness so hoping someone can help me (and hopefully someone is a psychic 😂😭)

My sibling has had diarrhoea for over 24 hours now (started Tuesday morning) - no idea why or what's caused it.

I saw them Monday night at my parents (they live at home still) for about 20 minutes.

I haven't seen them since they've got ill but I briefly had to go to parents house today to collect something. I was there for about 15 minutes and didn't touch anything. Sibling remained in their bedroom the whole time as was asleep.

Sorry this is such a menial, pathetic question to everyone who doesn't have this horrific phobia but I'm absolutely terrified.

What are the chances that I'll get diarrhoea too?

Sorry and thank you :(

@MarshaMelrose

I do feel reassured yes. BUT it is short lived. I get temporary comfort and eventually my brain spirals back to catastrophising.

The way I am currently with my phobia is genuinely far better than I was around a year ago which is really saying something. I'm terrified now but a year ago I don't know what I'd have done. It's such a debilitating phobia but I do try and try xx

Catastrophising is a very common default position. Strangely people can find it comforting because they feel its better than them being taken unawares. It's a good sign that you can be reassured because it shows that your brain is willing to engage and is not totally shut off to positive thinking.

You will have had the pattern of negative thinking for many years, gradually getting worse and worse. It's unreasonable to think that it can be reversed quickly. You have to work at it all the time to make the default position in your brain that you won't be sick rather than you will. It's hard and tiring to keep that going, but the more you pretend to be positive, the more you'll actually become positive. You know from how often you're not sick, that the likelihood you will be, will be small. So you have the tools at your disposal.

But you need to find a way to self reassure. Why would you think a random group of people on the Internet know more than you? You have just as much knowledge and brain power as any of us! If you think sensibly, you know any likelihood of being ill is really remote. You touch surfaces that others have touched, breathe air, brush against people all the time who might have any sort of bug...and yet you are not ill.

You've come a long way in a year. Congratulations. Change is hard. But now you know the small steps you're taking in coping with it, will lead to strides and eventually to conquering this phobia. Stay positive.

@MarshaMelrose

Wow. I cannot thank you enough for this comment - you really have summed it up perfectly.

You've spoke more sense than my therapist has over years!

Thank you thank you so much xx

Uhoh…make sure you have plenty of loo roll and a bucket by the toilet…just in case.

i caught a stomach bug after using a sick persons keyboard for a couple of key strokes (didn’t know they were off sick) so it can spread like wildfire

Aw, thank you. That's nice of you to say. I've had quite a bit of therapy. 😒 Good luck. The fact you're tackling it and improving means you will get a handle on it.

Also, not everyone reads posts thoroughly so sometimes they post unhelpful things without meaning to. 😂 Don't let it set you back. x

As a fellow emetophobe (who's mostly but not always okay now), I just wanted to add another voice to the "you'll be okay" posts. My son threw up everywhere on Friday and I made myself clean it up (trying to prove to myself I could take care of him and it despite my fears) and then spent the rest of the day cuddling him and fending off his (very sweet but also 🤢) sloppy kisses. Nearly a week later and so far, nada. I was sure I'd get it. You spent so little time with your sibling that it is highly, highly unlikely that you will have picked it up.

Also just wanted to give you hope that it can get better. My son being ill would have sent me into an absolute tailspin in years past, but this time it was more of an "ugh, I hope I don't get it" but no major panicking. My Mum once said to me that I needed to remember that I'm not going to be sick/feel sick every single day. That would be madness. It's an anomaly, not a norm - that helped me remind myself that every day wasn't the day I was likely to be ill. Sending you a huge hug, I totally understand how hard it can be

How do some people manage being so incredible self-absorbed and lacking an empathy. It's a phobia - staggering that you can be so unaware.

My understanding is that most of these illnessed are passed on through contact with the vomit or diarrhoea, so if you were with your sibling before it began, the chances of catching it are miniscule to none. Even if you went back, if you touched nothing and weren’t in the room where the illness occurred (presumably in the toilet) then the chances of you coming in contact with any virus are also miniscule.

I hope you can get the help you need. As a recovered emetophobe, I feel your pain, and facts do help with coping, at least in the short term.

OP hope you kept well over night xx

@MarshaMelrose

Thank you ❤️

I see what you mean about not reading properly! I did then read the below reply and re-read yours so it didn't set me back! 😂 xx

@octoberfarm

Thank you.

It's very comforting to see a few people on this thread mentioning how they have largely got past their emetophobia. I've had crippling, debilitating emetophobia for 25 years and read far more stories about people never being able to get past it rather than those who have.

There is hope for me too ❤️ thank you

@PriOn1

Thank you.

I'm so pleased to hear you are a recovered emetophobe too. This definitely gives me hope xx

@wildthingsinthenight

Yes thank god. Thank you xx