To think I am doomed…

[Hourbyehours]

So I am a big emetophobe…. Usually take very very careful precautions but today went to supermarket and forgot to wash my hands before eating crisps and dip at home … so lots of finger licking and I used the self service checkout! Just came home and totally forgot. I’ve not been sick for over 20 years and terrified I am doomed to get noro.

Maybe you will but maybe you won't.

Nothing you can do about it now.

Pray to a bag of Doritos and you’ll be fine.

A close family member has this phobia so I know how distressing and miserable it is. No one can guarantee that you won't be ill, but the chances are you'll be fine (I'm pretty diligent about hand washing these days but wasn't brought up to do it and was very rarely ill as a child!)

Have you listened to the Emetephobia Podcast? It might just keep you company and take the edge of the anxiety if you find you can't put it out of your mind. Sending a hug - it's a horrible cloud to be under.

With your extreme phobia you must know that the chances of getting nori virus from your action is very very small almost non existent.

So keep telling yourself that and remind yourself that your fear although real to you is irrational and seated in anxiety.

Drink lots of water.

Seems unlikely you'll be ill.

It's not a foregone conclusion

All right, Private Fraser, stand down....

Seriously, you're vanishingly unlikely to get noro from licking your own fingers. Is there any sort of therapy you can get to help you with your phobia?

Thank you everyone… well if there were virus particles of noro or other tummy bugs in the supermarket then yes I can get it from licking my fingers! I wish I could live a life where I don’t have these thoughts and yes I have had a lot of help and talking therapy which has helped enormously. Thank you for being kind to me 😊

Im also an emetophobe but even I don’t wash my hands every time I return from the supermarket. I’ve also eaten finger foods before with the same fingers my dog has licked. I’m sure you’ll be fine.

I worry about getting sick, then I watch my autistic son lick cars, walls, railings, his siblings faces and never gets stomach bugs. Either he has an immune system of steel or these things happen in far more random/unavoidable ways. Last time I had noro it literally came from nowhere. We were still in social distancing, middle of summer as well. I’m sure you’ll be fine.

I don't think I've ever washed my hands after coming home from the supermarket. I'm 52 and it's never made me sick so far... I'm sure you will be fine, OP. Sorry you have to go through having emetophobia.

Thank you for being so understanding and not making me feel like an idiot. It’s a horrible phobia, which I never had until I had my children…. Used to never even cross my mind! It can be completely debilitating sometimes, thank you for helping me to get perspective.

I have bad emetophobia and I actually don't wash my hands when I get in from the shops. I do this deliberately because I can feel my phobia getting worse and I have to stop myself from engaging in all sorts of safety behaviours because it will take over.

It’s a horrible phobia, which I never had until I had my children…. Used to never even cross my mind!

So, rationally, how often did you get sick from supermarkets before your phobia started?
Think about how many people dont get noro from supermarkets/public transport/pedestrian crossing buttons etc. The whole country would be constantly throwing up if it was always being spread this way.

I don’t really get it to be honest. Is there such a thing as an emetophile? No one likes being sick?

I’m not an emetophobe - I don’t like being sick, but being sick never crosses my mind and I don’t take any actions to prevent myself specifically getting sick. When one of my children is sick, I don’t feel panicked, and I am aware that through looking after them I may also get sick, and although I don’t relish the thought (!) I don’t particularly worry about it as I know if I do get sick I’ll get better afterwards.
So no, I don’t like being sick, but the fear of being sick doesn’t impact my life in any way. This is very different to an emetophobe, where often, every part of their life can be impacted by this fear. I know this as a son of a close friend is dealing with this incredibly debilitating phobia (closely linked to OCD) and it’s affecting his schooling, going out with friends, school camps, and she describes it as “pervading everything he used to love”
So please don’t be flippant about this very serious phobia.

I don't really see how you can not understand that some people have irrational phobias.

With some of the perverted fetishes in the world today I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if some sicko enjoyed the feeling of vomiting.

How are you feeling today @Hourbyehours ?

Pretty sure noro is airborne so while washing your hands is good practice, it's no real guarantee you won't get it

You've probably done yourself a favour, in that all those little bugs lurking on the supermarket trolley etc that' you've transferred can get your immune system working well.
(Personally I feel you're more at risk of breathing in a bug )

I don’t advise going looking, but yes, there are entire websites about that. I was an emetophobe and am now cured, but came across some vomiting fetish websites a while back.

Hope you’re okay, OP. There is a small chance, of course, but most people don’t even think about it and are rarely sick, so the chances of you being unlucky are small.

Incidentally, certain blood types don’t suffer from noro. If your blood type is B you might not be susceptible, just in case that applies to you! Good luck.

I could have written this. I pull down my jumper to open doors.. Or use my upper arm to push the door open. More like surgeon would do.. Haha. I wear gloves around the shops if I touch anything.. Hate using public looes..
This only happened when the coronvirus kicked it.
I see people looking at me.. But I can't stop..
So I understand you. Maybe someone on here could come to the rescue and help work out. Why people do this..
My sister constantly washes her hands.. A bit like David Beckham..

Have you thought about hypnotherapy, op?

There can be particles in the air if someone has vomited, but it’s not generally an airborne virus, unlike colds. It’s often passed on if someone has it and has prepared or handled food.

That’s why ebola was much easier to contain than covid.

I’ve always washed my hands when I arrive home from somewhere or before eating. I started washing my DH’s hands coming home from nursery and school too, he just does it out of habit now when he gets home. Not a compulsive hand washer though.
Whatever about noro, we rarely pick up colds and other annoying viruses.

I mean DS’s hands… I’m not washing my husband’s hands when he gets home from school!