Treatment for emeptophobe?

[Badvoc]

Is there anything?
I have come to the conclusion that I am an emeptophobe.
Not as bad as some, from what I have read online, but still bad enough to really affect my life.
I am so fed up of it.
I am 40 fgs!
I have little money so expensive treatments/interventions are out :(
Any advice appreciated.

Obviously after I finally fell asleep last night the kids woke me up this morning full of beans and completely healthy! I'm exhausted and going to speak to DH about it today. Interestingly, I think my mum is a secret emetophobe too. She has always covered it well (she had 4 DC) but she seems to panic a bit if my DC are sick in her care. My (paternal) granny also told me she spent her life avoiding alcohol and funfairs in case she ever got sick. It's clearly incredibly common in women and families. Thank god DH is hardy enough. He wouldn't blink if both DCs chucked up on him .

Hell - thank you I relate to everything you say. I worked in a school until very recently and did exactly the same, checking which pupils and staff were off sick and why. It's overwhelming.

I've never been drunk...because I'm too scared of being sick. It really does overwhelm your life at times but there is a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.

Hello everyone.
Thank you for sharing your stories with me.
I guess I go though phases with my emetophobia...there have been times in my life when it doesn't affect me much at all...I used to drink a lot in my student days for example! But I was never sick through drink...my friends always were but not me.
I have also been pg twice and although both pg were hard I dealt with it. Although I did refuse all pain relief in labour in case I vomited!! Brave, my arse! :)
I guess my worst was after my marriage and I went down to 8.5 stone (my usual weight hovers at 10st)
This last couple of weeks has been awful...both kids ill with a virus (which I caught) and then both came down with a sickness bug...I realised after my 3rd day of hardly eating anything that it was a way of trying to make sure I wasn't sick.
I have made myself ill due to not eating and drinking enough - I have a kidney infection now and am on ABs - and it's got to stop.

I always thought I was alone in my emetaphobia...I'm so glad I'm not...makes me feel less of a freak! I asked my GP for help and had an appointment with a psychologist at local primary care team who told me they were there to treat people with 'real issues' and suggested I googled photos of vomit (don't even like typing the word!) and expose myself to it. Needless go say, I couldn't bring myself to heed her advice and felt v fobbed off!

I have an appt on 13th nov!

Good for you. glad it's not too long to wait.

Good luck Badvoc

MrsWildermac - That therapist needs re-training! Emetophobia is a very common phobia and very debilitating. If you went back to your GP would they be able to refer you elsewhere?

I've now moved so going to ask my new GP and hopefully might get further this time...would love to have kids...but panic so much about dealing with bugs etc :(

Badvoc - I'm another (and I couldn't begin to have a sick child in bed with me). Belgianbun is brilliant - you have come to the right place here, and it's great that you have an appointment. You will always find someone here to hold your hand (many of us are lurking here in the middle of the night, unable to sleep for fear of noises in children's bedrooms )

Absolutely . I have had so many MN identities that I've lost count - but think I was Nelly on the very long (and fab) emet thread...

Mrswild...that's really shocking! You should have reported them to their professional body!
I am so determined that my kids won't get this awful phobia...no one knows, not dh, kids, family...anyone.
I have a pretty good poker face :)
All I can tell you is when your kids need you you somehow rise to the occasion...however hard it is. At least that has been my experience.
I hate this time of year because of all the bugs...of course if some parents actually stuck to the 48 hour rule in schools these bugs wouldn't get so bad or wisespread!

Belgianbun, is that you? Dawnas here!

So, is my therapist right? I've been having cbt for this phobia for a few weeks and my fear is being sick myself. Like some of you, I am fine dealing with DD, well not so much fine but I can cope, but its my fear of catching it myself.

So my therapist has given me some homework to research ways of making myself sick... the next step is to make Mr so it. I'm terrified of doing this...

As we speak, DD is up in bed after saying all day that she feels sick, but has been eating and drinking as normal and been full of beans... which makes me think that she may have caught onto my phobia and may be playing me up... she's only 3...

My CBT did not include any of that. My phobia is about me being sick and about DD (in particular) being sick but at no stage did I have to make myself vomit.

My phobia is about dc being sick and then me being sick.

Bavoc, that's my phobia too. I can't be around the DC when they're sick - DH has to take over (it's the only time he takes over!!)

Katnis - I've never heard of CBT involving that. I had CBT for a while, then moved cities so didn't complete the course. What I did discover from my CBT is that my essential problem is anxiety which has somehow become 'stuck' on sickness. Whatever it is, it's horrendous.

My CBT involved re-training my though processes. At no point did the therapist ever suggest I make myself sick. If she had, I'd never have gone back again!