Anyone else with health anxiety and/or emetophobia

[Nogodsnomasters]

Suffered with emetophobia for most of my life, health anxiety started in 2010 was diagnosed in 2011. Originally was only about myself but since ds was born I now have it about him as well. Main focus is norovirus most of the year and worries of leukemia for my son. However anything else that crops up (small symptoms) can become obsessive for short periods of time. Have had cbt in 2012 which worked really well, I felt totally in control after that until I fell pregnant Dec 13, I then saw counsellor through maternity dept during pregnancy, helped a bit. Saw a talking therapist 2015 did absolutely nothing, haven't tried anything or sought help since then really.

No one then?

Yes I have very bad emetophobia, cbt doesn't help you need EMDR. I used to have intrusive thoughts about it which hardly ever happen now, although I still panic if anyone has symptoms - but I didn't finish my treatment and want to go back to complete it .

have more cbt and keep practising the techniques - the only way ive found

Niceup- what is emdr? I've never heard of this, if you think it works I'd definitely go for it.

Lubey - have u got health anxiety or emetophobia? The cbt really did help me the first time around but I feel like the techniques just stopped working.

Yes both and my daughter too. I find they don't work as well when your base level of anxiety is increased so the trick is constant practice to keep it lower. Citalopram (low dose) really helps too

Yes emetophobic here. It's got 1000x worse since DS was born nearly 5 years ago. I've tried all sorts of therapy and nothing has worked so far. Have you heard of the Thrive Programme? I've got this and tried it a few times. It hasn't worked for me so far, but I'm gonna keep going at it as I've heard so many good things about it.
These are truly horrible phobias and a lot to do with control. Obviously when we are ill or being sick we have no control over the situation. It's all about becoming comfortable with uncertainty. It will take time and a lot of effort but I truly think it's something that you can overcome but unfortunately for me I just don't put enough effort in. I don't know why I don't as I would give anything to be rid of it.

Lubey - I just can't convince myself to take the medication, gp offered that and I refused, I wouldn't cope with the initial side effects of nausea, spacey feeling, insomnia, it would only increase my anxiety! I can hardly take any medication at all because of possible side effects.

Gnarlington - control is massively it, I cannot cope with being out of control in almost anything. Uncertainty also is a killer for me, if I could just know the outcome of every situation I would have no anxiety at all (impossible I know) I just can't seem to let go.

EMDR is basically a tool to reprocess memories into the correct area of your brain. Have a google. The nhs don't offer it I don't think but a lot of therapists offer it (check bacp site).

Thank you niceup I will definitely look into that,im not sure if I can afford private therapy though. I'm a mess at the minute, I know it sounds pathetic but I have a cyst on my tonsil at the minute and a rotten cold and dh's uncle passed away last night so Im super anxious.