Emetophobia panic

Whatintheworldgirl · 2023-09-17T17:49:25+00:00

I have emetophobia (fear of vomiting) this has caused a lot of issues in my life. TW (talk about diets and emetophobia)? I tend to restrict food and only eat 'safe' foods because I'm always scared of food poisoning or food contamination. Anyway this will sound so stupid so just hoping for reassurance. I know you can't give me true facts but hopefully sane peoples opinions can help! Normally I love hot chocolates. Specifically from costa. I have the vegan version with oat milk and all this just for extra safety and comfort. My partner bless him surprised me with a hot chocolate from Tim hortons. It was so sweet of him to think of me so I've been drinking it but I'm feeling really sick. I just keep remembering as a kid getting food poisoning from an ice cream van in wales and now dairy scares me. Is there anyone who used to work or currently works within a fast food chain and can reassure me that the machines are safe? I'm so sorry I sound so crazy!

lilyblue5 · 17/09/2023 18:56

Ahhh OP. I read this and it’s myself just a few years ago. It wasn't the fear of getting sick for me but fear of contamination. I lived by SO MANY rules. It was exhausting. In the end a mixture of therapy and anti depressants helped me.
You won’t get sick from the hot chocolate. Your anxiety about drinking it is causing the nausea.
I hope when the time is right you can get some help for the issues you’ve mentioned. You don’t have to live like this. x

Eyesopenwideawake · 17/09/2023 20:41

First of all, think about why we vomit. It's to get rid of toxins that would otherwise harm us - it's the body's way of protecting you and while it's not pleasant it is very efficient.

Your childhood experience set up a unreasonable level of anxiety in your subconscious mind regarding dairy in particular and vomiting in general which is still operating on the basis that it's keeping you safe. I posted earlier today on another emetophobia thread about how it can be put to rest.

Original poster

Whatintheworldgirl · 17/09/2023 21:05

Eyesopenwideawake · 17/09/2023 20:41

First of all, think about why we vomit. It's to get rid of toxins that would otherwise harm us - it's the body's way of protecting you and while it's not pleasant it is very efficient.

Your childhood experience set up a unreasonable level of anxiety in your subconscious mind regarding dairy in particular and vomiting in general which is still operating on the basis that it's keeping you safe. I posted earlier today on another emetophobia thread about how it can be put to rest.

I appreciate your input. The issue with phobias though is, common sense and reality checks go out of the window. Past trauma and fear effect our brains in different ways. I understand that vomiting is there to protect us. However, it doesn't change the fact that my fear from my experiences has caused major anxiety and as we all know, due to fear, our body releases adrenaline which causes many unpleasant symptoms. I wish it was as simple as being sick and being over it. I truly do but that's not how phobias or trauma works sadly. The human mind is far more complicated then that

OP posts:

Original poster

Whatintheworldgirl · 17/09/2023 21:06

lilyblue5 · 17/09/2023 18:56

Ahhh OP. I read this and it’s myself just a few years ago. It wasn't the fear of getting sick for me but fear of contamination. I lived by SO MANY rules. It was exhausting. In the end a mixture of therapy and anti depressants helped me.
You won’t get sick from the hot chocolate. Your anxiety about drinking it is causing the nausea.
I hope when the time is right you can get some help for the issues you’ve mentioned. You don’t have to live like this. x

Thank you so much for your input. I'm currently on citalopram and on a waiting list for CBT. I truly hope one day I can be like you. You should be so so proud of yourself! Thank you!

OP posts:

Eyesopenwideawake · 17/09/2023 21:21

@Whatintheworldgirl - I know how phobias and trauma work; it's what I do. 😊

The conscious mind is very complex, it's constantly filtering, processing, considering and delving - but it developed relatively late in your life. On the other hand the subconscious mind is there from birth and basic in nature - it's the inner child who sees things in black and white. It's aim is to keep you happy and safe and it will trigger the appropriate emotion, memory or automatic thought/action to achieve the outcome it believes to be correct. The problem comes when it's working on assumptions that are incorrect, misunderstood or outdated.

Your fear of being sick as a result of the ice cream van in Wales is a case in point. Your conscious mind knows the fear is irrational but the subconscious overrides because it's protecting you, based on one random event.

Original poster

Whatintheworldgirl · 17/09/2023 21:23

Eyesopenwideawake · 17/09/2023 21:21

@Whatintheworldgirl - I know how phobias and trauma work; it's what I do. 😊

The conscious mind is very complex, it's constantly filtering, processing, considering and delving - but it developed relatively late in your life. On the other hand the subconscious mind is there from birth and basic in nature - it's the inner child who sees things in black and white. It's aim is to keep you happy and safe and it will trigger the appropriate emotion, memory or automatic thought/action to achieve the outcome it believes to be correct. The problem comes when it's working on assumptions that are incorrect, misunderstood or outdated.

Your fear of being sick as a result of the ice cream van in Wales is a case in point. Your conscious mind knows the fear is irrational but the subconscious overrides because it's protecting you, based on one random event.

That's fascinating. May I ask your advice on what steps I can take to get better? I'm almost 30 and for the last 26 years this phobia has really destroyed me. Sorry to ask

OP posts:

Eyesopenwideawake · 17/09/2023 21:28

Don't be sorry - getting better will change your life! As a remedial hypnotist I, and my fellow Control System colleagues, work with people dealing with phobias, anxiety and trauma all the time. Happy to DM you the practitioner list.

lilyblue5 · 18/09/2023 13:29

How are you feeling today OP?

Moodwill · 20/09/2023 12:15

Hi OP, oh my heart hurt reading your post as I've been there a thousand times. What should be a total non-event like having a hot choc becomes a stressful and upsetting experience.

However, I have had very intense work to help me (ERP- exposure, response, prevention) over the last few years. I am nowhere near cured and don't believe I ever will be, but my life is much more manageable now. And one of the most important things I've learnt is to NOT ask for reassurance (like you've done on here) because it feeds the Emet. You get temporary relief from the reassurance, but it doesn't last, so you ask for me, and it doesn't last- your adrenaline and anxiety is constantly going up and down. You need to be able to ride the wave of anxiety (what if I get unwell from this hot choc, what about the ice cream van) and tell yourself this anxiety will peak and then eventually come down.

Good luck. It's an awful debilitating disease.

P.S check out https://emetaction.org/ it's a new charity to raise awareness of Emet and support those who have it.

Home

The first emetophobia charity aimed at educating, supporting, and giving hope. regain your freedom Trigger warning! This website contains references that

https://emetaction.org/

SleepyJim · 20/09/2023 12:19

Hi OP, no useful advice but I could have written your post many times. I have emetophobia and OCD and really hear where you are coming from. Hope you are doing ok.