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Original poster

Health Anxiety & Emetophobia

4 replies

Bubblefoam · 16/10/2024 21:12

Hi all, I wondered if anyone could help me calm myself and my thoughts around health anxiety. Every year around this time I get extremely anxious about being unwell, especially vomiting. I have had CBT before and I take sertraline for anxiety anyway. It is now at the point that I have had to have today off work because I feel so nauseous, lots of people have bugs at my work and I am terrified I have it now. It could be anxiety, but I'm really unsure. I haven't eaten much at all today because I'm off my food, it's just awful and I can't continue to live like this 😞

OP posts:
Eyesopenwideawake · 16/10/2024 21:21

Can you remember when the fear of vomiting began, and the circumstances around it? Yes, it's unpleasant, but it's the body's way of getting rid of potentially harmful bugs so it has an important purpose. Finding out why it scares you is the best way to stop being scared.

Original poster
Bubblefoam · 16/10/2024 21:29

Eyesopenwideawake · 16/10/2024 21:21

Can you remember when the fear of vomiting began, and the circumstances around it? Yes, it's unpleasant, but it's the body's way of getting rid of potentially harmful bugs so it has an important purpose. Finding out why it scares you is the best way to stop being scared.

Thank you for replying to me. I honestly don't remember, I have no idea why I am so terrified of it. I do have images of a time when I was very sick and vomiting clinging to the toilet, it was horrendous, but I don't remember how old I was or any other details. Just remember it being awful. I also live on my own and being unwell really frightens me.

OP posts:
Eyesopenwideawake · 16/10/2024 21:41

OK, so somewhere in your mind vomiting became associated with fear and that's stuck with you. You can get help for that but for the present think of your body working for you, not against you.

Remember, your body does everything brilliantly without you even thinking about it - breathing, pumping blood, walking, sleeping, digesting food, fighting infections, etc so you need to trust it to keep you safe. If there's something that it knows is going to harm you it will get rid of it for you. For now have a look at box breathing and progressive muscle relaxation on Youtube - both will help you unclench your body which will lessen the chance of you being sick through anxiety.

Original poster
Bubblefoam · 17/10/2024 19:29

Eyesopenwideawake · 16/10/2024 21:41

OK, so somewhere in your mind vomiting became associated with fear and that's stuck with you. You can get help for that but for the present think of your body working for you, not against you.

Remember, your body does everything brilliantly without you even thinking about it - breathing, pumping blood, walking, sleeping, digesting food, fighting infections, etc so you need to trust it to keep you safe. If there's something that it knows is going to harm you it will get rid of it for you. For now have a look at box breathing and progressive muscle relaxation on Youtube - both will help you unclench your body which will lessen the chance of you being sick through anxiety.

Thank you so much, really, you are so lovely thank reply to me and offer some help. I will absolutely look at box breathing. I am feeling particularly awful tonight, so hopefully it'll offer some relief. I haven't ever looked at the body that way, perhaps I need to focus on this more. Thank you. X

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