SCARED, Please help - Sickness bug?

[ElleBelleLou]

Hello

I would like to preface this with the fact I have contamination OCD, I have had CBT therapy in the past with little positive impact and am awaiting a referral to more specialist support.

I suffer from extreme emetaphobia (fear of vomit, vomiting and all things related) alongside my OCD, it sets off absolute alarm bells in my heart and head and any exposure to sickness usually ends in a panic attack.

I think I probably need talking down, positive words or experiences to try and get out of my head a bit.

Yesterday I was on the bus home (sat in the middle of the bus), when at about 5pm a woman sat at the back started vomiting.
As soon as I heard her start vomiting, I got up and walked to the front of the bus and waited around 5 minutes before I was able to get off at the next stop. In those 5 minutes I covered my mouth and nose with my hair (didn't have a mask and in an OCD panic everything any anything seems logical).
There was probably at least 6 feet between us when I was sat down, and the entire length of the bus between us as soon as I got up when she started vomiting.

My problem is now I've convinced myself the stranger had a sickness bug and I will inevitably catch it.

As this happened around 5pm yesterday it's now been 20 hours since I was 'exposed' to this potential bug (I know it could have been travel sickness, pregnancy sickness, anything really other than a bug) - but if I haven't been sick or feel sick by now have I escaped it?

I haven't been able to sleep because I was so scared I would be woken up by the need to vomit, I haven't eaten since yesterday lunchtime because I am so anxious about this.
I know I need help with how much I struggle with this, but I would really appreciate some support from the wonderful world of Mumsnet yet again.

Thank you ❤

I think you're safe OP.

I have a fear of sickness too and understand the worry of hearing somebody being sick or knowing someone I've been near has been ill but usually it's the anxiety giving me the nausea rather than me actually being ill.

Gets lots of fresh air and try to breathe deeply. It's more likely that an adult being ill on a bus is suffering with morning sickness or a hangover. Try some tea and toast maybe as an empty stomach will only make you feel sicker.

@imapterodactyl I do have a tendency to think myself into feeling sick because I'm so convinced I'll end up being sick.

I do keep telling myself that 1) I can't even be sure she was sick because of any contagious reason and 2) even if she was that doesn't mean I'll have caught anything - for some reason I just feel absolutely convinced (but I suppose that's the OCD!)

I'm going to try eat a banana and a ginger tea. It's now 21 hours past the 'exposure' - I just need to get to 48 to feel like I can breathe. Thank you for your reply

It might make you feel better to get some immune boosting supplements from a health foods shop and some probiotic yogurts, pop some zinc and vitamin c and you'll feel like your body is prepared fully to fight off a virus

Hi Ellebellelou,
Did you get sick in the end?