The Emetophobe's Support Club.

[Lonelymum]

OK, well those of you who know what the title means probably know that I suffer from this phobia. I came out about it on Mumsnet last year (no-one in RL knows about it properly except for dh - I am very ashamed of it). Anyway, thanks to the support of mainly other emetophobes (it takes one to know what another is suffering!) I went to my GP and was referred for therapy. Well, one move later, and another quick referral and here I am, facing my initial assessment this morning at 11:30. I am getting tense and shaky just writing this so goodness knows what I will be like in an hour and a half. Anyway, I promised to keep the other emetophobes informed of how my therapy went, so here I am. Could do with some good luck messages to send me on my way!

[Steala]

Sorry Lonelymum. I didn't mean to depress you. On re-reading my post, it did sound insensitive. I'm new here as well - not a good first impression!

There were two main problems with the counselling I had. The first is that the therapist had never come across this before. She tried to treat it as any other phobia (for example for a fear of spiders they would have a tiny spider outside, then move it closer and closer until the person felt comfortable with it). Obviously with emetophobia, particularly where it is a fear of vomiting in others, there is a distinct lack of volunteers.... We ended up trying to do it in my imagination. Since I was too scared to imagine it, it didn't work for me. I've since found that if you have a therapist specialised in emetophobia, they have a variety of techniques - gradually taking you through cartoon figures, funny pictures, films etc and possibly even finishing with a trip to A&E (shudder).

The second problem was that I was 16 (showing my age now) and I don't think she wanted to try anything too deep.

I really didn't mean to suggest that it was incurable. I'm sure there are therpies that work and I agree with you that it is worth trying everything. It is a brave move to talk about it in RL - I admire you for that - good luck.

[Lonelymum]

Thanks NBG - I really appreciate your support, especially as you do not suffer from the same thing. ( - I have forgotten what your phobia is)

Hausfrau! Good to hear from you! No it wasn't really like that. I answered more pedantic questions about my family and their names, ages, occupations etc than I did questions about the phobia although there were questions about that too. The one that really foxed me was when she asked me what it was I actually was fearing when the children were sick. Do you know, I don't actually know what it is! I am just afraid without knowing why! As a child I used to fear being sick myself, and that is partly it even now, but not entirely as I still freak out when a child is sick for a non-catching reason, (eg, it doesn't happen to mine but for travel sickness). Anyway, there weren't many moments like that in the interview - it was more basic fact finding. I can't imagine why she needed to know so many details, especially as she knew she wasn't going to be able to take things further with me. It was quite satisfying though to be taken seriously by a professional and certainly satisfying to hear her tell me I am a classic phobic. I knew that anyway, but it was good to hear a professional say so.

Steala, don't worry about coming across the wrong way. I didn't take it in that way. I sometimes write things which are taken the wrong way too. I think it is because people can't hear your tone of voice - that doesn't help. The idea of being treated for this phobia in the way you describe fills me with dread. I had to walk through an A&E department today (in the pm I took my sons to a hospital appt) and I nearly ran through!!! It was a kids' A&E too and I always think they are only there for broken bones and gastroenteritis! But worse than that, there is no way I could watch a film of someone being sick. Major freak out time! Anyway, I meant to say, you are very welcome to this forum and I hope you stay around.

[Steala]

Thank you.

[Lonelymum]

Gosh am I a bit verbose?

[footprint]

LM, when I went to my GP he was really sympathetic and asked me lots of questions, and told me he wanted to speak to others about it and could I come back in a week to talk again. So i went back a week later and he was totally different. He said he'd talked to someone else and sorry, there was nothing anyone could do. I felt really dismissed and as though I'd wasted his time. Maybe he was just having a bad day or sth but I was so disappointed.

I am a bit different to you in that I don't mind so much others being sick, only myself. That's good because I am ok with dd, but bad because I can never ever eat anything without being afraid that it will make me ill.

I know that the only thing that would help me is for "it" to just happen but even the thought of that sends me into a panic....

This is something I never ever talk about, it's wierd sharing this with people.

[Lonelymum]

Does your dh/dp not even know about it then Footprint?

When I first broached this subject last year, there were quite a few people here who suffer in the same way as you, ie more worried about themselves than others. I worry for myself too but I have such a strong stomach (or maybe, as I said earlier, I have developed the ability to suppress the vomiting reflex) that my fear for myself isn't as near to the surface as my fear of the children being sick is (if that makes sense). I think if it was just a fear of me being sick I would only be a relatively mild phobic. Like you, I feel "doing it" would help in a way. Anyway, it is good to talk about it. My dh knows all about it, but I don't tell anyone else.