Want to go on holiday but have emetophobia

[tingtangwallawallabingbangg]

Please be gentle with me..

I have suffered from crippling emetophobia (vomit phobia) and anxiety my whole life. This impacts every aspect of my life.

I have seen a therapist for this for years and fortunately I have seen quite a lot of improvement however I still suffer with really bad panic attacks most commonly when I go out (eg. Shopping etc.). I'm not at the height of my phobia/anxiety anymore but it is definitely still there.

I'm so fed up of allowing this phobia to dictate my life to me. I really really want to go on holiday to Disney world but I'm terrified of having such bad anxiety and obviously the emetophobia. I'm scared of the flight (anyone being sick on it) and just of getting germs in general which then leads to me panicking. I go on so few rides and I really want to go on them.

I've been to Disney a few times and the last one I was so overwhelmed with anxiety it just ruined it - I have seen a therapist since then which is when the improvement has happened.

Has anyone suffered similar and managed to go on holiday and actually be ok?

Thank you in advance

Have you tried antidepressants ?

I agree - would anxiety medication help OP? Have you tried it?

Re: Disney, what about Disneyland Paris? You could drive there in your own car, no flight required. Might that work better?

Tried antidepressants for a while but I have an underlying health condition so not many were suitable. I didn't notice any difference.

Have you looked into the Thrive programme? Their podcast is called EmetophobiaFree and they also have YouTube videos and an Instagram account. I did it with a coach which I found really useful for refining my approach and understanding, but you can also just buy the book and work through it on your own. It’s all about understanding how your fear of throwing up is not actually a fear of throwing up, but fears/issues with other things including a belief system that you can’t/won’t cope. It works on building coping skills and breaking down belief systems gradually, so that something that seems impossible now (like going on holiday) doesn’t seem nearly so daunting by the time you’ve addressed much smaller tasks and obstacles and built up to it.

@Slytherfish

Yes I have actually got the book. I really found it made so much sense however... me being the avoidant, self sabotaging person I am decided to stop half way through incase it didn't work 😭 I was terrified it wouldn't do anything. I will definitely have to look at it again as it really does make perfect sense!

I fly roughly 4 times a year, every year and have never had anyone being sick on the flight.

That sounds like your perfectionism trait and your desire for control 😋I fully understand though. The podcasts are quite new and I’d recommend giving them a listen if you haven’t already, to help get you back in the mindset.

I have flown dozens of times and never once been aware of anyone throwing up. Someone is surely more likely to become sick on one of the Disney rides?

I go abroad regularly and have fear of sickness. I just take hand gel with me and pack of flash wipes in suitcase. In 20 odd years never known anyone sick on plane, got sick once myself with food poisoning from chicken. Though am not sure Disney would be my first choice to avoid sickness. I would start with something less busy.

Someone I know got over emetophobia with hypnotherapy. Could be worth a try?

Hi OP, I have emetophobia too. PP already talked about possibilities to work on your fear, so I'm going to focus more on the practical aspects:

The flight: a big issue for me. While I know I have a stomach of iron, I can't guarantee it for the ones seating around me, so I:

• get a hallway seat. If the person next to me grabs the puke bag, I can easily stand up and take myself far away.
• wear active noise canceling headphones and listen to music. If someone is sick nearby, I won't hear it.
• wear a mask. Both because I don't wish to become sick while traveling, but also because my sense of smell is diminished while wearing a mask, so if someone is sick, I won't smell it.

Once I arrive at the destination:

• I stay at places that have a kitchen and self cater. I have ARFID, so don't benefit from restaurants, and I love checking out local brands for things I do eat. Cooking myself also means I know it's been prepared well and nothing is spoiled, preventing food intoxication.
• For panic attacks, I have benzodiazepanes rather than antidepressants (although I take two of those and they really help). Benzos work within minutes so are very hand to stop attacks before they truly start.

I travel at least once a year, sometimes more. I can hand on heart tell you I have never seen/heard anyone being sick on a plane, but I have caught a bug on my first day in Canada. It wasn't pleasant, but I handled it much better than when I am in company and get to feel vulnerable.

Considering Disney, I would try and go in the low season, so there are fewer people around and therefore less chances of someone feeling motion sick on the rides. But you should definitely go - traveling is brilliant!

I've flown many times, triple digits, and never seen anyone get air sick. I think it was more common before modern planes as they weren't pressurised as high but modern planes keep a constant pressure.

As to Disney, it's about the most stressful anxiety inducing place on earth, and I say this as someone without any anxiety or psychological problems! If you like rides I highly recommend going to europaparc just inside Germany near the French border. It's a 9 hour drive from Calais (well was the day I did it) stopover in Luxembourg overnight which is pretty. Europaparc is very good just not quite as busy. They still have themed hotels etc. just European style rather than American.

Thanks so much for the suggestions everyone. I feel so pathetic even having this phobia as from the outside it seems so ridiculous!

I've been to Disney quite a lot so I know how stressful it is as it is - we go mainly for Orlando itself. I really love going and I genuinely want to go, I just feel so debilitated by forever having this phobia hanging over me. I'm looking at September so it will be low season so hopefully lower crowds...

@InTropicalTrumpsLand

Thank you so much - I didn't think about wearing a mask on the flight, I worried people might question as to why I am actually wearing it! I wore my mask way past when masks were required too and I used to get so many odd looks!!

We always self cater too - I have recently became much better with eating out but at least I know how clean my hands are before I make food!

I have some really strong anti anxiety pills (not diazepam - I can't even remember the name - I take them so rarely as they knock me out 😂), I was tempted to take them for the plane but worried incase I can't come round quick enough when we land. I know how horrendous customs are on the other side!

Glad I could be of help. As for wearing masks, there are plenty of reasons why people might still wear them, such as my friends whose mother is going through chemo. I really don't think anyone will wonder, but I know how anxiety makes a monster out of nowhere.

These strong pills you mention are probably benzos and yes, they can knock you out. I'm very fortunate I sleep like a baby on planes (anything that moves, really) so I don't often need sleep aids there, but I remember when I first had a panic attack and my mother handed me one of her pills - I slept through the next day. With time I developed a certain tolerance to them and manage to function while under their effects, but I wouldn't try it for the first time before customs, for sure.

OP you can do it! The best help I've ever received is from the NOCD app, Emetophobia comes up a lot with OCD. They will guide you through Exposure Therapy x

@InTropicalTrumpsLand

Just went to check them - it's lorazepam. I did take 2 or 3 last time I had them though which might be why they knocked me out - it was a beautiful experience though 😂😂

@CatsForeverAndEver

Arghh can I?!! I've talked myself back out of it tonight. Times ticking too as the flights are rapidly getting booked up or are just so expensive as I've left it as late as possible.

Downloading that app now... x

I think so! I was really unwell after a bereavement and it came out as emetophobia amongst others and it really helped me :) you have to commit to exposure therapy essentially but I did for a good hour a day and it worked so quickly :)

I nearly booked it last night after hours of going through it all and then completely backed out. This is so frustrating 😭

Is there anyone else who has been in a similar situation? Thank you 😭😭

I'm emetophobic too - have been for years but it's worsened in recent years with COVID (apparently it's common for mental health issues to have intensified for many people) and personal issues, including close family bereavement. I have tried CBT but with limited success and am going for my first hypnotherapy session later today!

I travel a lot for work and although I do get a bit anxious in the lead-up to it, I tend to be fine on a plane (have never seen or heard anyone be sick actually, even during turbulence) and immersed enough in what I'm doing after arrival to not think about it too much. But I am very anxious during holidays with my young children ironically and would worry about somewhere like Disneyland if travelling with young children? We went to Disneyland Paris last year but outside of school holidays and avoided the crowded areas/long queues, and took our own packed lunches. Have done smaller and lesser known theme parks in Europe too. In your situation, I'd probably build up to the long-haul flight and Disneyworld by first doing a shorter trip, even just an amusement/theme park in the UK (if that's where you are)? Each time you do something that you're nervous about, some of the anxiety melts away. For me, the scariest activities are school events especially when there is a bug going around - I hate sending the children in if I've heard of someone being sick in their classes :( I hate children's parties and soft play etc too. It's a debilitating phobia and very easy to restrict your life!

Why don't you try something smaller than Disney Orlando first? e.g. a UK theme park and couple of nights away where you can drive there and back. Break yourself in gently then going will be less of a big thing.
Isn't September hurricane season in Florida??

Just wanted to come back to this thread.

I didn't go.

I did do a small uk trip to the Lake District which I didn't particularly enjoy but not due to my emetophobia.

We are looking yet again to go to Disney end of November/early December (before Christmas crowds). Unfortunately I'm backing out of it again. I'm so scared of someone being sick on the plane, I'm scared someone will be sick on me on a ride, I'm scared I'll get sick and be trapped in the parks with it. Then I'm worried as we are going in a colder month that we'll be even more likely to be sick!

I only want to go to Disney world - I've been a few times and it's the one place we both want to go back to. I just can't get past this stupid brain.

Can anyone else offer any help please?

Basically I've lived my entire life in fear. If it isn't the emetophobia (temporarily - that never goes) it's fear of something else. It just goes round and round in a never ending loop of misery.