For those of you who don't know what this is...*cue dictionary definition*
For most people I'm sure this fear sounds ridiculous but for me, and many other people, this is what nightmares are made of.
I've been living with this phobia for around 8 years now. I've tried many different treatments, counselling, medicines, remedies and even hypnotherapy and none of it has worked. *sigh*
For me, this effects me on a day to day basis. I have good days and bad days. The level of my anxiety often depends on the people around me and what that day entails.
E.g.
If there is a stomach bug around, anxiety level =HIGH
If I'm feeling nervous about something (a performance/exams), anxiety level =HIGH
If I have to go somewhere on my own, anxiety level =HIGH
The trouble with having this phobia is, being nervous can cause nausea, being stressed can cause nausea, being hormonal can cause nausea, late nights can cause nausea, and nausea terrifies me.
I get scared of being sick, of other people being sick, of seeing people being sick, of people I know going near people who have been sick in case they then get sick and then I'll get sick.
Constantly living in fear is exhausting.
I am very anxious person so to have butterflies and a churning tummy which anyone else would interpret as nerves, immediately sets off my phobia which then often leads to an explosion of emotions and terror unless I manage to reign it back in.
Anything can trigger it, being too full, being hungry, knowing someone's ill, suspecting someone is ill, coughing fits, sore throats, nerves, assemblies, public transport.
I often find myself getting stuck in a vicious circle. The more I worry, the more I feel sick, the less likely I am to eat, the more I feel sick, the more I worry, the more I feel sick, the less I eat, and so on.
I am more in control of my phobia now that I have been over the last few years. I have created ways of dealing with it and on the whole they work and my phobia rarely interferes with anything I want to do.
But there are days when the feelings just don't go away, when every method doesn't work and all you can resort to is panicking and spending a day feeling gross and wondering what might happen.
I used to love travelling and trying new foods, but now my fear of food poisoning stops me enjoying holidays and meals out.
I find it hard to enjoy parties when I'm surrounded by people throwing up.
I'm not cured but I hope one day I'll overcome it.
Here is my attempt at helping anyone who is suffering with the same fears....
My Top 5 Tips on Dealing with Emetophobia:
1. Always wash your hands- if you keep your hands clean the chances of contracting anything are smaller and therefore you are largely reducing risks. If you stay away from potential threats and stay clean, there is no reason to worry.
2. Trust restaurants- I tend to eat at restaurant chains, busy ones. This gives me the piece of mind that whatever they're cooking has got to be decent. I enjoy meals out with my friends and I don't want my phobia to interfere with my social life. We eat at restaurants that I'm comfortable with, (I also tend to eat the same meal as someone else I am with, its reassuring as even if you feel ill afterwards, they can tell you that its all in your head!)
3. Chewing gum- Peppermint suppresses nausea and the chewing motion helps your digestive system start up again in times of panic which often stops the horrible feeling in my stomach. Some other emetophobes I know prefer mints, as well as antacids such as Rennie and Gaviscon tablets, reducing stomach acid also often helps getting your appetite back and calming your stomach- obviously stick to dosages and only take them in times of need. Chewing gum and mints are always my go-to.
4. CAUTION: this one's a bit gross!
Burping often helps- its easy to mistake the feeling of air coming up for a different feeling. Burping can often solve the problem quicker than you might expect. It makes you feel less full and will often remove the sick feeling you thought you had.
5. If you're feeling panicky/'sick'/anxious- get up and walk into the next room. Go and do something to take your mind off worrying. It's easy to convince yourself that you don't feel well when you analyse everything you're feeling. Go and have a conversation with someone, get a drink, go for a walk. ANYTHING.
Despite telling you all of these things, I still sometimes forget to do them myself. It's tricky to think logically when you're scared.
If you want any advice or just someone to talk to then feel free to speak to me whenever.
You'd be surprised how many people are feeling just the same as you.
I hope this was somewhat helpful!
'til next time
Hannah xoxox
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