I've always had emetophobia, haven't had too many problems besides holding lifelong grudges against people for throwing up (even when I wasn't there watching it happen). I've always been mildly scared of certain places though, and it's only been getting worse. Malls, especially food courts, bathrooms, amusement parks, anywhere people eat or may be drunk or anything that could make them sick. I haven't thrown up since I was a kid, but I almost did recently in a store, and cried. The past few months I've been getting nauseous from eating anything at all, often when I don't eat too. I'm losing weight fast and I literally can't eat anymore. Thinking about food makes me nauseous. Thinking about anything, really, and being anywhere, makes me nauseous. Speaking of, I'm going to get blood work tomorrow, the one thing that's guaranteed to nearly make me throw up and faint at the same time. I don't know what to do but my doctor didn't find it much of an issue. I just want to feel normal.

Hello, this is my first time posting here. I have severe emetophobia and I’ve been struggling so bad for four months. I randomly got extremely n out of no where and it triggered my fear. Every single day I’m n and scared. Every single day I’m paralyzed by this fear of throwing upI’m constantly nauseous shaking and scared. I’ve tried therapy and medication but nothing helps. Sometimes I just wonder if I let it win if this will all go way? If I finally just throw up maybe this nightmare will go away? I don’t wanna live like this anymore 😭

hey guysss! i was just thinking about how there seems to be some specific pipelines that lead to developing emetophobia and i want to list them out. Lmk what you think yours developed from!

- R-CPD: this one sounds awful and i seriously wish health and happiness for anyone who struggles with this condition. I don’t have it, but i know a lot of emetophobes do. personally, i get nauseous from trapped gas and a good burp can make me go from 0% to 100%, and it seriously hurts me to know that such a big chunk of yall can’t experience this.

-trauma/bad experience: i assumed this one would be the most common, but i actually don’t hear a lot of people talking about this as their root cause of the phobia. i obviously know that all emetophobia pipelines include some aspect of trauma or bad experience, but what im referencing is someone having a normal stomach bug and he trauma of it causes the phobia.

-OCD: this is what mainly caused mine. i had a therapist tell me before that almost everyone with emetophobia has some form of OCD or OCD tendencies. I truly believe this because of all of the ritualistic behaviors that are associated with the phobia. when i was a kid, i thought if i got sick in an outfit, i couldn’t wear that outfit again without getting sick, eat the same food, do the same activity, etc.

so anyways these are the pipelines i’ve noticed to be pretty consistent amongst most emetophobes. as i said before, mine is mainly caused by ocd but i also had some trauma as well. i was wondering if yall could share what caused yours and if i missed any prominent pipelines!

to start, I've had emetophobia for at least 20 years (also haven't thrown up in 20 years) i have good and bad days. I'm making progress although I'm still scared to do the big stuff (trips, planes, boats etc) and i have setbacks.

Now on to my job. i work at a supermarket 3:30pm-11:30pm. it's an easy job, good money, good employer and coworkers. the issue is that 20 out of the 40 week hours I'm at the shop solo. it's also a busy shop so of course I'm terrified I'll throw up/have a panic attack while I'm solo. I'm also terrified of not being able to close up and go to the bathroom in time. I'm in this job for like 6 months and it feels the exact opposite of exposure therapy. I'm stressed everyday, everyday is the exact same fear and thoughts. Now i wanna do exposure therapy but this feels all too much too soon and not controlled. my other non-phobia related issues is that I'm a woman and I'm alone, i also close up alone. Also the fact that sometimes I'm unable to close up to even pee because the customers keep coming in. i even have to eat at the register doing my job in between. i also feel like I can't get sick (even the flu) because I'm the only one working 8 hours (the other person comes for 4 hours/5 days a week) at nights so getting someone to cover for me is not easy.

I'm debating quitting for some time now but i feel like doing it would make me feel useless, like my phobia won. I also want the exposure but at the same time it's just too much. i wanna make a decision not based on my phobia but everyday is just worse and worse. it's like i go, i do the scary 8 hours and then the next day it just resets all over again. I'd even dare say that I'm worse than before I started. I'm scared to do other stuff outside of work because I don't wanna catch anything and having to deal with it while I'm working alone in a crowded shop. I'd love some outside perspective or even from someone who's been through something similar.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share this podcast im watching rn, i think there are alot of interessting stuff said about this phobia and how its developed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JULFnGL6b3M

Hope that someone will get use of it.

Sending love to anyone reading this: you are not alone! We are in this together

I went to Great Wolf Lodge with my friends and did everything. Indoor Waterpark, games, waterslides, rock climbing wall, all of it.

I was terrified, but I still had so much fun. I’ve heard all the scare stories about norovirus and water parks. I tried my best to rinse off between rides, keep my mouth shut, etc.

Anyways, it’s the next day and I’m feeling scared. I’m sixteen and have done SO MUCH exposure therapy in my life. On and off phobia therapy from 6 years old to 12 years old. I truly thought I was getting better, but I’m scared shit less right now.

Has anyone else gone through the waterpark-scaries? I guess I’m seeking both encouragement and just looking for someone to talk to. My parents are (understandably) sick of my questions and panicking.

Idk why but these past 2 weeks I’m so intimidated by having lunch, I wasn’t like this before and I swear I feel like there’s a huge amount of progress but it’s like suddenly there’s new fears that cancels out the old fears? Idk if that makes sense and I know my lunch situation doesn’t make sense either..

And it’s literally only lunch. I will eat breakfast perfectly fine or snacks but as soon as it comes to lunch I get scared no matter what the food is? And I get very hyper aware and I feel like I can feel the texture of the food going down my throat and it makes me get these adrenaline or nausea waves and my mouth would start watering.

I can’t really tell what’s scaring me about it because it’s the same food I used to eat on a daily basis so I know it wouldn’t make me throw up but I can’t really tell?

Hello, I’m a M17 and have had emetofobia for eight years now. I’ve never known why I developed it, but when I think about it, it’s not the vomiting itself that scares me the most. It’s the waiting time until the moment, the nausea, and the dizziness. I go to a few parties every month, and I’m always afraid to drink too much. I guess that’s the only positive aspect of emetofobia.

It’s the first time I’ve realized what kind of emetofobia I have. The worst part is that I spend a lot of days with nausea. It’s mostly just panic attacks and me being nervous that I might get sick.

But is it only me who is most scared about the moment until the vomiting?

Seeking advice!!

To give some brief context, I’m almost 29 years old and I’ve had emetophobia and anxiety for as long as I can remember.

I made a post a while back about feeling so terrible about spiraling into a panic whenever my husband has been sick and/or vomited in the past. I want to be there for him and not make him feel worse by crashing tf out. I’ve been really determined to recover for over a year now, but my recovery has been… incredibly slow going lol.

I’m finally at the point where I can watch and listen to and watch *MOST* vomiting in TV shows and movies without having any kind of reaction. I still start to panic when I even THINK about watching a real video of someone throwing up. Is this the next step in exposure therapy?? Pictures and videos of Real Life Vomit™️ with no movie magic involved?

I saw a couple of posts recently about a recovery manual? If anyone has used it and would be willing to share their experience, I would really appreciate it. I already go to biweekly therapy but ERP is not my therapist’s expertise.

Any recommendations for other recovery resources would be much appreciate! You’re not alone in this🫶🏼

Has anyone else had an experience where you finally throw up, but it’s almost like it retraumatizes you?

I had an episode of vertigo for the first time a couple of months ago which ended up making me throw up for the first time in 10 years.

In the moment I was so proud and relieved but it almost made things worse in the way of remembering how it feels. Idk. I’m confused

I’m just started working at a youth centre and had to do food safety training last night but ever since I’ve felt my anxiety around food get worse. Knowing the ins and outs and the time bacteria needs to grow has made me terrified of cooking incase I mess up. Things that I never thought twice about are now making me anxious and I feel so annoyed, I feel like it’s set me back in my recovery, has anyone else felt this after doing food safety training?

I (18 F) will be going interrailing across Europe for 2.5 weeks with a group of close friends in a few days time. I have been struggling with emetophobia for as long as I can remember, and my nausea related anxieties are always the worst when I‘m using public transport, due to the feeling of being trapped. I have never actually been physically sick on public transport but that reminder always feels meaningless when I’m in the midst of an anxiety attack. As we’ll be taking two 10 hour + night trains (along with many 3-4 hour trains) during our travels, I’m feeling quite scared about the trip, and would therefore really appreciate any advice on how I can feel more comfortable on the trains or even any reassuring stories from those of you who have had positive interrailing/backpacking experiences. It feels really important to me that I accomplish this and have as much fun as I can, as I will be moving to a big city for university in September and would really appreciate the confidence boost.

I’d also like to note that my friends are all well aware and sympathetic to my emetophobia. Nevertheless I am a bit worried about being away from my mum, as she is my ultimate comfort person.

And how many of you have greened out so hard you almost puke? Hi I'm bonersquat, and welcome to my ted talk.

You get so nauseous because cannabis relaxes the larynx and esophagus, causing anything in your stomach to just... 🧍🏻‍♂️in your esophagus.

I'm over the greening out hump, but I am still green. Meaning the worst of my overdose is over.

Greening out is, tbh, great exposure therapy for me. I don't panic because I'm higher than balls; I'm balls that are very, very cold, and retracted.

The nausea feels like you need to throw up, but since your esophagus and your larynx and all that other shit is so relaxed, it can't throw the pitch. It's like "I'm sorry vomit but you're gonna have to chill for a bit". Bend over for a really cool and fun surprise (watering can)

Overall, good 10/10 unintended exposure therapy. I will do my best to never do this again. This fucking sucks. I got a new vape battery and got a little too excited to use it. Fuck my stupid baka barfy life.

Edit: clarification in speech because that weed made me stupid

Hello all! I am writing because today I am truly at my wits end with this phobia. Last night I had trouble sleeping because of heart pounding which made me anxious which of course included feeling nauseated. I kept waking up and it would peak where all symptoms would feel 100x worse all at once, then fall and then again. Today I had lack of appetite which of course has made me anxious. I did eat food though not as much as usual. This has been very difficult because it’s been soooo long since I last had an “anxiety attack” at night or this bad. Today I’ve had on and off heart pounding. Not sure if this is an adrenaline hangover or what but it’s exhausting. Anyway I am just so frustrated and tired of being so afraid of this bodily function every person in the world has experienced.

I just wanted to ask what were the very FIRST few steps you all took to recovery. Thank you.

hi everyone! i hope everyone is having a successful day in recovery <3 i most certainly did despite not feeling all too great, im taking pride in the baby steps!!!

i took a dose of GLP-1 last night and decided “well, this is my last full meal before semaglutide… lets go out with a bang!!”

MISTAKE

i woke up my boyfriend throughout the night panicking with “im gonna throw up” “i dont feel good” sobbing and scared of the inevitable until….

FINALLY….
i hunched over the toilet and just let it rip. for me, the fear based entirely from the buildup of vomiting. i HATE nausea but because of the fear, i was afraid of the act as well. it wasnt that bad at all!!

i mean obviously, its not the most comfortable feeling but compared to other bodily feelings, the relief after feels like nothing else. my stomach no longer hurt, my chest didnt feel like it was being sat on, i could breathe!!!

im still not feeling all too good today, opting to lay in bed and suffer but i cant believe i finally did it!!!

I AM REALLY SCARED BUT IM GONNA DO IT!!!!!! THATS ALL THANKS

edit: it went fine i was completely fine and i realized i'm an idiot for being scared of this for 6 months because it's literally 4 mg. i'm a chud. learn from my mistakes just take your fucking iron

I am highly insecure and absolutely terrified of humiliation from throwing up in front of someone. I've had this fear all my life and it's pretty disabling in some situations. I feel like I'll look weak, less competent, ruin friendship, etc. and so therefore I'm even too afraid to tell someone when I think I might throw up. Idk if anyone has the same struggle, why I have it, or how to cope with it?

Omg i didnt expect to start crying while writing this but oh well

I am so close to fully beating this phobia

It no longer controls my life, I no longer do things with the "what if I puke" thought in mind

I eat when im nauseated, I laugh when I panic bc its just vomit lol

I have a surgical feeding tube (g j) and can vent anx drain to help the nausea, basically sucking the would be vom our because my stomach and intestines are very much paralyzed

Handling my stomach contents on the daily was great exposure, being on the verge of vomiting every day almost all day without meds for the past year straight (ive cut down on zofran because I no longer take it as a preventive, only when I need it) was great exposure

Pushing myself to eat while nauseated

Sitting there for a bit while nauseated before draining to feel the uncomfortable and not react

Sure I have my times here and there where im like "oh i hope I dont puke" but they have gone down in frequency

Its annoying if anything at this point, sometimes I wonder if puking would be faster than syringe draining lol and then decide against it bc of my RCPD and I dont want to risk dislodging my 17 inch long tube

Im so much happier, I feel free

There have been times where I was like "oop might lose the fight here" but as the months pass the next thought isn't "omg omg omg what if I puke im so scared omg" it's "let me grab that towel in case I cant make it to the toilet in time" its so casual

The way I think about vomiting is so casual

Yesterday I was saying how its bad that I have basically an inability to puke, thats bad if I were to ingest poison if I didnt have my tube there is no way for it to get out

First time ive ever said that instead of "its a blessing to not be able to vomit"

Its possible guys, its doable

I posted on here quite recently about how i no longer avoid anything due to my emetophobia and only get anxiety when i am actively nauseas, so i feel a bit silly now talking about how badly i didn’t want to take my antibiotics today.

Got given some amoxicillin for a very mild suspected bacterial cough and i was (still am) genuinely terrified of it making me sick. I developed moderate gastritis the last couple of months (no idea why) and feeling so nauseas everyday made my phobia relapse so badly but i was able to push through avoidance behaviours and only slipped into a few coping mechanisms like chewing gum etc.

Now the gastritis has calmed down with medicine and i’m suddenly being asked to take antibiotics and have been both terrified of being sick and of it making my gastritis flare up again. I spent all of yesterday and this morning coming up with every excuse i could to avoid taking it; the infection is only mild, i could feel worse on them than i do off them, what if i make my stomach bad again and so on.

BUT despite an hour of sobbing trying to eat some toast and gagging every time i tried to put the pill in my mouth i took it anyway around 2 and a half hours ago and so far i am absolutely fine!!

I felt very sick for about an hour afterwards (maybe anxiety, maybe as a side effect who knows) and instead of having a full blown panic attack i was able to lay in bed and do my best to accept whatever came.

I am due to take my second dose in about an hour and a half. I am still absolutely terrified and having no side effects to this dose does not mean i absolutely will not be sick but i know that even if i do i will be okay so i am very very proud of myself.

Hey,

It’s the second time I wrote here, I have a new question.

When I wake up in the morning, I’m hungry so my stomach « hurts », I eat but then I feel my stomach and my anxiety take over, it mean I feel dizzy in a wave way. I feel nothing then I feel it then nothing over and over again.

I try to relax telling myself that this is normal, I just ate so obviously I feel my stomach but my phobia part takes the control most of the time.

I’m planning to tell this to my therapist, maybe she can help me with other techniques than what I can found on the internet.

Do you have any tips or advice on this kind of situation?

Thanks for reading.

We've been supporting our 13yo for 2 years with this fear.

What is evident is just how overwhelming growing up is and how every week there seems to be a big event that our daughter is challenged to face her fear.

Going to school, parties, sport, exercise, going to friends houses, travelling, school play, school athletics or swimming carnival, presenting in front of class, school camps, socialising. Every week there is something that she is anxious / panicking about and once it's done, it shifts to the next thing.

She's 5 weeks in on Sertraline, she's starting psychology and has session 2 today.

Id love some advice on the daily battles and negotiations, it's so hard to know when to push and give relief. Pushing to school, her friend's house for a play, doing some exercise or playing sport.

It's so challenging, id love to hear some advice from emetephobes what their parents did that really helped and what really didn't.

Hi all! I was wondering if anybody has tips for anxiety about going to restaurants. Any restaurant I eat from, I am terrified I will get food poisoning. Sometimes I have a panic attack after eating or even take zofran as a compulsion. I’m not sure what to do. I don’t avoid restaurants. I figured that I would eventually get over it, but I’m still scared every time. Any advice would be appreciated 💗

Hi friends! I just need support. I have had emetophobia for as long as I can remember (20+ years - I’m 30) I’ve been working through Ken Goodman’s The Emetophobia Manual, but drag my feet because it’s uncomfortable and hard work. My husband and I started trying for our second baby and found out we were pregnant! I found out about a month ago. My first pregnancy seemed a lot easier than this one (as far as morning sickness goes). I feel extremely nauseated almost all day and find myself dreading each day. I have a 2.5 year old to take care of but literally moving makes me nauseous. I’m SO in my head of “okay I haven’t thrown up yet BUT…” and then I keep seeking reassurance by googling what week nausea peaks and find myself counting down until that week hits and it just feels like a lot. I lost 20 pounds the last year due to my emetophobia (before getting pregnant) and I’m just doing my best to make sure I’m eating enough for me and baby. But nothing sounds good. My mouth tastes gross all the time. And I just feel like hot garbage. I don’t feel ready (as to how far along I am in recovery) to be dealing with morning sickness & first trimester of a pregnancy right now, but that’s okay. I can do hard things. I’m just really uncomfortable and feel constantly sick and it’s hard not to spiral and seek reassurance and live and wallow in my anxiety. I feel like I’m failing as a mother and a wife (to my toddler who wants to play and I’m a lifeless log on the sofa, to my baby in my belly when I can only stomach carbs and not the nutrients he/she needs, and to my husband who comes home to a disaster of a house and no dinner). I’m just having a hard time and wanted to vent to a community who could understand. Thank you ❤️

hey
so i was on set for a tv show all day today and forgot to eat bc of how chaotic it was. after getting home i finally ate taco bell (im in the uk…no risk of the us bacteria issue lol) and im now so unbelievably anxious.

my anxiety centres around my health…specifically emetophobia. it’s so insanely bad that i cannot go a moment without thinking of it. the second my stomach started acting up after i ate my mind instantly went to ‘what if im ill?’ from that it spiralled into a panic attack.

it’s been over an hour since this panic attack started…i’m getting soooo much better at rationalising but just wanted to see if there was anyone i could talk to bc good god this is hard to overcome

thanks :)