Thanks for all the response people, I really appreciate it!
Originally Posted by
Tig
I have emetophobia and it affects my life really badly. It's good that you care enough to ask people and try and find out more information for your friend :)
Thank you. It’s just really hard for me to grasp, and she doesn’t like talking much about it (which I respect), so I have to look for information somewhere else. I don’t want to impose, but I still want to understand.
Originally Posted by
Tig
There are lots of different therapies out there for emetophobia though I believe the best treatment is supposed to be CBT. Hypnotherapy can also help with phobias.
Maybe I miss something now, but what is CBT? Anyways, she is in therapy, and have been for quite some years. But due to moving she has had to build a relationship to different therapists, and they’ve never really ”reached” anything. It’s a shame, but she says she’s still benefitted a lot from it, so that’s good. :)
Originally Posted by
Tig
As you probably know, emetophobia is a phobia of being sick, or other people being sick. Some people (like me) fear both, which I think is actually the case for a lot of people. What sort of things do you want to know?
x
She has both, like you describe here. I’m not really sure about what questions to ask. I wonder, in what degree does it affect your personal/social life? Does it stop you from doing special things? I know that for her it goes together with a form of eating disorder, it’s certain food she really doesn’t tolerate. Is there anything else I should be aware of, at least that’s common?
Originally Posted by
control freak
I dont know if it's ever "officially" diagnosed, but I have it. I presume you are talking about the fear of vomiting? Mine isn't as extreme as some people's. I dont worry about germs that much (obviously if someone is ill I stay away as much as I can) but I dont disinfect surfaces or keep washing my hands to prevent me from getting ill.
Yes, that’s it. Is there a reason why you haven’t had it diagnosed? In what way do you react when around persons that are ill?
Originally Posted by
control freak
I dont actually remember the last time I was sick through being ill (I can remember being sick when drunk but I was quite out of it so it didnt really bother me) but whenever someone else is sick I get really panicky. I cant stand the sound either so I have to put on music. If I have to walk past the bathroom where someone has vomited I hold my breath and wont physically go in until it's been cleaned and a few days have passed!
So the sight and sound can trigger the bad feelings? Okay, that’s good for me to know. How do you get ”panicky”?
Originally Posted by
control freak
When I get stomach aches now I'm generally a lot better. I used to freak out and convince myself I would be sick. I have a lot of coping mechanisms now though from doing dialectical behaviour therapy so that helps when the panic rises.
She has this, she panics during stomach aches and such. In what way do you react to this? What helps you through this? That could be very good for me to know.
Originally Posted by
control freak
I think it's really good you are posting here in order to get help for your friend. I suppose just being there for her is an enormous help in itself.
Thank you. Yes, I know she appreciates it. She doesn’t really say it with words, but you know, you just sense it. There’s just a few people she has told, so I feel honoured in a way. And by showing me that trust, I want to grab the chanse of really being able to support her. (And I have this thing about helping people, I just really when people are in emotional pain). :)
Originally Posted by
Aimee in Wonderland
I have this! And I know many of other RYLers who do, so it's not as uncommon as it may seem.
Oh, I’m sorry, I was under the impression that it’s uncommon. At least I haven’t heard of it before. Hmm… But that’s good to know, that makes it easier to grasp I think.
Originally Posted by
Aimee in Wonderland
It sounds like what you have done already has been amazing, that you've talked with her about it. Even just that would have produced anxiety for her I would imagine, as I know for me I'm rather ashamed about being emetophobic! Just cause it seems "silly". So certainly when you are talking with your friend, try to get her to understand it's not silly, how she feels is a valid feeling but that she doesn't have to fear (and that's where the therapy comes in).
Thank you. She was actually the one who brought it up, during a weak moment. I’m really glad for the trust, so I’m doing my best. And yes, just talking about it made her really uncomfortable, but hopefully I managed to convince her that I take it seriously, and that I care. :)
She knows it’s irrational, but it’s still there, you know. And I’m not going to tell her it’s ”stupid” or anything like that, I have accepted how things are – I just want to better understand it. Especially how it can affect the normal daily life. I’m a stranger to how this can ”control” people (I have some experience with social anxiety, but it’s not really the same thing).
Originally Posted by
Aimee in Wonderland
What sort of situations do you and your friend experience together, has she mentioned to you anything you can do to help? I've told my friends not to even mention being sick, and if they do they tend to quickly apologise cause they understand it makes me uncomfortable, and I've gotten better hearing about it and talking about it.
Well, she gets a really bad feeling if she understands that I hide something from her. And still, she doesn’t want to think about things like this. So, I need to find a kind of balance, how to talk normal to her without making her feel left out, and how not to offend or cause any anxiety. Not that topics like this is common, though. :P
We attend the same school, so we eat lunch together and such. We also live pretty close to eachother, so we hang out and watch movies and just have fun really. We also communicate very well, and that’s why she has ”let me in” on this. In these situations things are normally fine, but I kind of want to know what situations that COULD emerge. If you understand. :)
Originally Posted by
Aimee in Wonderland
But otherwise I really wouldn't make much of a "big deal" about it. Sorry not much advice really but just wanted to say I understand as I have this phobia too, and really if you're just understanding and open to listening to her and her phobia without being judgemental, that should help her to be brave enough to talk about it.
Thank you. And yes, that’s mostly how things are. I don’t want to impose or dive into anything that doesn’t feel right for her. But I still want to know if there are anything I should be aware of, if you get my point? Certain situations, feelings, how to deal with the anxiety attacks and such? That’s why I ask the more general questions here, so I don’t have to trouble her just because I’m not familiar with this.
Originally Posted by
Aimee in Wonderland
Any thing else you want to know, don't hesitate to ask :)
Aimee x
Thanks. Well, it’s mostly the things already mentioned. How it affects the daily life, really. And how to handle it when it occurs.
Originally Posted by
TheHeroYouHate
I have emetophobia and have done for quite a while.
There's nothing much I can really add but PM me if you have any questions :]
Thank you. Well, if you could give your answers to the questions right above here, it would be appreciated. :)
*
And thanks everyone, I did not know it was this common. That kind of makes it easier. And… I know it’s not easy to talk about. But if you could imagine how you wanted your own friends to act in according to this, and… Well, say what you wish everybody knew. It would be very appreciated. I really just want to learn. :)
EDIT:
Like I said, not many know about this side of her, and that's how she wants it. So she feels she has to hide a lot from others. That's where I just really want to be a "safe-sone". =)
