Is there anyone else out there who suffers from Emetophobia?
how do you deal with it?
what do you eat when you're afraid to eat anything?
Fear of throwing up?
Emetophobia is so common. It helps to know that even if you do throw up, you will be ok. People throw up everyday. Try to discover what your fear really is with throwing up. You do need to eat though, try eating simple things at least like toast, drink Ensure, things that you know sit well with you.
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Guest
Hey there. I feel your pain I really do. This is a fear I deal with every single day, and I haven't thrown up in like 2 years or more. I usually try to do some deep breathing when it gets very bad. Sometimes I can eat, sometimes I can't. But probably more than 99% of the time you are not going to throw up-especially from eating. Stay strong, remember it is just another fear to work on.
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Guest
I share this fear, though I was unaware that it had a name. "Emetophobia"! I've never heard of it. I thought for years that I was just motion sick because I always had a fear of throwing up while traveling, but then I realized it was anxiety related. I am now curious as to what others' symptoms are, and how you found out this was your fear...
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Guest
i used to have this fear. i did anything to not throw up BUT i finally threw up and realised sometimes you need to and when your stomach hurts throwing up can help make it go away and NOW i dont fear throwing up because i did it and lived through it and am fine. but seriosly when ihad that fear i hadnt thrown up for years. last yr is when i threw up alot. i had two flus last yr and nausea from anxiety and culdnt control it. it sucks to throw up but i realized there are alot worse things tha throwing up. sorry im sure this doesnt help much but I too had this fear for a long time and it'll pass
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Guest
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Guest
This was a HUGE anxiety for me growing up. I was rail-thin because I barely ate anything - worried that I'd eat too much, or eat something spoiled, or something that just didn't sit right with me and I'd throw up. My worst fear was eating at a restaurant and throwing up in front of everyone - I totally avoided restaurants for many many years, and when I did go I never ate anything - I was too nervous!!
I didn't even want kids because I was so worried about morning sickness. But then I did get pregnant, and I did have morning sickness - and here's what I learned.
1) The throwing up itself wasn't bad at all - it's the feeling of not being able to breathe while you're puking that is what used to frighten me so much as a child. So I made sure I took in deep breaths in between vomiting, and I assured myself that it was a natural bodily function and I wouldn't asphyxiate from it.
2) Eating will not make me throw up. If I'm too nervous to eat then I focus on relaxing my stomach. If I feel nauseous after a meal it's usually just gas/bloatiness (and my overreaction to it). So I make sure I drink a lot of water afterwards to stay hydrated, and just let the uncomfortable feeling be, without analyzing it. Amazingly, when I just let it be it passes very quickly - again it's just a part of the digestive process that over the years I've always blown way out of proportion.
3) People throw up all the time. I now have 2 kids, who thankfully almost never throw up, but when they do I don't make a big deal out of it like my mother used to do. Everybody does it, it's totally natural. And after going through college and seeing so many people just up and yak into the bushes while walking home from the bar, I'd say more people have puked in public than you'd think!
I still don't eat a whole lot at each sitting, I don't like that stuffed feeling. But it turns out that's the healthy way to eat - smaller portions
I didn't even want kids because I was so worried about morning sickness. But then I did get pregnant, and I did have morning sickness - and here's what I learned.
1) The throwing up itself wasn't bad at all - it's the feeling of not being able to breathe while you're puking that is what used to frighten me so much as a child. So I made sure I took in deep breaths in between vomiting, and I assured myself that it was a natural bodily function and I wouldn't asphyxiate from it.
2) Eating will not make me throw up. If I'm too nervous to eat then I focus on relaxing my stomach. If I feel nauseous after a meal it's usually just gas/bloatiness (and my overreaction to it). So I make sure I drink a lot of water afterwards to stay hydrated, and just let the uncomfortable feeling be, without analyzing it. Amazingly, when I just let it be it passes very quickly - again it's just a part of the digestive process that over the years I've always blown way out of proportion.
3) People throw up all the time. I now have 2 kids, who thankfully almost never throw up, but when they do I don't make a big deal out of it like my mother used to do. Everybody does it, it's totally natural. And after going through college and seeing so many people just up and yak into the bushes while walking home from the bar, I'd say more people have puked in public than you'd think!
I still don't eat a whole lot at each sitting, I don't like that stuffed feeling. But it turns out that's the healthy way to eat - smaller portions
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Guest
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Guest
Hey there. I am sorry to hear about your fear, I have that same fear as well and have since I was in 4th grade. I was sick for 2 years and up with dry heaves most nights. Ever since then I have been deathly afraid of throwing up, but it wasn't until I turned 19 that it started keeping me from going out in public or even leaving the house becuase I'm scared I will do it anytime and any place. I just started the program last night and have been searching for help with this phobia everyday. The smallest bodily function or symptom that occurs I take as a sign that I might get sick, like if I get a funny taste in my throat or if my mouth waters or my stomach gets sick. I have a lot of trouble eating. So I completely understand where you are coming from. 6 years ago was the last time I threw up. And before that it had been 11 years. I got food poisoning 6 years ago when I was 19 and threw up. I felt extremeley better after throwing up but i still fear it like no tomorrow. What I am really scared of I think is losing control and that I won't stop vomiting or that I won't be able to swallow or that the bad taste won't go away and that I won't know what to do. My mom said I just need to keep making myself puke, but I have read a lot that making yourself throw up isn't the best way to handle it, case in point, those of us who have thrown up haven't cured our fear, it works for some people but for most it doens't. We need to change our reactions and the way we think about it. I'm honestly not sure where to begin with this phobia, I'm contemplating getting hypnotherapy. I hope you can overcome this and I hope I can as well.