I'm a girl who has emetophobia but you described it better than anyone else could. I'm not just terrified of vomiting myself. I'm terrified of vomiting myself and seeing other people get sick. It's the worst. But thank you for making me feel like I'm not alone.
ik it’s horrible! but being scared of yourself being sick is even worse you can’t run away from your self or avoid being sick but you can avoid other people
It's a nightmare. I can cope with colds but not stomach bugs. I hate vomiting. It's absolutely disgusting. I can't use public toilets incase someone comes in and throws up as has happened to me in the past.
I remember one time before my wife and I got married when she got food poisoning. I went out on my back balcony and sat with headphones in for four hours until a friend came and picked me up. I sat out there rocking and trying not to lose it, and I remember her coming out to check on me. I couldn't look at her, wouldn't let her touch me, I would scoot away when she got close... The guilt that I had for leaving her was so immense and I don't think that people ever touch on that. This shit fucks people up.
I have crippling emetophobia, but when I think about a bf/partner I really feel love for, strangely they are the only ones who don't turn my stomach at the notion of caring for them when they're sick. I'd go so far as to rather it be me, than to see them in any discomfort, even though it would be far more debilitating for me to endure. It's a funny way of measuring my love for someone. I'm probably the only person sitting on a date, eating dinner, making small talk, and secretly thinking-would I be willing to be with you and support you when you're throwing up, lol. Hope you've managed to conquer some of that fear through the years.
I have emetophobia as well. It affects me every day, it affects what I eat, my sleep, my relationships, my grades, everything. It's truly one of the most scariest phobias because it's root is something that is completely out of your control. It has been better for me lately, so let me just talk to you, anyone who needs help right now. First, what you are feeling right now is all in your head. That nausea you're feeling, your mouth watering, your throat constricting, your temperature rising, those are all your body's responses to your anxiety. Breathe. Relax. Breathe. Relax. You're okay. You're safe. You're healthy. Second, what is going to happen is going to happen and there is nothing you can do about it, okay? If you truly have to throw up (not saying you will!!!) you will. You're strong and this will not hurt you. Your mind has a way of magnifying things. Throwing up is not as scary as it seems to you right now. Close your eyes, it'll be over soon. You're fine. You're going to be fine. Throwing up is a rare defense mechanism, and it is your body's *last resort*. But if it has to go there, it will. But it's not a bad thing. Your body is looking out for you. Look at how smart and kind your body is! Don't worry. It knows exactly what to do and it will take care of you. Lastly, I know what you're feeling. Your heartbeat is in your ears and you can feel the adenaline coursing through your veins and your brain flashing signals "*CODE RED CODE RED CODE RED*" Believe me, it's happened to me a million times😂 Just breathe. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Feel the air filling your lungs and whistling through your mouth as you breathe out. Just how God made you! God knows how you feel, and it pains him to see you so scared and in pain. He's with you and he's holding you and is telling you he's here. You're okay. You're okay.
Hey man thanks for this video. I'm a male and I have this fear as well. It is so bad that it's taking over my life , I've tried to fight this but it's too fucking much. Everything your saying I can relate to it so much. I'm glad I'm not alone. Sometimes I wish I had someone to talk to, when I try to talk to one of my friends about it they just scratch their heads. Thank you for this video
Hey man, we're not alone. I'm from Mexico and I Have emetophobia as well, I don't have any friend close to me to talk with about this, wish I could have one. Greetings and good luck with this!
If any of you guys have Kik, there's a chat we made for this. The tag is emetophobia chat and the title is emetophobia(monitored) Its monitored because the original chat had a host that didnt chat and it was filled with inactive people and bots
I was on a plane and saw a flight attendant giving a passenger a sick bag and I started having a panic attack and we had to shut off our electronics and I didn't care and I grabbed my phone and headphones and blasted my music till landing and every so often I would take of one and hear something being dropped inside the bag and I almost cried. My parents don't understand and I hear stories of supportive parents but mine will hold me down and make me watch a movie to the extent of me screaming crying and nearly throwing up myself, it was one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever had
I was once stuck in the car with my mom vomiting into a bag beside me. It’s easily the most traumatizing moment I have ever experienced. I almost want to cry because how stressed I am about my phobia :(
This phobia has been pretty ok for me the last year or so. Until about 2 months ago, I was suddenly awoken by my brother throwing up in the hallway just outside my room. I grabbed my headphones and went back to bed, trying to sleep with a full on panic attack. The worst thing was, it was in the comfort of my own home, the only place i ever feel safe, and the second part was that it was directly outside my room so i was forced to walk over where it had been the next day and so on. That kind of triggered it again. Ugh.
I relate to you so much, I never knew I suffered with it until I watched this. I have been terrified of this for years and I have never talked to anyone about it. I didn't know it was the cause of most of my anxiety attacks and now you've talked about it, I should probably talk to my parents about this. Thank-you Tom.
This fear came back stronger just 4 days ago, I can't eat or go out at all. I have this horrible feeling that Im going to get sick and I feel like something is going to happen. I feel trapped because I also suffer from derealization for 6 months. I have extreme panic attacks, the worst I have ever experienced. This seems never ending and I'm terrified 24/7. I cry and cry nonstop shaking and trying not to go crazy. If anyone needs a prayer I will pray for you.
Emetophobia has the devastating ability to turn its sufferers into horrid human beings; I know, because it happened to me. My family & I were in a diner yesterday afternoon when an elderly gentleman at a nearby table began to be sick. Immediately I covered my ears, started humming to myself, and closed my eyes, but because I felt trapped and increasingly anxious, I completely lost my composure and experienced a public meltdown. The panic attack consisted of everything you described as well as some outward-directed behaviours of which I am definitely not proud. paying for my drink, nearly knocked another patron onto his bum in my madness, demanded someone else “pardon me” (yes, you can most certainly demand someone pardon you ~ trust me on this) so I could get out of the building immediately, and then refused to eat for the remainder of the day. Anyhow, thank you for posting. It is actually quite nice to realise I’m not alone (though I may well be the most bonkers in my behaviour.) Cheers.
My Emetophobia is very bad. I have had it since 1st grade and it feels like there's no escape! I also do the headphone thing at night. I can't stop washing my hands, and if someone in my house is sick I block my door, wear a coughing mask and gloves. It gets really hard. In school kids spit on me and say they are "Throwing up". My panic attacks are daily and all I think about is someone getting sick or me getting sick. Panic attacks kind of feel like my neck is closing and that I'm drowning. My friends don't understand and I hate avoiding them but I have to. I wash my hands 20 times a day (no joke) and if I was around someone who was sick I can't eat at least 2-3 days after. I have OCD and ADHD and it's really hard. It's nice to know that other people have Emetophobia and people talking about it. Thank you
Damn. I can't even drink because I'm afraid it will cause me to be sick. This video really helped me. Thank you it's nice to know other guys suffer from this too. Mine hits me the most when I'm in class for some reason
Dude, you hit the nail on the head so much in this video, but where you REALLY got me was when you said it seems worse when you're in a position where you can't easily get out of. I hate not being in control of my surroundings... Not being able to just get up and leave... I need to know where a washroom is whenever I go somewhere... I can't be in a car for longer than 10 minutes without anxiety and panic setting in. I've pulled out chunks of hair and skin because of it. I need water with me at all times, and my medication and gravol are always in my purse. I can't eat at restaurants, no one can cook for me because my OCD is germ-based because of emetophobia... So when I don't know the brand of ingredients or I don't know how clean utensils or pots/pans were, I just can't. The people who know me the most know all of this and thankfully are very understanding. But literally, just the other day, I took my friend to a movie (we went to see IT and I had to check to see if it was what I call "Mel safe"... It is. A guy projectile "vomits" some black stuff but it's like... Tar or something like that) and I always go to the VIP showings because there are no kids allowed and you can choose your seats. I always choose the seats closest to the exit/an aisle seat and the washroom is right next to the auditorium, so it's just sort of perfect for someone like me. I've had nights where I've literally stayed up all night trying to keep myself busy and entertained in my room because I felt sick... Usually from my anxiety getting so bad that I couldn't function. I can't swallow sometimes because I'm worried I'll choke/gag (pseudodysphagia)... When I was a child, I used to run to the washroom and start dry heaving the second I woke up before school. I was terrified of going to school. This really does affect pretty much every aspect of your life. My social life is messed up because I won't hang out with someone if they've been sick recently or even if someone in their family has been sick. I have a two week rule that they have to have been healthy for 2 weeks.. Symptom free as well as anyone in their family or anyone they've been in contact with. And I've literally said I'd rather die than get sick... Which means if I ever needed chemo, I wouldn't get treated. This fear causes such a lonely feeling. You become so isolated and isolating because of it and it sucks. Also, it's worth noting that one of the first I'd ever met who also had emetophobia (cuz I'd never met anyone else in person who had it) was a dude. I hadn't even thought about how it does appear to be mostly females who suffer, but I wonder if that's just because men feel that admitting to being afraid of this doesn't seem very "masculine"... Generally speaking, of course. Anyways, thank you for your video... I know it's a bit of an older video, but still. 💜
This is the first time I've ever seen a male perspective of Emetophobia on RUclips. I totally relate to everything you said here. Had "the fear" for as long as I can remember. I used to carry this small brown paper bag with me (this was in a heightened period of feeling sick 24/7 through nerves and anxiety). I still think Emetophobia is an illness not recognized enough, it's incredibly hard to live with. Ahh damn
If I start to feel sick, I only think about it and then I feel like vomiting even more, it's horrible. If I feel good I always say to myself it isn't that bad to vomit but when I feel sick everything else goes away and ich just think: „I don't wanna puke." And I try to finden ways to get over it🤔
I appreciate the way you describe your symptoms as mine are very similar. The headphones, the people in the house going to the bathroom, avoiding friends, public places, vacations ... EVERYTHING!! The panic is debilitating. I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I work at a large company with thousands of people and the winter months are the worst for me but I have to deal with it because life must go on. We know its irrational but damnit, can't control it. Thank you for making this video!
Thank you for doing this, I' ve been carrying a plastic bag around for months now and it's funny and sad at the same time that somebody got my same idea. I thought I was the only man with this problem
Matt Orsini same omg my sister gets car sick sometimes and recently we went on a 5h car journey and had to have a plastic bag near me so if she felt sick I would be prepared
tbh as years have gone by, my emetophobia has started to piss me off. Like can it just PLEASE leave me the fuck alone?! It's ruined my life and makes it impossible to focus on things that *actually* matter. 😞
I have emet and I literally just had an awful panic attack lol. I love people make videos on it though, I can always come to them when I'm done freaking out lol
Thank you so much for this. I’m going through a period at the moment where it’s taking over my life. Can’t sleep, can’t do a lot of things. My social life has taken a huge hit because of it and I feel so low.
I've had emetophobia since I was 9 years old my first panic attack was when I was eating chicken nuggets and I saw that they've expired I started crying and gagging crying for help because I didn't want to throw up after my first panic attack I was genuinely traumatized and because of that I developed an eating disorder I would not eat anymore because I would be afraid of getting stick from the food and end up throwing up my parents didn't understand what I had they would just say well nobody likes being sick and it just made it harder for me because every day i would have panic attacks and and my parents wouldn't be able to help me so i had to deal with it alone at school I would also have panic attacks and the kids in in my class would just make fun of me and I hated it I'm now 14 years years old years old and it's starting to get bad again in the past ive managed to not have any bad thoughts of throwing up or eating but it was not until I was eating a burrito and I woke up in the middle of the night with a really bad stomach ache and I was feeling nauseous and and I thought i was gonna get sick and that just triggered to one of my worst memories and now I can't eat and i feel nauseous everyday so it makes it harder for me to eat I just really hope I can overcome this phobia because it's taking over my life and I absolutely hate it
Thank you for sharing your story! Luckily i got nearly over it, still got small panic attacks when i feel nauseaus but trying to keep calm or either to accept your fate helps!
Just seeing everyone here with emetephobia, and myself also having it, it is very comforting to know that lots of people also feel the same! Good luck to everyone and may god bless you guys throughout these rough times.
It's that tight feeling in your throat and trembling feeling that I get. Just like you said, you thought you were going to be sick but you didn't actually feel sick.
i suffer the exact same. i had therapy as a child and nobody every told me about emetophobia. just pumped me full of weird drugs which made me feel worse. im glad people are talking about this now. only now at the age of 24 do i fully understand. Thankyou for spreading the word. I still deal with this now when i am not happy with the state of my life. i start going back to this. i didnt drive on the motorway after passing my test for a year incase i was sick. starved myself for a whole year twice. once at age 10-11 and then age 19-20.
I'm sad to see others suffer from this too, but I'm happy to not be alone. It's hard to describe the primal fear that just takes over. I'm afraid of planes because getting airsick is possible so I can't travel. I've never been carsick but every once in a while I have anxiety to the point where I feel carsick because I'm worried I'll get carsick. Same with boats. I'm afraid of getting pregnant because of morning sickness. I don't want to have kids because they inevitably get sick. I'm afraid of eating seafood because it seems like that's the easiest to get sick from. It just takes over. It's all consuming. You said your mom made a comment about not wanting chemo if she got cancer because she doesn't want to get sick. I'm the same. I explained to my best friend that cancer scares me not because it can kill me, but because the treatment can make me ill.
Does anyone else have emetephobia because they fucking HATE feeling like shit when they get sick? The buildup of when it happens sucks, when it's happening sucks and hurts and the aftermath fucking sucks too I HATE getting sick it literally takes my body weeks to recover, thank you so much for posting this, so many guys it seems, is unaffected by this fear
It helps alot knowing that im not alone in this phobia. I'm 16 years old from israel and i have been dealing with emetophobia for 5 years.. for me everytime i go somewhere far from home or feeling unsure about how to get back, i would get anxiety that would lead to me feeling sick and often gagging, it made me avoid so many opportunities to hang out with friends and do things i love just because i was terrified of the idea of feeling that anxiety again and maybe throwing up. 3 years ago it even got to a point where i was terrified of going to sleep because of it so i went to my bed shaking in fear. Which sucked. I know this video was uploaded 2 years ago but im just using this opportunity to share my experience from it incase it will help someone but i mostly do it so i can feel better about it. Anyways.. thanks for making the video, i also felt alone when seeing that "only" women suffer from this but now knowing its not true i feel better. Thx.
Everything you are saying I have lived. Amazing!! Scared of sick people and I plug my ears when people run to bathroom. And I take Great Measures to not get sick. I have tricks to not throw up. I'll be making a video about this subject soon!
Emetephobia caused me to start homeschooling 5 years ago. My sister still goes to school and she brings home a virus a couple times a month, so I isolate myself in my room until it's over :/
One of the worst things was when I was with an ex. I was driving her home from an event and she said she didn't feel good and looked visibly sick. Window down, not talking much, all of it. I was trying my best not to panic, but it kept getting worse. Over the probably 5 minute drive I felt like I lost my ability to speak, I was shaking almost uncontrollably, and getting the cold sweats. I got her to her house, and after she got out I drove off almost immediately. She ended up throwing up outside of her house before she even made it in and I couldn't be there for her. One of the most embarrassing moments for me, but I did talk to her and she understood. It's just nice to know I'm not the only person with it. Im going to try to get therapy soon, I just have too many avoidance habits with certain food, or places. And I still go into panic attacks whenever I feel slightly sick, and is seemingly getting worse because I haven't actually vomited in over 6 years.
Ive been commenting this on a few videos and multiple comments, but you are absolutely not alone. It's such a struggle dealing with this phobia, If you ever feel like you need a support group im an admin of a group on Facebook, anyone is welcome to join, we have chats and people from numerous countries so someone is typically always awake and there to chat. I'd be more than happy to give you the link if you'd like. We try to all be there for each other and having a support group has helped me a bunch
How did I get here? I had a few sips of coffee this morning before finding out that the woman who made the coffee this morning spent time cleaning up her vehicle after her 13y/o got sick. F*cking fantastic. I too love hearing a man’s perspective as I’m a fella who also suffer greatly with emetophobia and it’s a female dominated phobia🍀
I have emetophobia and I’m a kid and it’s the WORST. I just came back from an overnight field trip and I was terrified that I was going to throw up or someone else was. Especially since we were sleeping on a BOAT. Luckily, no one was sick and I’m in the comfort of my house now, and you are so relatable that I spent the majority of the video saying “OMG, same”. 💗💗💗
You’re very good at explaining emetophobia. I pray you can overcome this, God’s got you! Don’t let anxiety stop you from what he’s called you to do! That’s exactly what the devil wants!
I can't even explain how much this has helped me. emetophobia is destroying me but it helps so much to know that other people know how it feels. I haven been feeling sick this evening and just knowing that other people understand the utter terror helps so much. i hope ypu are doing well and thank you again for opening up about your experience
I was homeschooled until middle school. The very first week of public school that I ever experienced someone was sick on the floor in the classroom. I proceedes to have an anxiety attack every day during that class period for the rest of the semester.
It's acually crazy how similar our experiences are. Thank you so much for talking about this! I'm also a male and for me it started during my university years. During lectures I would get that rising feeling that you talked about and maybe 2 times it escalated into a full blown panic attack in which i felt like I was gonna be sick. These 2 attacks really messed me up and I started worrying about taking the bus, the train or a car with my parents/friends and lectures/presentations. I still do. I suffer from IBS aswell so if I eat certain kinds of food, it can make my stomach feel weird and then it starts. I don't like the way this is effecting my life and I'm really gonna try to get over it. The main thing for me aswell is public places. I've gotten to the point where I'm pretty much fine with taking the bus or tube on my own. But as soon as I have someone with me, I get anxious. I don't want to be an inconvenience for them. And I don't want to be that weird guy who has to get of the tube randomly. AND I know that if I acually do get off, at some point I'm gonna have to get back on. I feel like i lie SO much, just to put myself in "safe" situations. I forgot my wallet so I can't take the tube with my friend, I can't go abroad to visit a friend because I promised my parents I would help them with something that weekend etc etc. Did you ever do this? I will say this tho, it has gotten better. Sorry for the wall of text but it's good to know that I'm not alone. Plastic bag squad 4 life
Thank you for sharing. I too am a male who suffers of Emetophobia. It’s so much harder with 3 kids. As soon as one does not feel well I go into total panic.some times are better than others. Seems to be getting worse. Thank you for your insight.
I was surprise of you saying that he can get drunk too, since I cannot drink because of the fear of getting sick but I can relate to a lot of things in the video. I freak out everytime someone gets up to the bathroom in the middle of the night and also I always use earphones on public bathroom since I got a bad experience with a pregnant women years ago. I have intense attacks when I think I´m going to be sick or when someone else is sick around me but my family and friends treats me like I´m crazy and say I don´t care about others... This phobia is really hard and as it is uncommon we cannot talk with people about it and it is great to find people with the same problem
I have just found your video along with lots of others from girls indeed but I don't think there's a difference between men and women since phobias and anxiety comes from the amygdala which is pretty much the same in everyone. But it's good to know it's not only the "weak gender" who can have it. Most men just hide it even for a lifetime and it makes me really sad. I have emetophobia myself, I can relate to literally everything you say in this video. I'm currently on treatment (CBT) where I learned that amygdala can learn not to push the panic button when thing like that happen so I hope for a "cure". If someone can make peace with vomiting itself it will change their whole life. The biggest problem is with emetophobia is that you can't tell the difference between panic and real sickness anymore and your amygdala won't listen to the logical part of your brain so every sickness feels like a real one. The only thing where you might go wrong (based on my studies and experience) it's NOT irrational. Most emetophobic such as myself associate vomiting with choking which IS a life threatening thing. Also you can't tell when is it gonna stop ( the vomiting episodes not the actual act as it can only last for a few seconds at a time), it can seriously dehydrate your body if lasts long and of course the whole experience leading up to vomiting such as sweating, dizziness, weakness, nausea all horrible and nobody enjoys it. There's nothing to be embarrassed about here, some people are scared to touch a frog or speak in public, I find it more irrational than the fear of vomiting. If you want help and speak to a therapist (or other emetophobes who are on treatment because they can help you without pushing it too far), do the CBT and don't let it get you down, I know there are days you wouldn't eat at all or wouldn't leave the house but panic attacks and vomiting never last forever :)
I'm years late on this video, but thank you for uploading it. I agree all the emetaphobia videos seem to be by females. I suffer mildly from it but it really is crippling. When you mentioned the headphones that hit home for me. Thank you again. Watching your video does help.
I am a women who has full blown emetophobia and agoraphobia which therapists have told me is even more tricky to help. I am terrified of others getting sick and of myself catching it and myself getting sick. I also carry a bag around in my pocket with me ( I think my daughter thinks I’m crazy). I’ve been suffering with this since I was about 4 years old and it’s terrible. I would honestly rather die then throw up. It’s gotten so bad to the point where I’m actually looking into assisted suicide because I can’t handle the suffering and torture of it anymore
I’m glad as a guy that you have made this video, I suffer from emetaphobia and as a man I struggle to find anyone else that can relate, I feel isolated and that I just have to “get over it” I can relate to you in a lot of ways and I appreciate this video and others. It’s glad you know there is other people out there who feel this same way I do. We are all in it together and can get through this
I hate sitting on the inside desk of a pair of desks in school cause then I'm pressed up against the wall and If I need to get sick I'll have to step over the person and i feel trapped and mildly claustrophobic. Thank you for this video.
For me my safety net is mint gum. I read something once that said you cannot throw up if you are chewing mint gum and now I chew it constantly when I start to stress about possibly being sick. I know I am not going to be sick but that gum makes my brain almost positive that I won’t. And if someone else says they feel sick or their face looks like they aren’t feeling well I give them my mint gum
You're so relatable... norovirus makes me want to never leave my house... it makes me laugh saying it out loud and how silly it sounds to people who dont have it. I'm surprised that you can get drunk... does that spark your anxiety worse? The only reason I ask is because I don't drink because I associate it with being sick. I'm wondering how you deal with it?
I drink and I have had Emetophobia from the time I was 11 until my current age at 22. I think it's either a mixture of the alcohol actually calming you down and relaxing you, or the underlying fact that you can't catch being drunk. For me, it's more like him. If i'm not drinking, I can't tolerate any sort-of vomiting. However, if i've been drinking, I can tolerate drunken vomiting but not actually catch something. He actually said very well how I feel about this. Also, i've been drinking for two years with certain friends, and I haven't vomited from anything since I was 14. I hope that we all can get over this. It is hell.
I was going to say the same thing. I'm 32 years old and I have NEVER been drunk or tipsy in my life because I always had the fear of throwing up because of it so I never did it. I didn't even know that there was an ACTUAL name for it. I thought I was crazy. I've also realized that it could be the cause of my panic/anxiety attacks. I take Vyvanse for ADD, concentration, and focus, Vistril for Panic Attacks, and Buspar for Anxiety attacks. I started by making a list of what triggers any of my issues and actively avoided them -- which led to agoraphobia. Also take a note around which time-frame (AM or PM) where you're more susceptible of getting panic/anxiety attacks. Mine usually happens at night - anywhere between 10pm-3am. When he mentioned something about "self-medication," over the years (since I was 18) I have had a license for medical marijuana. It works wonders for anxiety if you have ADD/ADHD but if you don't, it will more than likely make you more anxious. As far as depression -- I've never had a debilitating depression, but have been depressed about situations that trigger.
I am the same way I’ve never really had any interest in drinking because I’m afraid it will make me sick. So it’s interesting that he can but also to see comments of other people like myself as well. I think that is what makes me feel the most alone with this phobia drinking seems to be sooo important to everyone else my age and I don’t like parties cuz I’m afraid of people being sick and I really don’t feel like I’m missing out because I don’t care if I drink or not. But I hate how it makes me feel so alone like I have to drink and go out because there is nobody else who doesn’t want to drink like me. And it’d be fine if people my age could control themselves but they all want to get so drunk they don’t remember their names and I’m just not interested! I wish I could find some other people who liked to do fun things still but without needing the influence of alcohol to do it. I just feel so alone. I also hate that just because I don’t drink means I have to explain myself to everyone like hello? It is a choice not every single person drinks for fun I’m not sure why it is so shocking to people!
This video really helped me, I'm emetophobic. I thought I was the only male with emetophobia. I'm also very young (14 years old) it started when I was 2 and a half years old.
i would refuse chemotherapy, too. i've had to take anti anxiety meds and antidepressants for years because my fear is so bad. i always check the dates on everything i eat and/or drink, and even when i do i think that i will get food poisoning from it. i even check food recall websites and google what i eat. i will not eat without washing my hands or using hand sanitizer. i won't leave my room if someone in my house is sick, unless i go or through out my window. when i think about throwing up i automatically go into a panic mode. i will not see my friends for 2 weeks after they are sick. i am 17 and i keep my moms house insanely clean. i wake up every single night and think that i will throw up even though i don't. i haven't thrown up in 6-7 years and my anxiety will make me think i am going to, but in the back of my mind i always know that i'm okay and i'm not going to. I wouldn't wish this fear on anyone, not even my worst enemy. it's the 6th most common fear in the world, people just don't talk about it enough. i'm glad that there are other people i can relate to with this and i'm not alone in this world.
Thank you so much for uploading this, I know it’s very difficult to talk about/admit, let alone make a video for the world to see. I specifically searched for a video like this, to see a man’s perspective is amazing for me. I’m a girl and while I like reading how other females cope with emetophobia, I just know it’d be better for me, personally, to hear it from a man. We suffer in a similar way. If I’m having a night where my anxiety has gone through the roof, I’m awake the whole night through. I had a tip once years ago, sleep at the other end of the bed! (Or lay there watching tv like me) because the slight change in atmosphere can really help your emetophobia induced anxiety attack. If I get one randomly, I tend to scratch my head, play with my right ear and yawn a lot. The funny thing is, I don’t even feel sick. I know it’s anxiety nausea. Which isn’t the same as real life nausea. I experience a crazy amount of guilt when my girlfriend is sick. I can’t comfort her or hold her hair back, like you say. It makes me feel really shit. 😣 I try to think about this (and it helps): ALL bugs are caught through bad hygiene. My hands are ALWAYS clean. I won’t touch my face or mouth if they’re not. Wash your phone with antibacterial wipes too. The last time I was sick was food poisoning from Burger King (it closed down the following day! I think they used old meat) Makes me feel better to know it wasn’t that I didn’t wash my hands well enough. That was 8 years ago. I can’t eat at any old takeaway, I have to read reviews. The only thing this really stops me doing.. is drinking. I’ve been drunk maybe once or twice ever. Makes me sad that I can’t get absolutely wasted like my friends can! I’m 29 now and I’ve gone through all my 20’s without being drunk :(! Anyway. If anybody needs any advice (I’m no expert but I’ve only been sick twice in 15 years) then drop me a message :) And thank you, Tom.
I had this fear since 5th grade but it stopped for years, 4 days ago it came right back even worse than before. I can't eat because I feel like I'm going to be sick and I feel like something bad is going to happen everyday.
I've always had emetophobia, ever since I was very small. I only just today at 26 years old realized that other people had this level of fear for vomiting and that it even has a name. A few years ago my stomach just stopped working, it shut down and became almost completely paralyzed, which made me feel VERY sick CONSTANTLY. It took more than almost 2 years of tests, medications, surgeries, tube feeding and x-rays to get my stomach to start moving again. The entire time was constant panic, anxiety, and guilt. These doctors were just trying to treat me or run tests and I'm over here SOBBING. They're looking at me like I'm crazy, and they start to panic because I'm not cooperating. So incredibly embarrassing. I really wish this phobia was talked about more and that I had known much sooner. Maybe I could have communicated better. The worst part of this whole experience though, for me, was it sort of made my irrational fear seem much less irrational. One day I was eating normally, than the next, I threw up for seemingly no reason and my stomach became completely paralyzed. When I'm calm I know that vomiting wasn't the cause of my illness. But now that I can eat, if anything triggers me, I worry that I'll go through all that hell over again. PLUS ALSO now I'm afraid I'll choke and drown or something because my stomach still doesn't function completely normally and I can no longer burp, it just gets stuck...
ive been struggling with this fear for as long as I can remember and had my first panic attack because of it in 5th grade. it only got worse and worse from there, my appetite deteriorated very quickly the summer going in to 8th grade and my eating habits had worsened as well. In the span of about 2 months I'd dropped around 6-8 pounds, and well over 20 by the time covid hit. I was sickeningly underweight, my parents thought I was bulimic or something. I had panic attacks almost every day and I couldn't function for a really long time. And I felt so alone, I could never tell anyone because they wouldn't understand and probably just laugh it off. at its peak I was 89 (started at 118) lbs and could barely stand to eat just tiny bites of any nutritious food. my doctor recommended drinking ensure which was so heavy on my stomach and I hated it. I gave up all meat and dairy and went vegan because of this fear. I was so tired of fighting what was clearly already a lost battle I made a decision that wasn't really mine. I've since been getting much better, but my life is absolutely under the control of this phobia. I'm glad I went vegan and I wouldn't go back, but I just wish I could live my own life without this fear.
I have this phobia since I was like 4 years old I am more scared of other people though. In the last years I have run out of places and disappeared because of people getting sick. I always feel guilty about it as I'm ruining people's nights because of strangers who can't control what is happening , my boyfriend knows of my fear and tries to get what I'm feeling but, he has gotten frustrated with me before and it broke my heart. I had to leave a friend by themselves in the kitchen while they were intoxicated and getting sick, because I had a panic attack, they were only okay because of my boyfriend. Emetophobia has restricted my life so much and I hate having it. My biggest fear is what you mentioned happened to that unfortunate kid in the choir. If someone got sick on me I would freak out so much no matter where I was I would need to remove anything that was touched by the sick, I would never be able to look at myself I would probably become very depressed and possibly suicidal. I would feel that I am so unclean I didn't deserve to live. Not many people probably feel that strongly that is just my mental state... Watching this has made me feel better knowing that I'm not alone in having emetophobia. People don't understand how deeply this mental disease affects.
I am a male and suffer from this phobia and this video was a great help. I get every point you make and can relate to every problem you present. My fear is of being sick myself, it's more of the bug than anything. I can see other people throw up and if I know why it doesn't give me anxiety and get me stressed out unless it’s because of the stomach bug.
I have INTENSE INTENSE INTENSE emetaphobia. So much, that once, my sister vomited on my backpack while sitting in the back seat with me on a road trip and I cried and cried for hours and huttled up in the corner of the car shoving my finger so deep into my ears that it hurt. And I have no idea why, I just have the worst anxiety for no reason. I can't with anything. Coughing, gagging, acid reflex, ANYTHING. at one point when I was a child I couldent stand bitter sweet tastes like toothpaste, floride, gas mask fluids, bubblegum, and weird things like that. So I refused to take any liquid medication and forced myself to take pills instead even though I was still scared of those because I could throw up taking them, my mom had to tell the dentist that I was allergic to the floride, because when they tried to put it on my teeth when I was 10, I would physically panic and would not let them put it in my mouth because it tasted so bad and it made me extremely nauseous. Even when I was drugged under by an extremely strong bubblegum gas for my first surgery when I was 9, I threw up everywhere in my sleep and didn't even realize it. Even when I woke up and they told me, I was so absoloutly traumatized. And I still have the fear to this day, and it's just getting worse because most of my worsted nightmares are about vomit.
I think I have this as well. My concern is I'm not sure if I'm worrying or if I'm genuinely ill. Anyone else feel the same and if so how do I overcome this?
I've had panic attacks and the best way I help it is lie in bed in the recovery position and breathe slowly through your nose out your mouth. It helps calm and relaxes me.
i have this and top it up with being hypochondriac. I have constant nausea. I cannot tell if I am actually sick or just anxiety. Also, I dont throw up like normal people. I sort of heave for a while and painfully retch so that makes my anxiety even worse. It is the worst. I am 24 and the last time I did was when i was 12. I am almost nauseous 24/7
I have emetophobia, im currently in year 8 and plenty of people in my classes are sick. I start to get panicky and start to have a panic attack. I never come in the next day and start to cry, my sister is sick all the time and I used that method last night even though she wasn't sick. This have helped me so much!
This video is SUPER IMPORTANT. I also highly recommend everyone with this to get checked out by a physician, I/my doctor thought I had IBS and my Emetophobia was consequently caused by that, turns out I have a non cancerous tumor that compresses my guts which will be removed once the hospitals clear up a bit (it's non life-threatening).
Everytime I ate something I would get anxiety about throwing it up, and then the anxiety about throwing up made me nauseous. I've never actually thrown up but in those moments you are so sure you are going to. The worst of my anxiety was during the summer. I was out of school so I was alone a lot of the time. And every night after dinner i was so sure I would throw up. I started eating less, to the point where my parents noticed. One day I felt horrible and I finally told my mom. At this point I had no idea what is was though. I thought I had an allergy or something. She said i probably just had a stomach bug, but it was just a really long and excruciating anxiety attack. It lasted for about 3 or 4 days and I ate nothing for about 3 days. Every night for those days i would pace my room (that helps me not be sick) until my legs tingled. Hours and hours of pacing the closest I got to throwing up was dry heaving which is one of the scariest things to do. I found out about like a week into school. I told a bunch of my friends and some take it seriously and some do not. Looking at these comments and watching this video really makes me feel so much less alone.
The most embarrassing emetophobia moment for me was when this girl in my class cough so much that she gagged... I sat rocking in a corner of the room humming so that I couldn’t hear her and plugging my ears. This aid in my class then told my sister about it and she made fun of me for it for about a month and would fake vomit in front of me. It was horrible having my own family poke fun of a serious problem for me :(
Thank you for sharing your story! You might want to look up the book "My Age of Anxiety" by Scott Stossel as another example of a man with this phobia. He is a lifelong emetophobe and editor of The Atlantic magazine. Warning - it has some graphic descriptions of exposure therapy.
ohhh i have this too! im currently going through therapy right now, called "exposure therapy" i have the exact same symptoms as everything you've said it's crazy
im just seeing this now & i have emetophobia too. i relate to this video SO much. everything you talked about is 1000% me! it feels so great to hear about someone having it just as bad as me & it feels nice hearing it from a guys perspective! thank you for this.
This is exactly how I feel. Knowing the difference between being actually sick and feeling sick because you're so anxious to not be sick. Sounds so irrational but it's something I also struggle with. Mine is mostly related with food. Especially fatty foods and social situations where I don't know many people and also if I'm going to an event or place where I don't have a way out or a room (bathroom) where I can be by myself and relax.
I am just afraid to vomit because the feeling of nausea is awful. Furthermore, I dread high heights, which causes my fear of vomiting to intensify. It escalated into fear of motion sickness, because if I am driving or traveling by plane, the car or jet is in constant motion. If I feel sick my anxiety rises because there is no escape from the situation. I have made great progress and have traveled through mountains and long car rides without panicking, but I have never been on a plane. What frustrates me is that I was nearly over this, and mentally prepared to fly, until I had a panic attack in 2012. I have been taking baby steps and using self help/cognitive behavioral/flooding techniques to gradually expose myself to these situations where my fear is greatest. I have seen great results as I was able to successfully commute to class by car without thinking about vomit or motion sickness. However, traveling by bus has been bothering me lately. I am trying to get off campus housing that's within walking distance of the University to avoid this right now, give myself time to continue to gain confidence traveling by car and gradually expose myself to short distance travel by bus. I do desire to see a therapist that specializes in treating emetophobia and height anxiety. My goal is to not fear feeling sick in these situations rather than avoiding it. I am no longer afraid to vomit outside of traveling though, which i am very happy about. I used to go to great lengths to avoid vomiting under all circumstances.
I have emetophobia too and it was really difficult to find another guy with the same fear too... So it's nice to see a video like yours. Greetings from Mexico!
I love this video i relate so much thank you. Currently having a panic attack and just listening to you tell your story helped me stop cryig sooooo thanks!
Thank you so much for making this video. I've suffered from emetophobia for as long as I can remember, and it's just been getting steadily worse and worse as the years go on. Everything you've mentioned in this video I can 100% relate to. It's comforting to find someone who understands what you're going through & who gets that this isn't just a fear, it is a full blown phobia. I constantly carry anti-nausea medicine on my person on the off chance myself or someone around me starts to feel sick. If I think someone is going to be sick around my it's like my fight or flight instinct kicks in and I just have to get out of there. I feel like people with this phobia have to focus on the little victories we get everyday to make it more manageable. ie. flew on a plane, got into a car, went to a party, etc. Anyway I don't want to ramble on. Thank you again for making this, it really helped to hear someone else GET it. Much love!
I know this video is a bit older already, but I just found it, because I had a horrible emetophobia/anxiety day because of a family dinner and this really helped me feel a bit better. You describe a lot of the thoughts I go through every time the panic attack hits and it feels good to be reminded that I'm not alone. I hope you're dealing with it even better now and thanks a lot for making this video!
I have the same phobia! I used to terribly suffer from it, but now it's getting better. Every time I would see someone vomit I would start violently shake and start crying. But now I only panic a little bit and only slightly shake and I don't cry. The last time I saw someone vomit was at a Cross Country meet. And being in Cross Country I would always be afraid of vomiting form being overheated, luckily now it's getting better. Also, I have had the same thing with the 'thinking you are going to be sick when you're not nauseous' thing.
Ahhhh man thank you so much for making this! I do the headphones-next-to-the-bed thing as well and it scares the shit out of me when someone goes to the bathroom at night time! It's got better as I've gotten older but I used to be petrified of school trips and stuff and would miss out on all sorts because I was too scared of getting on the coaches in case someone got travel sick - I even left my swim team after i had the panicky sick feeling and thought I was going to puke in the pool 😂 I'm a bit better at controlling it now but even the mention of the word 'sick' still gives me that dizzy sinking-stomach feeling. It sounds stupid but I find looking for the nearest bin always helps whenever it gets bad and I used to take a carrier bag everywhere with me too. It's such a horrible and controlling fear to have, thought I was being ridiculous so it's great to hear it from someone else 🙌❤️
Right in the middle of the I started because I experienced exactly the same situation, and I'm still now. I have emetophobia, and that's a thing, that, unfortunately, your life...
Thank you soooo much for this video! I FEEL every word you used as I am suffering from emetophobia too. It helps me a lot to hear your experience and I just recognize myself in EVERY single situation of anxiety you described. So thank you - from France ^^
I wanted to make a specific point that links slightly to one of his points in the video. For some reason in the back of my mind I avoid children because I associate them with being more likely to get a bug or travel sick. Just wanted to share to see if anyone else emetophobic relates.
I swear this ruins my life literally and when I FEEL sick I start shaking like crazy omg it’s so nerve racking and it just kills me and I’m literally scared of traveling with car and I’m scared when my brothers stomach hurts or he coughs or someone coughs, and everything connected to that, Im so scared when I get sick and every time me and my classmates went in museums and stuff I remember, first time we went somewhere I got sick day after and after that everytime I went somewhere like excursion with classmates, EVERYTIME I vomited the next day I was so mentally sure it was like my “curse” and when I feel like vomiting I loose control, I get so nervous and I have anxiety attacks and and I’m very scared vomiting around someone besides my family members, and I thought I got this phobia when my brother was sick, like he got virus when you vomit 5 days in a row and you have temperature and stuff and when he got better, I got that virus and than I got that virus again after a month, I had it worse considering I have this phobia and I thought this was when my emetophobia started but no, my mother told me I always had worse reactions about vomiting and stuff, and I have no idea were this fear came from and I get so anxious when someone says he/she is sick or something so yeah this is how I’m. Sorry this thing is huge
I'm a girl who has emetophobia but you described it better than anyone else could. I'm not just terrified of vomiting myself. I'm terrified of vomiting myself and seeing other people get sick. It's the worst. But thank you for making me feel like I'm not alone.
Harleen Quinzel same it sucks when ever someone gets sick near me I have a anxiety attack it is horrible 😭
ik it’s horrible! but being scared of yourself being sick is even worse you can’t run away from your self or avoid being sick but you can avoid other people
It's a nightmare. I can cope with colds but not stomach bugs. I hate vomiting. It's absolutely disgusting. I can't use public toilets incase someone comes in and throws up as has happened to me in the past.
I'm a guy with it, probably at my worst at the moment but it's nice to see another man who feels/felt that same way. Thank u for telling us, ur brave
I remember one time before my wife and I got married when she got food poisoning. I went out on my back balcony and sat with headphones in for four hours until a friend came and picked me up. I sat out there rocking and trying not to lose it, and I remember her coming out to check on me. I couldn't look at her, wouldn't let her touch me, I would scoot away when she got close... The guilt that I had for leaving her was so immense and I don't think that people ever touch on that. This shit fucks people up.
Rebekah Nice are u ok now
I react the same way. The guilt is massive, but the need to RUN AWAY NOW is beyond overwhelming.
I have crippling emetophobia, but when I think about a bf/partner I really feel love for, strangely they are the only ones who don't turn my stomach at the notion of caring for them when they're sick. I'd go so far as to rather it be me, than to see them in any discomfort, even though it would be far more debilitating for me to endure. It's a funny way of measuring my love for someone. I'm probably the only person sitting on a date, eating dinner, making small talk, and secretly thinking-would I be willing to be with you and support you when you're throwing up, lol. Hope you've managed to conquer some of that fear through the years.
@@larakr9 O M G this is so accurate!! Thank you for writing this. I feel the same way.
I have emetophobia as well. It affects me every day, it affects what I eat, my sleep, my relationships, my grades, everything. It's truly one of the most scariest phobias because it's root is something that is completely out of your control.
It has been better for me lately, so let me just talk to you, anyone who needs help right now.
First, what you are feeling right now is all in your head. That nausea you're feeling, your mouth watering, your throat constricting, your temperature rising, those are all your body's responses to your anxiety. Breathe. Relax. Breathe. Relax. You're okay. You're safe. You're healthy.
Second, what is going to happen is going to happen and there is nothing you can do about it, okay? If you truly have to throw up (not saying you will!!!) you will. You're strong and this will not hurt you. Your mind has a way of magnifying things. Throwing up is not as scary as it seems to you right now. Close your eyes, it'll be over soon. You're fine. You're going to be fine. Throwing up is a rare defense mechanism, and it is your body's *last resort*. But if it has to go there, it will. But it's not a bad thing. Your body is looking out for you. Look at how smart and kind your body is! Don't worry. It knows exactly what to do and it will take care of you.
Lastly, I know what you're feeling. Your heartbeat is in your ears and you can feel the adenaline coursing through your veins and your brain flashing signals "*CODE RED CODE RED CODE RED*"
Believe me, it's happened to me a million times😂 Just breathe. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Feel the air filling your lungs and whistling through your mouth as you breathe out. Just how God made you! God knows how you feel, and it pains him to see you so scared and in pain. He's with you and he's holding you and is telling you he's here. You're okay. You're okay.
Thanks for this
Really needed it rn
I’m crying from reading this, thank you honestly I needed to hear this.
i really appreciate this, especially from a christian perspective!
Me too!
I have emetophobia and i feel so sick right now and I'm crying and cant breathe
Me toooooooo I feel bad somebody cheer me up :(
Pamela Wilkening u feeling better bby?
It’s okay
We aren’t alone
eivry rose yes after 3 years hahaha
Hey man thanks for this video. I'm a male and I have this fear as well. It is so bad that it's taking over my life , I've tried to fight this but it's too fucking much. Everything your saying I can relate to it so much. I'm glad I'm not alone. Sometimes I wish I had someone to talk to, when I try to talk to one of my friends about it they just scratch their heads. Thank you for this video
Hey man, we're not alone. I'm from Mexico and I Have emetophobia as well, I don't have any friend close to me to talk with about this, wish I could have one. Greetings and good luck with this!
If any of you guys have Kik, there's a chat we made for this. The tag is emetophobia chat and the title is emetophobia(monitored)
Its monitored because the original chat had a host that didnt chat and it was filled with inactive people and bots
I was on a plane and saw a flight attendant giving a passenger a sick bag and I started having a panic attack and we had to shut off our electronics and I didn't care and I grabbed my phone and headphones and blasted my music till landing and every so often I would take of one and hear something being dropped inside the bag and I almost cried. My parents don't understand and I hear stories of supportive parents but mine will hold me down and make me watch a movie to the extent of me screaming crying and nearly throwing up myself, it was one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever had
I was once stuck in the car with my mom vomiting into a bag beside me. It’s easily the most traumatizing moment I have ever experienced. I almost want to cry because how stressed I am about my phobia :(
This phobia has been pretty ok for me the last year or so. Until about 2 months ago, I was suddenly awoken by my brother throwing up in the hallway just outside my room. I grabbed my headphones and went back to bed, trying to sleep with a full on panic attack. The worst thing was, it was in the comfort of my own home, the only place i ever feel safe, and the second part was that it was directly outside my room so i was forced to walk over where it had been the next day and so on. That kind of triggered it again.
Ugh.
I relate to you so much, I never knew I suffered with it until I watched this. I have been terrified of this for years and I have never talked to anyone about it. I didn't know it was the cause of most of my anxiety attacks and now you've talked about it, I should probably talk to my parents about this. Thank-you Tom.
You're welcome man, I hope everything works itself out!
This fear came back stronger just 4 days ago, I can't eat or go out at all. I have this horrible feeling that Im going to get sick and I feel like something is going to happen. I feel trapped because I also suffer from derealization for 6 months. I have extreme panic attacks, the worst I have ever experienced. This seems never ending and I'm terrified 24/7. I cry and cry nonstop shaking and trying not to go crazy. If anyone needs a prayer I will pray for you.
Emetophobia has the devastating ability to turn its sufferers into horrid human beings; I know, because it happened to me.
My family & I were in a diner yesterday afternoon when an elderly gentleman at a nearby table began to be sick. Immediately I covered my ears, started humming to myself, and closed my eyes, but because I felt trapped and increasingly anxious, I completely lost my composure and experienced a public meltdown. The panic attack consisted of everything you described as well as some outward-directed behaviours of which I am definitely not proud. paying for my drink, nearly knocked another patron onto his bum in my madness, demanded someone else “pardon me” (yes, you can most certainly demand someone pardon you ~ trust me on this) so I could get out of the building immediately, and then refused to eat for the remainder of the day.
Anyhow, thank you for posting. It is actually quite nice to realise I’m not alone (though I may well be the most bonkers in my behaviour.) Cheers.
I am a woman, but im finding this comforting, thank you for sharing. Im totally shut off from the world right now, will explain another time.
omg same! especially this winter- virus thing , I'm just so terrified when something like this is going around ..:/
jimena 20 yes :(
jimena 20 same here specially Xmas time
My Emetophobia is very bad. I have had it since 1st grade and it feels like there's no escape! I also do the headphone thing at night. I can't stop washing my hands, and if someone in my house is sick I block my door, wear a coughing mask and gloves. It gets really hard. In school kids spit on me and say they are "Throwing up". My panic attacks are daily and all I think about is someone getting sick or me getting sick. Panic attacks kind of feel like my neck is closing and that I'm drowning. My friends don't understand and I hate avoiding them but I have to. I wash my hands 20 times a day (no joke) and if I was around someone who was sick I can't eat at least 2-3 days after. I have OCD and ADHD and it's really hard. It's nice to know that other people have Emetophobia and people talking about it. Thank you
Damn. I can't even drink because I'm afraid it will cause me to be sick. This video really helped me. Thank you it's nice to know other guys suffer from this too. Mine hits me the most when I'm in class for some reason
my bathroom is right across from my bedroom and i do the same thing with the earbuds... it's so nice to know i'm not alone
Dude, you hit the nail on the head so much in this video, but where you REALLY got me was when you said it seems worse when you're in a position where you can't easily get out of. I hate not being in control of my surroundings... Not being able to just get up and leave... I need to know where a washroom is whenever I go somewhere... I can't be in a car for longer than 10 minutes without anxiety and panic setting in. I've pulled out chunks of hair and skin because of it. I need water with me at all times, and my medication and gravol are always in my purse. I can't eat at restaurants, no one can cook for me because my OCD is germ-based because of emetophobia... So when I don't know the brand of ingredients or I don't know how clean utensils or pots/pans were, I just can't. The people who know me the most know all of this and thankfully are very understanding. But literally, just the other day, I took my friend to a movie (we went to see IT and I had to check to see if it was what I call "Mel safe"... It is. A guy projectile "vomits" some black stuff but it's like... Tar or something like that) and I always go to the VIP showings because there are no kids allowed and you can choose your seats. I always choose the seats closest to the exit/an aisle seat and the washroom is right next to the auditorium, so it's just sort of perfect for someone like me. I've had nights where I've literally stayed up all night trying to keep myself busy and entertained in my room because I felt sick... Usually from my anxiety getting so bad that I couldn't function. I can't swallow sometimes because I'm worried I'll choke/gag (pseudodysphagia)... When I was a child, I used to run to the washroom and start dry heaving the second I woke up before school. I was terrified of going to school. This really does affect pretty much every aspect of your life. My social life is messed up because I won't hang out with someone if they've been sick recently or even if someone in their family has been sick. I have a two week rule that they have to have been healthy for 2 weeks.. Symptom free as well as anyone in their family or anyone they've been in contact with. And I've literally said I'd rather die than get sick... Which means if I ever needed chemo, I wouldn't get treated. This fear causes such a lonely feeling. You become so isolated and isolating because of it and it sucks. Also, it's worth noting that one of the first I'd ever met who also had emetophobia (cuz I'd never met anyone else in person who had it) was a dude. I hadn't even thought about how it does appear to be mostly females who suffer, but I wonder if that's just because men feel that admitting to being afraid of this doesn't seem very "masculine"... Generally speaking, of course.
Anyways, thank you for your video... I know it's a bit of an older video, but still. 💜
finally another guy with emetophobia XD
We're here brother
I know exactly about the rush feeling that you described that ends in the stomach.
i’m balling my eyes out right now . this is the first video i’ve seen that i word for word related to
This is the first time I've ever seen a male perspective of Emetophobia on RUclips. I totally relate to everything you said here. Had "the fear" for as long as I can remember.
I used to carry this small brown paper bag with me (this was in a heightened period of feeling sick 24/7 through nerves and anxiety). I still think Emetophobia is an illness not recognized enough, it's incredibly hard to live with.
Ahh damn
If I start to feel sick, I only think about it and then I feel like vomiting even more, it's horrible.
If I feel good I always say to myself it isn't that bad to vomit but when I feel sick everything else goes away and ich just think: „I don't wanna puke."
And I try to finden ways to get over it🤔
Nils Fleischer I am going to guess you're german based on your typos. Am I correct?
Because of the "ich" ?😂😉
@@flyni7249 finden ways hehehehaw
I appreciate the way you describe your symptoms as mine are very similar. The headphones, the people in the house going to the bathroom, avoiding friends, public places, vacations ... EVERYTHING!! The panic is debilitating. I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I work at a large company with thousands of people and the winter months are the worst for me but I have to deal with it because life must go on. We know its irrational but damnit, can't control it. Thank you for making this video!
I'm one guy who shares your despair regarding emetiphobia pal; thank you for sharing your story, it's very helpful.🤝🏾
Thank you for doing this, I' ve been carrying a plastic bag around for months now and it's funny and sad at the same time that somebody got my same idea. I thought I was the only man with this problem
You're not alone with this stuff man. It definitely is tragically funny how we both do that!
Tom L J White when was the last time you got sick
Matt Orsini I do that too. Lol
Matt Orsini same omg my sister gets car sick sometimes and recently we went on a 5h car journey and had to have a plastic bag near me so if she felt sick I would be prepared
haha i've been carrying one around for twenty years! but it's good to know i'm not the only bloke that has this
tbh as years have gone by, my emetophobia has started to piss me off. Like can it just PLEASE leave me the fuck alone?! It's ruined my life and makes it impossible to focus on things that *actually* matter. 😞
I have emet and I literally just had an awful panic attack lol. I love people make videos on it though, I can always come to them when I'm done freaking out lol
Thank you so much for this. I’m going through a period at the moment where it’s taking over my life. Can’t sleep, can’t do a lot of things. My social life has taken a huge hit because of it and I feel so low.
I've had emetophobia since I was 9 years old my first panic attack was when I was eating chicken nuggets and I saw that they've expired I started crying and gagging crying for help because I didn't want to throw up after my first panic attack I was genuinely traumatized and because of that I developed an eating disorder I would not eat anymore because I would be afraid of getting stick from the food and end up throwing up my parents didn't understand what I had they would just say well nobody likes being sick and it just made it harder for me because every day i would have panic attacks and and my parents wouldn't be able to help me so i had to deal with it alone at school I would also have panic attacks and the kids in in my class would just make fun of me and I hated it I'm now 14 years years old years old and it's starting to get bad again in the past ive managed to not have any bad thoughts of throwing up or eating but it was not until I was eating a burrito and I woke up in the middle of the night with a really bad stomach ache and I was feeling nauseous and and I thought i was gonna get sick and that just triggered to one of my worst memories and now I can't eat and i feel nauseous everyday so it makes it harder for me to eat I just really hope I can overcome this phobia because it's taking over my life and I absolutely hate it
I can sympathize with you since my parents also tell me the same thing
It’s so reassuring to hear other people have it! :(
Thank you for sharing your story! Luckily i got nearly over it, still got small panic attacks when i feel nauseaus but trying to keep calm or either to accept your fate helps!
Congratulations on that progress, great to hear about people overcoming it! Hope you continue to be okay and thanks for watching :)
Just seeing everyone here with emetephobia, and myself also having it, it is very comforting to know that lots of people also feel the same! Good luck to everyone and may god bless you guys throughout these rough times.
It's that tight feeling in your throat and trembling feeling that I get. Just like you said, you thought you were going to be sick but you didn't actually feel sick.
i suffer the exact same. i had therapy as a child and nobody every told me about emetophobia. just pumped me full of weird drugs which made me feel worse. im glad people are talking about this now. only now at the age of 24 do i fully understand. Thankyou for spreading the word. I still deal with this now when i am not happy with the state of my life. i start going back to this. i didnt drive on the motorway after passing my test for a year incase i was sick. starved myself for a whole year twice. once at age 10-11 and then age 19-20.
I'm sad to see others suffer from this too, but I'm happy to not be alone. It's hard to describe the primal fear that just takes over.
I'm afraid of planes because getting airsick is possible so I can't travel. I've never been carsick but every once in a while I have anxiety to the point where I feel carsick because I'm worried I'll get carsick. Same with boats. I'm afraid of getting pregnant because of morning sickness. I don't want to have kids because they inevitably get sick. I'm afraid of eating seafood because it seems like that's the easiest to get sick from. It just takes over. It's all consuming.
You said your mom made a comment about not wanting chemo if she got cancer because she doesn't want to get sick. I'm the same. I explained to my best friend that cancer scares me not because it can kill me, but because the treatment can make me ill.
I have actually gotten better with age. Possibly just with more exposure as well.
Does anyone else have emetephobia because they fucking HATE feeling like shit when they get sick? The buildup of when it happens sucks, when it's happening sucks and hurts and the aftermath fucking sucks too I HATE getting sick it literally takes my body weeks to recover, thank you so much for posting this, so many guys it seems, is unaffected by this fear
Thank you for sharing your journey with emetophobia. So glad to hear that you have learned to manage it.
Hey man! Great video, it's nice to know that another male has this phobia
It helps alot knowing that im not alone in this phobia. I'm 16 years old from israel and i have been dealing with emetophobia for 5 years.. for me everytime i go somewhere far from home or feeling unsure about how to get back, i would get anxiety that would lead to me feeling sick and often gagging, it made me avoid so many opportunities to hang out with friends and do things i love just because i was terrified of the idea of feeling that anxiety again and maybe throwing up. 3 years ago it even got to a point where i was terrified of going to sleep because of it so i went to my bed shaking in fear. Which sucked. I know this video was uploaded 2 years ago but im just using this opportunity to share my experience from it incase it will help someone but i mostly do it so i can feel better about it. Anyways.. thanks for making the video, i also felt alone when seeing that "only" women suffer from this but now knowing its not true i feel better. Thx.
Everything you are saying I have lived. Amazing!! Scared of sick people and I plug my ears when people run to bathroom. And I take Great Measures to not get sick. I have tricks to not throw up. I'll be making a video about this subject soon!
Amy's Atmosphere what kind of tricks? I was so sick pregnant, ughhh. Pregnancy was unplanned. It's 21 years with my emetophobia. I'm 32
As an 18-year-old dude this helped a lot, thanks.
I suffer from it as well. I feel sick (nauseated) every day and my anxiety is through the roof
Emetephobia caused me to start homeschooling 5 years ago. My sister still goes to school and she brings home a virus a couple times a month, so I isolate myself in my room until it's over :/
One of the worst things was when I was with an ex. I was driving her home from an event and she said she didn't feel good and looked visibly sick. Window down, not talking much, all of it. I was trying my best not to panic, but it kept getting worse. Over the probably 5 minute drive I felt like I lost my ability to speak, I was shaking almost uncontrollably, and getting the cold sweats. I got her to her house, and after she got out I drove off almost immediately. She ended up throwing up outside of her house before she even made it in and I couldn't be there for her. One of the most embarrassing moments for me, but I did talk to her and she understood. It's just nice to know I'm not the only person with it. Im going to try to get therapy soon, I just have too many avoidance habits with certain food, or places. And I still go into panic attacks whenever I feel slightly sick, and is seemingly getting worse because I haven't actually vomited in over 6 years.
Ive been commenting this on a few videos and multiple comments, but you are absolutely not alone. It's such a struggle dealing with this phobia, If you ever feel like you need a support group im an admin of a group on Facebook, anyone is welcome to join, we have chats and people from numerous countries so someone is typically always awake and there to chat. I'd be more than happy to give you the link if you'd like. We try to all be there for each other and having a support group has helped me a bunch
How did I get here?
I had a few sips of coffee this morning before finding out that the woman who made the coffee this morning spent time cleaning up her vehicle after her 13y/o got sick.
F*cking fantastic.
I too love hearing a man’s perspective as I’m a fella who also suffer greatly with emetophobia and it’s a female dominated phobia🍀
I have emetophobia and I’m a kid and it’s the WORST. I just came back from an overnight field trip and I was terrified that I was going to throw up or someone else was. Especially since we were sleeping on a BOAT. Luckily, no one was sick and I’m in the comfort of my house now, and you are so relatable that I spent the majority of the video saying “OMG, same”. 💗💗💗
You’re very good at explaining emetophobia. I pray you can overcome this, God’s got you! Don’t let anxiety stop you from what he’s called you to do! That’s exactly what the devil wants!
I can't even explain how much this has helped me. emetophobia is destroying me but it helps so much to know that other people know how it feels. I haven been feeling sick this evening and just knowing that other people understand the utter terror helps so much. i hope ypu are doing well and thank you again for opening up about your experience
I was homeschooled until middle school. The very first week of public school that I ever experienced someone was sick on the floor in the classroom. I proceedes to have an anxiety attack every day during that class period for the rest of the semester.
It's acually crazy how similar our experiences are. Thank you so much for talking about this! I'm also a male and for me it started during my university years. During lectures I would get that rising feeling that you talked about and maybe 2 times it escalated into a full blown panic attack in which i felt like I was gonna be sick. These 2 attacks really messed me up and I started worrying about taking the bus, the train or a car with my parents/friends and lectures/presentations. I still do. I suffer from IBS aswell so if I eat certain kinds of food, it can make my stomach feel weird and then it starts. I don't like the way this is effecting my life and I'm really gonna try to get over it.
The main thing for me aswell is public places. I've gotten to the point where I'm pretty much fine with taking the bus or tube on my own. But as soon as I have someone with me, I get anxious. I don't want to be an inconvenience for them. And I don't want to be that weird guy who has to get of the tube randomly. AND I know that if I acually do get off, at some point I'm gonna have to get back on. I feel like i lie SO much, just to put myself in "safe" situations. I forgot my wallet so I can't take the tube with my friend, I can't go abroad to visit a friend because I promised my parents I would help them with something that weekend etc etc. Did you ever do this?
I will say this tho, it has gotten better. Sorry for the wall of text but it's good to know that I'm not alone. Plastic bag squad 4 life
Thank you for sharing. I too am a male who suffers of Emetophobia. It’s so much harder with 3 kids. As soon as one does not feel well I go into total panic.some times are better than others. Seems to be getting worse. Thank you for your insight.
I was surprise of you saying that he can get drunk too, since I cannot drink because of the fear of getting sick but I can relate to a lot of things in the video. I freak out everytime someone gets up to the bathroom in the middle of the night and also I always use earphones on public bathroom since I got a bad experience with a pregnant women years ago. I have intense attacks when I think I´m going to be sick or when someone else is sick around me but my family and friends treats me like I´m crazy and say I don´t care about others...
This phobia is really hard and as it is uncommon we cannot talk with people about it and it is great to find people with the same problem
I have just found your video along with lots of others from girls indeed but I don't think there's a difference between men and women since phobias and anxiety comes from the amygdala which is pretty much the same in everyone. But it's good to know it's not only the "weak gender" who can have it. Most men just hide it even for a lifetime and it makes me really sad.
I have emetophobia myself, I can relate to literally everything you say in this video. I'm currently on treatment (CBT) where I learned that amygdala can learn not to push the panic button when thing like that happen so I hope for a "cure". If someone can make peace with vomiting itself it will change their whole life.
The biggest problem is with emetophobia is that you can't tell the difference between panic and real sickness anymore and your amygdala won't listen to the logical part of your brain so every sickness feels like a real one.
The only thing where you might go wrong (based on my studies and experience) it's NOT irrational. Most emetophobic such as myself associate vomiting with choking which IS a life threatening thing. Also you can't tell when is it gonna stop ( the vomiting episodes not the actual act as it can only last for a few seconds at a time), it can seriously dehydrate your body if lasts long and of course the whole experience leading up to vomiting such as sweating, dizziness, weakness, nausea all horrible and nobody enjoys it.
There's nothing to be embarrassed about here, some people are scared to touch a frog or speak in public, I find it more irrational than the fear of vomiting.
If you want help and speak to a therapist (or other emetophobes who are on treatment because they can help you without pushing it too far), do the CBT and don't let it get you down, I know there are days you wouldn't eat at all or wouldn't leave the house but panic attacks and vomiting never last forever :)
Thank you for making this ❤️
I have emetophobia too :'( I need help
same :c
I'm years late on this video, but thank you for uploading it. I agree all the emetaphobia videos seem to be by females. I suffer mildly from it but it really is crippling. When you mentioned the headphones that hit home for me. Thank you again. Watching your video does help.
I am a women who has full blown emetophobia and agoraphobia which therapists have told me is even more tricky to help. I am terrified of others getting sick and of myself catching it and myself getting sick. I also carry a bag around in my pocket with me ( I think my daughter thinks I’m crazy). I’ve been suffering with this since I was about 4 years old and it’s terrible. I would honestly rather die then throw up. It’s gotten so bad to the point where I’m actually looking into assisted suicide because I can’t handle the suffering and torture of it anymore
Thank you! I go through the same thing and it kills me sometimes!
I’m glad as a guy that you have made this video, I suffer from emetaphobia and as a man I struggle to find anyone else that can relate, I feel isolated and that I just have to “get over it” I can relate to you in a lot of ways and I appreciate this video and others. It’s glad you know there is other people out there who feel this same way I do. We are all in it together and can get through this
I hate sitting on the inside desk of a pair of desks in school cause then I'm pressed up against the wall and If I need to get sick I'll have to step over the person and i feel trapped and mildly claustrophobic. Thank you for this video.
For me my safety net is mint gum. I read something once that said you cannot throw up if you are chewing mint gum and now I chew it constantly when I start to stress about possibly being sick. I know I am not going to be sick but that gum makes my brain almost positive that I won’t. And if someone else says they feel sick or their face looks like they aren’t feeling well I give them my mint gum
I'm 14 and male and have this fear its really hard to get over it. I would leave the house at a young age. Thanks for the video!
Do you still have it? I've had it since 13 and still have it at 16
@@barivs8736 yep I'm 19 now and still have it. my anxiety goes through the roof whenever I hear someone vomit.
I have never related to anything more. thank you so much for making this video.
You're so relatable... norovirus makes me want to never leave my house... it makes me laugh saying it out loud and how silly it sounds to people who dont have it. I'm surprised that you can get drunk... does that spark your anxiety worse? The only reason I ask is because I don't drink because I associate it with being sick. I'm wondering how you deal with it?
Mads Mahoney I don't drink for the same reason and I was surprised to hear that he could.
I drink and I have had Emetophobia from the time I was 11 until my current age at 22. I think it's either a mixture of the alcohol actually calming you down and relaxing you, or the underlying fact that you can't catch being drunk. For me, it's more like him. If i'm not drinking, I can't tolerate any sort-of vomiting. However, if i've been drinking, I can tolerate drunken vomiting but not actually catch something. He actually said very well how I feel about this. Also, i've been drinking for two years with certain friends, and I haven't vomited from anything since I was 14. I hope that we all can get over this. It is hell.
I was going to say the same thing. I'm 32 years old and I have NEVER been drunk or tipsy in my life because I always had the fear of throwing up because of it so I never did it. I didn't even know that there was an ACTUAL name for it. I thought I was crazy. I've also realized that it could be the cause of my panic/anxiety attacks. I take Vyvanse for ADD, concentration, and focus, Vistril for Panic Attacks, and Buspar for Anxiety attacks. I started by making a list of what triggers any of my issues and actively avoided them -- which led to agoraphobia. Also take a note around which time-frame (AM or PM) where you're more susceptible of getting panic/anxiety attacks. Mine usually happens at night - anywhere between 10pm-3am.
When he mentioned something about "self-medication," over the years (since I was 18) I have had a license for medical marijuana. It works wonders for anxiety if you have ADD/ADHD but if you don't, it will more than likely make you more anxious. As far as depression -- I've never had a debilitating depression, but have been depressed about situations that trigger.
I am the same way I’ve never really had any interest in drinking because I’m afraid it will make me sick. So it’s interesting that he can but also to see comments of other people like myself as well. I think that is what makes me feel the most alone with this phobia drinking seems to be sooo important to everyone else my age and I don’t like parties cuz I’m afraid of people being sick and I really don’t feel like I’m missing out because I don’t care if I drink or not. But I hate how it makes me feel so alone like I have to drink and go out because there is nobody else who doesn’t want to drink like me. And it’d be fine if people my age could control themselves but they all want to get so drunk they don’t remember their names and I’m just not interested! I wish I could find some other people who liked to do fun things still but without needing the influence of alcohol to do it. I just feel so alone. I also hate that just because I don’t drink means I have to explain myself to everyone like hello? It is a choice not every single person drinks for fun I’m not sure why it is so shocking to people!
Same, that stuff was going around my school and I was so close to just asking my mom if I could just stay home.
This video really helped me, I'm emetophobic. I thought I was the only male with emetophobia. I'm also very young (14 years old) it started when I was 2 and a half years old.
Im glad you pointed out that we rarely throw up in reality. I went 18 years clean.
i would refuse chemotherapy, too. i've had to take anti anxiety meds and antidepressants for years because my fear is so bad. i always check the dates on everything i eat and/or drink, and even when i do i think that i will get food poisoning from it. i even check food recall websites and google what i eat. i will not eat without washing my hands or using hand sanitizer. i won't leave my room if someone in my house is sick, unless i go or through out my window. when i think about throwing up i automatically go into a panic mode. i will not see my friends for 2 weeks after they are sick. i am 17 and i keep my moms house insanely clean. i wake up every single night and think that i will throw up even though i don't. i haven't thrown up in 6-7 years and my anxiety will make me think i am going to, but in the back of my mind i always know that i'm okay and i'm not going to. I wouldn't wish this fear on anyone, not even my worst enemy. it's the 6th most common fear in the world, people just don't talk about it enough. i'm glad that there are other people i can relate to with this and i'm not alone in this world.
i get you. thank you for sharing
Thank you so much for uploading this, I know it’s very difficult to talk about/admit, let alone make a video for the world to see.
I specifically searched for a video like this, to see a man’s perspective is amazing for me. I’m a girl and while I like reading how other females cope with emetophobia, I just know it’d be better for me, personally, to hear it from a man.
We suffer in a similar way. If I’m having a night where my anxiety has gone through the roof, I’m awake the whole night through. I had a tip once years ago, sleep at the other end of the bed! (Or lay there watching tv like me) because the slight change in atmosphere can really help your emetophobia induced anxiety attack.
If I get one randomly, I tend to scratch my head, play with my right ear and yawn a lot. The funny thing is, I don’t even feel sick. I know it’s anxiety nausea. Which isn’t the same as real life nausea.
I experience a crazy amount of guilt when my girlfriend is sick. I can’t comfort her or hold her hair back, like you say. It makes me feel really shit. 😣
I try to think about this (and it helps): ALL bugs are caught through bad hygiene. My hands are ALWAYS clean. I won’t touch my face or mouth if they’re not. Wash your phone with antibacterial wipes too. The last time I was sick was food poisoning from Burger King (it closed down the following day! I think they used old meat)
Makes me feel better to know it wasn’t that I didn’t wash my hands well enough. That was 8 years ago.
I can’t eat at any old takeaway, I have to read reviews. The only thing this really stops me doing.. is drinking. I’ve been drunk maybe once or twice ever. Makes me sad that I can’t get absolutely wasted like my friends can! I’m 29 now and I’ve gone through all my 20’s without being drunk :(!
Anyway. If anybody needs any advice (I’m no expert but I’ve only been sick twice in 15 years) then drop me a message :)
And thank you, Tom.
I had this fear since 5th grade but it stopped for years, 4 days ago it came right back even worse than before. I can't eat because I feel like I'm going to be sick and I feel like something bad is going to happen everyday.
I've always had emetophobia, ever since I was very small. I only just today at 26 years old realized that other people had this level of fear for vomiting and that it even has a name. A few years ago my stomach just stopped working, it shut down and became almost completely paralyzed, which made me feel VERY sick CONSTANTLY. It took more than almost 2 years of tests, medications, surgeries, tube feeding and x-rays to get my stomach to start moving again. The entire time was constant panic, anxiety, and guilt. These doctors were just trying to treat me or run tests and I'm over here SOBBING. They're looking at me like I'm crazy, and they start to panic because I'm not cooperating. So incredibly embarrassing. I really wish this phobia was talked about more and that I had known much sooner. Maybe I could have communicated better.
The worst part of this whole experience though, for me, was it sort of made my irrational fear seem much less irrational. One day I was eating normally, than the next, I threw up for seemingly no reason and my stomach became completely paralyzed. When I'm calm I know that vomiting wasn't the cause of my illness. But now that I can eat, if anything triggers me, I worry that I'll go through all that hell over again. PLUS ALSO now I'm afraid I'll choke and drown or something because my stomach still doesn't function completely normally and I can no longer burp, it just gets stuck...
ive been struggling with this fear for as long as I can remember and had my first panic attack because of it in 5th grade. it only got worse and worse from there, my appetite deteriorated very quickly the summer going in to 8th grade and my eating habits had worsened as well. In the span of about 2 months I'd dropped around 6-8 pounds, and well over 20 by the time covid hit. I was sickeningly underweight, my parents thought I was bulimic or something. I had panic attacks almost every day and I couldn't function for a really long time. And I felt so alone, I could never tell anyone because they wouldn't understand and probably just laugh it off. at its peak I was 89 (started at 118) lbs and could barely stand to eat just tiny bites of any nutritious food. my doctor recommended drinking ensure which was so heavy on my stomach and I hated it. I gave up all meat and dairy and went vegan because of this fear. I was so tired of fighting what was clearly already a lost battle I made a decision that wasn't really mine. I've since been getting much better, but my life is absolutely under the control of this phobia. I'm glad I went vegan and I wouldn't go back, but I just wish I could live my own life without this fear.
I have this phobia since I was like 4 years old I am more scared of other people though. In the last years I have run out of places and disappeared because of people getting sick.
I always feel guilty about it as I'm ruining people's nights because of strangers who can't control what is happening , my boyfriend knows of my fear and tries to get what I'm feeling but, he has gotten frustrated with me before and it broke my heart.
I had to leave a friend by themselves in the kitchen while they were intoxicated and getting sick, because I had a panic attack, they were only okay because of my boyfriend.
Emetophobia has restricted my life so much and I hate having it.
My biggest fear is what you mentioned happened to that unfortunate kid in the choir. If someone got sick on me I would freak out so much no matter where I was I would need to remove anything that was touched by the sick, I would never be able to look at myself I would probably become very depressed and possibly suicidal. I would feel that I am so unclean I didn't deserve to live. Not many people probably feel that strongly that is just my mental state...
Watching this has made me feel better knowing that I'm not alone in having emetophobia.
People don't understand how deeply this mental disease affects.
I am a male and suffer from this phobia and this video was a great help. I get every point you make and can relate to every problem you present. My fear is of being sick myself, it's more of the bug than anything. I can see other people throw up and if I know why it doesn't give me anxiety and get me stressed out unless it’s because of the stomach bug.
I am absolutely gob smacked at this. This is exactly how I feel. From start to finish with this video, it’s exactly how I feel.
I have INTENSE INTENSE INTENSE emetaphobia. So much, that once, my sister vomited on my backpack while sitting in the back seat with me on a road trip and I cried and cried for hours and huttled up in the corner of the car shoving my finger so deep into my ears that it hurt. And I have no idea why, I just have the worst anxiety for no reason. I can't with anything. Coughing, gagging, acid reflex, ANYTHING. at one point when I was a child I couldent stand bitter sweet tastes like toothpaste, floride, gas mask fluids, bubblegum, and weird things like that. So I refused to take any liquid medication and forced myself to take pills instead even though I was still scared of those because I could throw up taking them, my mom had to tell the dentist that I was allergic to the floride, because when they tried to put it on my teeth when I was 10, I would physically panic and would not let them put it in my mouth because it tasted so bad and it made me extremely nauseous. Even when I was drugged under by an extremely strong bubblegum gas for my first surgery when I was 9, I threw up everywhere in my sleep and didn't even realize it. Even when I woke up and they told me, I was so absoloutly traumatized. And I still have the fear to this day, and it's just getting worse because most of my worsted nightmares are about vomit.
I think I have this as well. My concern is I'm not sure if I'm worrying or if I'm genuinely ill. Anyone else feel the same and if so how do I overcome this?
Murph Games. I feel that way too sometimes, but I'm not sure how to overcome it.
I've had panic attacks and the best way I help it is lie in bed in the recovery position and breathe slowly through your nose out your mouth. It helps calm and relaxes me.
What happened to you while you sang in the choir, that's how I feel EVERY public place I go. This fear is the worst.
i have this and top it up with being hypochondriac. I have constant nausea. I cannot tell if I am actually sick or just anxiety. Also, I dont throw up like normal people. I sort of heave for a while and painfully retch so that makes my anxiety even worse. It is the worst. I am 24 and the last time I did was when i was 12. I am almost nauseous 24/7
When and how did it started? I'm going thru the same
I have emetophobia, im currently in year 8 and plenty of people in my classes are sick. I start to get panicky and start to have a panic attack. I never come in the next day and start to cry, my sister is sick all the time and I used that method last night even though she wasn't sick. This have helped me so much!
This video is SUPER IMPORTANT. I also highly recommend everyone with this to get checked out by a physician, I/my doctor thought I had IBS and my Emetophobia was consequently caused by that, turns out I have a non cancerous tumor that compresses my guts which will be removed once the hospitals clear up a bit (it's non life-threatening).
Everytime I ate something I would get anxiety about throwing it up, and then the anxiety about throwing up made me nauseous. I've never actually thrown up but in those moments you are so sure you are going to. The worst of my anxiety was during the summer. I was out of school so I was alone a lot of the time. And every night after dinner i was so sure I would throw up. I started eating less, to the point where my parents noticed. One day I felt horrible and I finally told my mom. At this point I had no idea what is was though. I thought I had an allergy or something. She said i probably just had a stomach bug, but it was just a really long and excruciating anxiety attack. It lasted for about 3 or 4 days and I ate nothing for about 3 days. Every night for those days i would pace my room (that helps me not be sick) until my legs tingled. Hours and hours of pacing the closest I got to throwing up was dry heaving which is one of the scariest things to do. I found out about like a week into school. I told a bunch of my friends and some take it seriously and some do not. Looking at these comments and watching this video really makes me feel so much less alone.
The most embarrassing emetophobia moment for me was when this girl in my class cough so much that she gagged... I sat rocking in a corner of the room humming so that I couldn’t hear her and plugging my ears. This aid in my class then told my sister about it and she made fun of me for it for about a month and would fake vomit in front of me. It was horrible having my own family poke fun of a serious problem for me :(
You're a lovely man bro
Thank you for sharing your story! You might want to look up the book "My Age of Anxiety" by Scott Stossel as another example of a man with this phobia. He is a lifelong emetophobe and editor of The Atlantic magazine. Warning - it has some graphic descriptions of exposure therapy.
ohhh i have this too! im currently going through therapy right now, called "exposure therapy" i have the exact same symptoms as everything you've said it's crazy
im just seeing this now & i have emetophobia too. i relate to this video SO much. everything you talked about is 1000% me! it feels so great to hear about someone having it just as bad as me & it feels nice hearing it from a guys perspective! thank you for this.
This is exactly how I feel. Knowing the difference between being actually sick and feeling sick because you're so anxious to not be sick. Sounds so irrational but it's something I also struggle with. Mine is mostly related with food. Especially fatty foods and social situations where I don't know many people and also if I'm going to an event or place where I don't have a way out or a room (bathroom) where I can be by myself and relax.
I am just afraid to vomit because the feeling of nausea is awful. Furthermore, I dread high heights, which causes my fear of vomiting to intensify. It escalated into fear of motion sickness, because if I am driving or traveling by plane, the car or jet is in constant motion. If I feel sick my anxiety rises because there is no escape from the situation. I have made great progress and have traveled through mountains and long car rides without panicking, but I have never been on a plane. What frustrates me is that I was nearly over this, and mentally prepared to fly, until I had a panic attack in 2012. I have been taking baby steps and using self help/cognitive behavioral/flooding techniques to gradually expose myself to these situations where my fear is greatest. I have seen great results as I was able to successfully commute to class by car without thinking about vomit or motion sickness. However, traveling by bus has been bothering me lately. I am trying to get off campus housing that's within walking distance of the University to avoid this right now, give myself time to continue to gain confidence traveling by car and gradually expose myself to short distance travel by bus. I do desire to see a therapist that specializes in treating emetophobia and height anxiety. My goal is to not fear feeling sick in these situations rather than avoiding it. I am no longer afraid to vomit outside of traveling though, which i am very happy about. I used to go to great lengths to avoid vomiting under all circumstances.
I have emetophobia too and it was really difficult to find another guy with the same fear too... So it's nice to see a video like yours. Greetings from Mexico!
I love this video i relate so much thank you. Currently having a panic attack and just listening to you tell your story helped me stop cryig sooooo thanks!
Thank you so much for making this video. I've suffered from emetophobia for as long as I can remember, and it's just been getting steadily worse and worse as the years go on. Everything you've mentioned in this video I can 100% relate to. It's comforting to find someone who understands what you're going through & who gets that this isn't just a fear, it is a full blown phobia. I constantly carry anti-nausea medicine on my person on the off chance myself or someone around me starts to feel sick. If I think someone is going to be sick around my it's like my fight or flight instinct kicks in and I just have to get out of there. I feel like people with this phobia have to focus on the little victories we get everyday to make it more manageable. ie. flew on a plane, got into a car, went to a party, etc. Anyway I don't want to ramble on. Thank you again for making this, it really helped to hear someone else GET it. Much love!
I know this video is a bit older already, but I just found it, because I had a horrible emetophobia/anxiety day because of a family dinner and this really helped me feel a bit better. You describe a lot of the thoughts I go through every time the panic attack hits and it feels good to be reminded that I'm not alone.
I hope you're dealing with it even better now and thanks a lot for making this video!
I have the same phobia! I used to terribly suffer from it, but now it's getting better. Every time I would see someone vomit I would start violently shake and start crying. But now I only panic a little bit and only slightly shake and I don't cry. The last time I saw someone vomit was at a Cross Country meet. And being in Cross Country I would always be afraid of vomiting form being overheated, luckily now it's getting better. Also, I have had the same thing with the 'thinking you are going to be sick when you're not nauseous' thing.
Ahhhh man thank you so much for making this! I do the headphones-next-to-the-bed thing as well and it scares the shit out of me when someone goes to the bathroom at night time! It's got better as I've gotten older but I used to be petrified of school trips and stuff and would miss out on all sorts because I was too scared of getting on the coaches in case someone got travel sick - I even left my swim team after i had the panicky sick feeling and thought I was going to puke in the pool 😂 I'm a bit better at controlling it now but even the mention of the word 'sick' still gives me that dizzy sinking-stomach feeling. It sounds stupid but I find looking for the nearest bin always helps whenever it gets bad and I used to take a carrier bag everywhere with me too. It's such a horrible and controlling fear to have, thought I was being ridiculous so it's great to hear it from someone else 🙌❤️
Right in the middle of the I started because I experienced exactly the same situation, and I'm still now. I have emetophobia, and that's a thing, that, unfortunately, your life...
Thank you soooo much for this video! I FEEL every word you used as I am suffering from emetophobia too. It helps me a lot to hear your experience and I just recognize myself in EVERY single situation of anxiety you described. So thank you - from France ^^
You described me! This is the best video I’ve seen. I also keep a bag on me at all times.
I wanted to make a specific point that links slightly to one of his points in the video. For some reason in the back of my mind I avoid children because I associate them with being more likely to get a bug or travel sick. Just wanted to share to see if anyone else emetophobic relates.
ME!!!
I swear this ruins my life literally and when I FEEL sick I start shaking like crazy omg it’s so nerve racking and it just kills me and I’m literally scared of traveling with car and I’m scared when my brothers stomach hurts or he coughs or someone coughs, and everything connected to that, Im so scared when I get sick and every time me and my classmates went in museums and stuff I remember, first time we went somewhere I got sick day after and after that everytime I went somewhere like excursion with classmates, EVERYTIME I vomited the next day I was so mentally sure it was like my “curse” and when I feel like vomiting I loose control, I get so nervous and I have anxiety attacks and and I’m very scared vomiting around someone besides my family members, and I thought I got this phobia when my brother was sick, like he got virus when you vomit 5 days in a row and you have temperature and stuff and when he got better, I got that virus and than I got that virus again after a month, I had it worse considering I have this phobia and I thought this was when my emetophobia started but no, my mother told me I always had worse reactions about vomiting and stuff, and I have no idea were this fear came from and I get so anxious when someone says he/she is sick or something so yeah this is how I’m. Sorry this thing is huge