Fear of Vomit? What now?
Posted , 4 users are following.
so for years and years now I've had a massive phobia of vomiting! I remember the day that triggered like it was yesterday: I remember sitting in my bed on late Christmas Eve as a young teenager watching a film and all of a sudden I was sick, I can't remember what I felt like before or how it felt, I just remember being sick! Ever since then I've panciked at the sight, smell and though or even someone mentioning they feel sick! Even on Christmas Eve now I panick more than ever!
Recently I've been diagnosed with anxiety and I suffered with mild depression about 3 years ago! it's coming to the point where I have a panick attack nearly 5/6 times a week! There is a day now that goes by without me worrying about throwing up! Strange thing is I'm usually fine in the day it's when it comes to night that I start to get nervous!
The thing is whenever someone say the feel ill I started to get all worked up to the point where I won't eat anything if I feel like I have a stomach ache! And the fact that I haven't eaten makes my stomach hurt so I don't eat ect. It's a viscous circle! I constant worry about meat being cooked properly and get people to eat it or check it before I eat it! I constantly have a gassy stomach from where I panick and then end up with what my dad likes to call "nervous indigestion". I super panick when the stomach winter bug is going around and use excessive amounts of hand gel and burn my hands with hot water to clean them!
I've been to the doctors hundreds of times and they have offered me blood tests, tablets, endoscopy and colonoscopy! but I'm too nervous Incase they make me throw up! The doctors reccomended me some anti depressant tables called sertraline, but I heard bad stuff about it makes you feel nauseous so that's a big no no!
It's becoming too much now and I wanted to know how everyone else copes and what they reccomend!
3 likes, 22 replies
Guest AnxietyJess
Posted
AnxietyJess Guest
Posted
chris231280 AnxietyJess
Posted
- if someone says they've been sick or bad stomach, I feel ill instantly.
- if there are bugs going around, I cover my hands with my jumper sleeve before opening door handles.
- If I have to be a passenger in a car I get really anxious in case I throw up in the car.
- I check all meat is cooked through before I eat it, in case it makes me ill
- I very rarely eat eggs, unless I've cooked them
The funny thing is - I know it's completely in my head, I know it..... But you can't help it.
The main thing that has helped me, is knowledge..... Realising what is going on with your body when you feel anxious will help I.e.
If I'm feeling sick or anxious one day, I may take time to myself to think "why"...... "Is my belly actually hurting", "have I eaten something that has bloated me"....
I really feel that since knowing that it is anxiety- I actually feel better, being able to put a name to it actually helps.
I really hope you find some way of coping though, I take anxiety medication- and that also helps a great deal.
Take care
AnxietyJess chris231280
Posted
Interesting story mine is very similar!
I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this!
I literally do the same thing you do with the meat, including fish, the door handles, I even burn my hands with boiling hot water when I've touched raw meat Incase it rubs on to anything and I get sick from it! I carry a huge tub of hand gel around incase I need to use it, which I do every time I touch something in a public space!
I get car sick sitting in the back of the car or being a passenger on country roads which means I have a panick attack!
How do you cope with it?
what do you do to stop yourself panicking?!
chris231280 AnxietyJess
Posted
But.... If I have to (shudders) then I find having something to occupy my mind helps, boiled sweets are my biggest help. You may want to curl up into a ball - but trying to have a conversation can also distract your mind.... And if you feel panic kicking in, take a "step back" and analyse what's happening- "I'm gonna be sick"..... "Why, my stomach isn't hurting"..... Panic attacks themselves don't last long, if you can occupy yourself enough to see them through, hopefully your confidence in yourself will grow, and you will be able to cope better with them x
AnxietyJess chris231280
Posted
Thanks for your comments, I can imagine it's hard for you to be a passenger as you're not in control of the car! I hate the word sick it makes me panicky!
I get them a most every day, either because my throat feels clogged up or blocked and I'm scared I'll be sick! Then it all leads from there!
I honestly have no clue where to start in fixing the problem!