Irrational fear of tummy bug!!

Hi I have just found this forum! I have extreme panic attacks when i feel sick or have a tummy ache and i cant look after my 3 kids when they are sick through my own panic. Its horrendous! the last time i had the bug was over a year ago and i panicked so much my husband called an ambulance! I cant help in any way because i cant even deal with it myself but im so relieved i'm not the only one as my husband keeps trying to tell me everytime i get into a panic!

I know this is an old post and I hope you guys don’t mind me posting! It’s 3:15am and I can’t sleep because I’ve been in the same room as someone who has the bug and I’m panicking really bad! I have like a anxiety dull pain in my stomach and my mind keeps on telling me I’m going to be sick and I don’t know what to do 😫😫

I 100% sympathize with this! I know this is an old post, but I've only just begun to experience severe anxiety symptoms the past 2 weeks. I've always had emetophobia, but never like this. Now, I'm constantly paranoid that I'll somehow contract a stomach flu out of thin air. I am not able to touch any food that isn't cooked to a crisp. in fact, I'm anxious about eating in general. I've begun to carry around clorox wipes to try wipe down anything that I touch and I wash my hand obsessively. I'm starting to believe that I'm going to get OCD and other forms of disorders from this one phobia. I am considering going to see a therapist or something but I don't have the slightest clue on how therapists or counselors work. I really hate feeling like this. 

Hi i'm new to this site (any site actually) admitting to this phobia is very hard, if not impossible.  I too have the eating thing, however I have started having a few glasses of wine at night to try to relax my body, the fear is horrendous, I would love to know if anyone has been able to overcome this and how they did it. I panic also about food being undercooked and even though hamburger vans smell amazing at times, there is no way i will eat food from them, just incase its off.!! or under cooked. It truly rules my life, winter is much worse for me as tummy bugs seem to fly around, I also use hand gel and NEVER sit on public toilet seats incase I catch a bug. I feel pathetic at times. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I wonder if its because Im going to be ill.  I also have panic attacks. I cant wait for the nights to get lighter as it makes me feel less alone, night times are the worst.

Hi Kaz, and hi to all the other girls also I hope you all come back to read this reply. I’m 30 and for as long as I can remember I have suffered with Emetophobia. This is what you are all suffering with by the sounds of it. I am exactly the same - stomach bugs, throwing up and diarreah all terrify me as well. Terrify me to the point where I’d rather chop my arm off than be sick from a stomach bug. It’s definitly worsened over the years. To the point where now I have panic attacks regularly and avoid doing so many things that I loved doing before. I can’t honestly say if we will ever be cured but we must start somewhere. It’s taken me all this time to seek help and I am not seeing a therapist who is helping me through what is called exposure therapy. I have trawled the internet for hours on end night after night reading forums and stories and I have to admit it is very very rare to find anyone who is completely cured. Please google and search for these posts and forums as they do bring peace of mind when you’re in a crisis or upset. Breathing and meditation also help but I must admit I very rarely practice meditation I must try it more. I hope everyone is okay x

Hi Sally, you’re not alone I do the exact same thing! Food terrifies me but I also love food at the same time? It’s a vicious cycle. What I have learnt is that the less we eat and the more we panic, the lower our blood sugar goes and the

More sick we will feel. We are making ourselves feel worse. It frightens me to think that if I eat I might be sick that night but my therapist has advised me to try to eat something small when the anxiety kicks in as this will help with the sick feeling! It’s crazy but we are making ourselves feel worse but I can’t seem to get myself out of the cycle x

Hi Faye, as this is an old post I doubt you’ll reply but I’d just like to know if you were ever sick? I have this feeling daily, constantly and I avoid food at certain times and do all sorts of silly rituals (I now know these are called safety behaviours) try not to worry about catching anything you could be extremely lucky and never get poorly. I wish I could take my own advice as I worry every single day about getting a stomach bug. I hope you’re feeling better x

Hi Kaz, 

You are not alone, I also suffer from the same thing I am lucky that I work online, therefore, I am able to leave the country at this time of the year. I move around the world avoiding this season, I travel in general and I will go out my way to avoid these times of the year.

I know 5THP helps with anxiety I can recommend this as I have taken it before. I would take the highest dose you can buy it online, eBay in fact or the Online US or Canadian Pharmacy, if you like. I mean, I don't get how everyone else is so relaxed about it, and I am freaking out. I also can't sleep and get the same feelings you do.

I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist they are regually avalibe, maybe they can help. There is also an online service starting at £150 a month, highly recommended.

I am assuming they would make you clear about the facts, we will not die though getting sick maybe they can put the sickness into perspective for us. 

Best of luck, the season is almost over.

Think positive and just reassure yourself it's only 24-hour bug after you will be fine. What sometimes helps me is thinking of the day, Monday for example. I will be better by Wednesday and Thursday back to normal. What reassures me but I still know where you are coming from. It really messes with my head too.  

Don't worry, we will all be fine. It's only temporary thing few hours and its over. 

<3

Hey Faye, 

I wrote a long message before, I just wanted to reply to you so you get a notification and see my message before. An updated message I like we all give great advice to each other, read my comment before I hope it can help some people too. 

*Correction before in my other message *(5HTP)

Hi James! Thanks for replying. I love the thing about the days never really thought of it that way but things like that help me so I’m going to use that. I know these sickness bugs don’t last long at all, and I know I won’t die from vomiting. I think I’ve read so many horrible stories about norovirus on the internet that I’ve scared myself even more. That’s lucky that you get to travel for your job, but that would freak me out how do you know you’re safe going to all these different places. They have all sorts of illness and diseases everywhere lol. 

I also find the nights the hardest, I am a little more relaxed in the day.. maybe because I’m busier and there is more distractions. I find the nights really hard though, If i wake up I ussume it because I’m not well (even though I have a 9 month old that fusses all night). Even in horrendous pain when I was in labour, the main worry was that I was going to be sick!! It’s a horrible fear! I always when I do feel sick, got a thing about being outside. I can’t go to the toilet it makes me worse, I run outside and that seems to calm the anxiety slightly x

Hi Kylie, I've also realized that the more i avoid eating, the worse I feel sometimes. I try to eat here and there (mostly "safe" foods), but I also can't seem to get myself out of this vicious cycle. I start to feel better and less anxious some days and then I hear at least one person a week, that I know of, tell me they've been feeling sick. Then I'm back right where I started, praying that I haven't caught god knows whatever it is that they've had, ever-so cautious about eating, skipping out on meals (basically living off bananas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and having mini-panic attacks about the possibility of falling ill in the middle of the night, all while feeling pathetic right before I fall asleep. Then it starts all over the next day.

I've been seeing a therapist/counselor and we've been doing some exercises (breathing techniques, meditation, a little bit of exposure therapy) to be able to cope with this phobia, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. I anticipate having to practice A LOT to be able to get to where I was before. But it's a start and I want to feel positive that this is going to work. 

I hope you're finding some success with your therapy. It's going to be a hard battle but I think that just by seeking help, we've succeeded in confronting our fears which is an important step on the road to recovery. 

Hi Kiah! Sorry for the delayed reply. Well you’ve already smashed your fear if you’ve had a baby - you should be proud of yourself. I’m the same if I wake in the night I end up shocking and worrying myself even more and then I’m ADAMANT I’m going to be sick. For as long as I can remember I’ve never been sick? Stupid isn’t it. I’m such a panicker. That is exactly the same as me, I open the window and breathe in the cold night air and do several deep breaths - I cannot go to the toilet as that heightens my fear massively !! I am seeing my therapist next weekend so I will catch up then. Thanks