Emetaphobia

Since my last blog post, my husband Sam has encouraged me to continue writing, so here it goes. Last week, my sister and I got talking about this component of my anxiety called emetophobia...ever heard of it? 
The definition of Emetophobia is an intense phobia that causes overwhelming, intense anxiety pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated. 
So I guess this is a pretty big deal for me...definitely not my only anxiety trigger, but it's a big one. For people who have known me my whole life pretty much know this is serious for me, but never have I ever met anyone with the same issues....so as I was talking to my sister, we started to wonder if their are others who share this deep rooted fear of Barf/Vomit/Puke/Throw up or whatever else ya'll call it...other people obviously suffer from this same fear, it actually has a name, that means something! But where are these other people like me who can't be around when someone is sick? 
So let's back WAY up...why am I like this? What is so scary about barf? You all are probably wondering...I mean, no one likes the stuff, but not many people are absolutely terrified..this fear for me started way back in preschool, when I was barfed on by the kid next to me. After that at least once a year a kid in my class would throw up causing tiny panic attacks to spring up...this stuff tends to follow me everywhere...at home, school, the workplace, even just in public. I not only can't stand seeing barf, but I don't want to know if it happens(even if i'm not anywhere near it), I don't want to barf, and I definitely do not want to hear it happening(there is nothing worse than the sound of someone barfing). If someone posts on Facebook that they are sick, it sends this big panic through me and starts a big string of "oh man, are they barfing", "Is the stomach flu going around...am I going to get it?" and on and on until I have to get reassurance from someone that will tell me I probably won't get it since I haven't been around that person...so I guess this sounds a bit crazy, but it's my life. 
So I guess now that you know a little bit about my extreme barf phobia, what do you think? Have you heard of it before, or know anyone with similar issues? 

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