Hi Katie. I have been watching your vlogs for a long time now and closely followed your journey with emetaphobia. I’ve had this for as long as I can remember and I’m as frustrated as you are at how controlling it is. My heart was racing as you were shaking! The panic, the tubes, the ear plugs, pavement checking, I do it all too :-(. You are not alone and your vlog reminds me I’m not alone too. This time of year really is the worst. Rescue remedy, chamomile teas, deep breathing and distraction can help a bit but most importantly… …remember you are stronger than you think, your mind is a powerful tool so keep telling yourself that the thought and build up to these things is often far worse than the event itself. You will get through like you always do. Really appreciate you opening up on this subject. Virtual hug coming your way . X
I've never commented on a video before but felt compelled to. I have struggled with emetophobia for most of my life and now at the age of 40 am in place where it's mostly under control. Firstly, you're very brave for talking publicly about this in such an open manner and it will absolutely help a lot of people so thank you for that. At the risk of being one of those "do this it worked for me so it'll work for you" people, I wanted to share that the thing that actually helped me work through it properly was regular talking therapy with a counsellor/psychotherapist, not CBT. I didn't go to therapy for my emetophobia in itself although it did come up in conversation from time to time but what I realised is that the therapy really helped me work through a lot of issues I was repressing, which then had a knock on effect of massively reducing my overall anxiety and panic and therefore reduced my emetophobia so dramatically that recently, I witnessed a young guy thrown up all over the pavement and I just felt sorry for him and then turned around and went back to talking with my friends. That would have been absolutely unthinkable a year or so ago, so I really do understand where you're at. I don't know what your root causes are but I did find that CBT was helpful in the short term but these feelings would always come back, just like you're currently experiencing, because CBT doesn't really always unpick the root, so it was the deeper therapeutic work I did that has really made the most difference. I always try to keep in mind that if I'm feeling sick, I need to trust my body to do what it needs to do, not focus on my mind. And if someone else is likely to be sick, then there is literally nothing I can do to control that so I have to focus my energies elsewhere. I don't want to sound glib as this is after years of therapy and hard work but I'm just sharing it to try to give you some hope that it is treatable and you will get better, but maybe something a little stronger than CBT is needed to help you out in the long run. Sending you lots of love and strength, it's so exhausting getting to grips with these things so I hope you can find some peace soon xxx
Hi Katie, I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with this. I've had emetophobia ever since I got food poisoning in 2016, and it has unfortunately controlled my life ever since. I avoid cars, boats, roller coasters, meat, obsessively wash my hands, check the expiration dates on things constantly and will even throw stuff away that just seems "off" (even if it's perfectly fine). My primary fear is myself getting sick, but seeing/hearing others getting sick isn't great either. I think my fear at its core is a loss of control, so not being near a bathroom, out in public in an unfamiliar space, in a confined space like a train, etc. is triggering and flares my anxiety like no other. To help with this, I always carry: hand sanitizer, mask (in case someone is coughing/sneezing near me), Xanax, ginger chews, sour candy, water, peppermint essential oil, and earphones (to listen to a comforting youtube video for panic attacks/anxiety). I actually just returned from a trip abroad and one thing that MASSIVELY helped was taking Bonine (active ingredient is meclizine); it's an anti-nausea that works for 24 hours. I took 7 plane rides, multiple trains/cars/public transport rides etc, and not once felt true nausea which was SO amazing for me. I struggle with anticipatory anxiety a lot (for instance, if i know i'm taking a plane journey, the thought of me MAYBE getting sick gives me anxiety, which leads to panic attacks which leads to symptoms like nausea, an endless cycle as you know) so the Bonine really helped. Thanks for making this video; you absolutely make myself and others feel less alone.
Hello Katie! I’m not usually one to drop a comment but i really resonated with what you said about leaving the house for fear of being unwell in public. This last year i’ve been struggling with my IBS, and in turn, this means i’m terrified of being unwell in public. I find myself constantly checking where the nearest bathroom is, checking menus at restaurants to see if any of my IBS triggers are ingredients in dishes i want to eat. I’m so sorry your phobia has crept up on you recently sending so much love 💕
I have his too. I started with health anxiety then almost 3 years now, I started with IBS symptoms and it is completely ruling my whole entire life. The anxiety about what my body is doing\going out in public/getting ooorly when not at home is debilitating xx
I totally relate. I am also Emetaphobic and it is really difficult. The things that go through your mind with worry van be hard woek. I also have health anxiety which I have had therapy for but not for emetaphobia. I do have 2 kids and schools and this time of year is really triggering for me. We have had to deal with these bugs being brought home but I’m so lucky in that I have a really supportive husband who is not fazed by it and I think that massively helps but it’s still difficult when it happens. I struggle with feeling it myself as well as being it causes panic attacks, luckily my pregnancy’s were free of it, thankfully! Thank you so much for this video, it’s so nice to feel you’re not on your own xxx
I give you an i-hug as I know how difficult living with a phobia is. I have globophobia - a fear of balloons and it's so difficult during this festive season...Just the other day I went to Tesco and after grabbing all the items I needed I rushed to the self checkout just to find out it's...adorned with balloons. As I totally understand than no phobia is nice to have I must say that being scared of something others perceive as awesome and festive is awful. Sending hugs againnnn
It's totally valid to choose to be childfree (obviously) but that is very different to letting a fear/anxiety hold you back from having children. It sounds like emetophobia is ruling your life and is in charge of your life decisions. Definitely seek help, CBT can be very helpful as you've experienced but other therapies (such as psychotherapy) may also be helpful to look at other underlying patterns and experiences. Zoella talks about emetophobia in context of her 1st pregnancy in some of her trimester videos which you might find interesting/helpful.
i've had emetophobia since i was 17. the main issue being - me throwing up. it got a bit better when i was 20-22, being able to eat out in restaurants which would have never happened for years. now at the age of 35 it's back and raging, as it were back when i was a late teen. CBT didn't help me really, but i am seeking out options for other therapies to try. all these scare tactics of the big 'quademic' is tiring me on the daily. it's hard to not completely shut yourself off from people and life when in a state of panic.
I’m so sorry you’ve been struggling!! And it’s brave of you to talk openly about it and rehash it. I struggle with misophonia (people eating/crunching food, or repetitive noises) .. and my husbands food clicking as he walks is my new trigger and I’ve been struggling so much the past month 🥲 it’s sucks our brains do this to us!
I too have misophonia, I can be in noisy places but certain sounds will set me of, so it's not always the volume of noise but the type of noise like you said repetitive sounds can really set my anxiety off badly,.iv found that as iv got older its gotten worse along with my anxiety. Have you found anything that helps you?. I really like the loop plugs but I know not everyone gets on with them.
@@shelby7481 I have misophonia too! It unleashes some sort of rage in me that is totally unexplainable so I can really relate! Mine is mostly people eating but also if there’s a sudden loud noise it triggers Elle too!
Fellow emetophobe here, I'm so sorry you've been struggling recently! Would definitely recommend psychotherapy as well as CBT - I feel a lot better able to cope in situations that would otherwise feel very debilitating after about a year of this therapy. Totally feel you about the decision to postpone a family because of your phobia, I'm the same and look at other people in awe at the fact they can just "get on with it". However, I came to the conclusion that if I wasn't going to have a family it needed to be because of a choice with my partner, and not my fear winning...which is what led me to get that therapy. Appreciate you sharing your journey so much. I know this will help a lot of other people feel less alone with something that is so often brushed off or not talked about. I hope you find your way through this and kick this stupid phobia to the curb! ❤
So sorry to hear that you have been struggling with it! I might say that I have a different variation of this phobia - I'm terribly scared of throwing up in public (the funniest thing is that I haven't really been sick for the past ten years or more). This phobia appeared out of nowhere, and it was horrible last year - I had full-blown panic attacks in public transport and all sorts of public places. After that I had to adjust my routine to avoid feeling 'trapped' because that's what usually causes my fits. I know that it's all in my brain too, though no idea how to deal with it. 😢
I really feel for you. I have the same version of the phobia as you and always feel people who suffer with it are more scared of themselves being sick but find our way debilitating as you can’t control it happening with other people. I struggle with going on flights and will worry about it the full lead up to it, I can’t really be around young kids on my own and also terrified to have my own children. Wish I had tips but just sending you my love and sympathy with how you’re feeling 😢
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. I can relate unfortunately. I was sick right in the middle of a restaurant (unable to get to the toilet on time) back in July and it made me develop slight emetophobia afterwards, particularly when going out to restaurants. I felt like the anxiety was making me feel sick, so I convinced myself that I felt sick when actually I was fine. It's very frustrating! It still happens occasionally but I just find that I have to try and ignore the anxious, nauseous feelings and focus on what I'm doing, whether it's seeing a play or having a meal. I also have eczema as well and scratch the shit out of my hands when I'm stressed, it's not good!
Bless your heart, I really feel for you Katie. I don’t have your phobia but I do have very bad anxiety around health and fear of dying. I know where this originates from, having lost my first husband very suddenly. I since developed a huge fear around health symptoms, instantly going into worse case scenario with every symptom I’ve got and this also applies to my family and friends. I literally Google everything and of course I know that makes it worse but it doesn’t stop me! I will avoid going to the doctor if at all possible because I don’t want them to do any tests because I convince myself I’m going to be diagnosed with something terrible. I wouldn’t say this anxiety is consistent and there are definitely periods where it isn’t as prevalent. It’s usually always worse when other factors come into play, like work stress or being run down. Listening to you talk about your phobia makes me sad as it’s obviously getting in the way of your life. It’s got me thinking that I need to stop just accepting what I have as just being a part of me and that perhaps if I seek out help I could overcome it. Let’s both explore what support is out there to make a positive change. Lots of love x
Fellow emetophobe here. Struggled with it for as long as I can remember. I have an 8 month old son and struggled with nausea and sickness from about 4 weeks until about 27 weeks. And was sick during labour. It was intense and took a lot of the joy from my pregnancy however I had antisickness tablets. I don’t know if it helped but I think the placebo of actually taking the medication helped. I put in my birth notes and birth plan that I had emetophobia and the midwives were amazing. They cleaned up after me so quickly that I didn’t even really realise I had been sick until my other half told me 😂 I was also petrified of having a baby who is sick and honestly it’s the best form of exposure therapy. I didn’t believe anyone who told me this but ultimately you are the sole carer of this person and there is no other option to help them. If it’s really bad I just literally hose him down in the shower 🙈. I can’t speak for ‘proper sick’ as he’s still just a baby and it’s different. But mums I have spoken to have said it is the same principle of you just deal with it because you have to. I also have a fab partner who is amazing at helping me through my anxiety! Nothing wrong with choosing a child free life but please from a fellow emetophobe if you want children don’t let it put you off ❤️
Katie I feel you 10000%. I have both forms of emetephobia: myself getting sick and others. Like you it affected my decision about having kids. I did go through CBT therapy to get ready to get pregnant. Fast forward to now: My 3 year old daughter has had pertussis for a few months, which essentially means she has a cough that makes her gag and sometimes throw up multiple times a day. It has been crippling for me and my stress level has been at a level 10. I am so sorry you’re going through a bad spell of anxiety around it. Just sending you so much love. You’ll get through this. ❤
I never comment on videos but couldn’t NOT about this! Literally all of this resonates, dominated my thinking for yearssss. During a bad patch I read a book called ‘Cure your Emetophobia and Thrive’ by Rob Kelly and while I’m not saying it’s a miracle cure -I didn’t do the whole programme- so can’t speak on that, some of the ideas in it helped me unpick the root of the phobia rather than just ‘facing it’ CBT-style. Eg patterns of thinking like “I wouldn’t be able to cope if….etc”. There’s a reason this phobia is so common and so often in women and girls (also probably a reason it’s dismissed as something silly 🙄) Like you say some of the routines and rituals stay with you forever but I felt that book was just one tool that really helped me change my thinking patterns -in other areas of my life too! PS. I am now a primary teacher(!!!) and very new mum (!!!) past me wouldn’t believe it!
I don't have this phobia but I am a very nervous person and I completely understand how such an illness can affect your life. I think that the combination of beer and hot chocolate may not have been the best idea especially at night. As for having children, I think that during pregnancy and childbirth the body changes and hormones change the way you think. Therefore, you love the child so much that no matter what they do it will not be a problem for you. I personally do not have children so I cannot confirm this but I see changes in my friends and family members, how much their brains "trick" them to care about the survival of the child. It may sound brutal to some but this is literally how nature works. Thank you for sharing with us this part of your life ❤
I feel like this was filmed a couple weeks ago but clearly it feels like you’re still thinking about it and feeling very anxious about you being sick that night , so if it might help, to me it sounds like what you experienced is indigestion or dyspepsia, especially since you felt nauseous as soon as you got in bed and only got sick once. I used to get this all the time as a child after a particularly heavy meal and going back out in the cold, your body redirects the blood used to digest to your skin and muscles to warm you up, it slows your digestion and can cause nausea. You mention you went out that night, had meal in a restaurant and then went back out to a gig so sounds like that may be what you experienced. Obviously I’m not a doctor but i hope it may help in finding an answer and put your mind at ease a bit. I do hope your phobia around that gets better and you find a way to manage it cause I know how horrible it feels to have your anxiety rule and RUIN your life.
As someone who suffered from anxiety most od my life, I know the feeling, even if I don't have a phobia. I have learnt that when it gets too intense it's a sign that it's time to go back to a therapist. Especially as you say you don't know if you can have children because of it. Sure, some people can get rid of it wholly, but not all, and for others it takes a long time. But regarding that awful comment saying you should just get over it - I don't know why but some just don't understand it. In Sweden we just had a debate around a cabinet minister with a phobia of bananas who was sooo ridiculed in the media. Some just seem to get why you would have of phobia of snakes and spiders, when the thing with a phobia is that's irrational. Hope all the best for you!
i know this video must have been hard to make because saying everything out loud can be really hard. You should be really proud of yourself and i hope you feel better soon x
I'm sorry you are struggling with this,I do not have this phobia but I do get how crippling our thoughts can be as I struggle with general anxiety most days, for me I find cbd really helps as it doesn't take the anxious thoughts away completely but it prevents my brain from constantly fixating on them, almost as if like a frog jumping from one leaf pad to another, the frog will still land on the anxious thoughts but as soon as its there it'll jump onto the next leaf if that makes sense. In regards to feeling unwell myself I swear by sniffing peppermint essential oil (always have a bottle in my bag), it has saved me many times if I'm out the house around the time of the month or even when im at home, not just the scent of the peppermint but the fact that you have to take deep breathes into the nose and then out through your mouth which will then help to regulate your breathing. If you would like to try peppermint essential oil, don't leave it anywhere your cat can have access to it and don't use in a oil diffuser as its not good for cats to ingest.
Thank you for sharing and I‘m sorry you‘re been struggling with it so much!! While I don‘t have this phobia, I can relate a little with my own problems in public (that I don‘t want to mention solely because of possible triggers about being sick 🙈). I do wonder how you‘re dealing with Maurice being sick? My cats are the worst during these times 😂
@@bimchi4022 oh I’m so curious as to this! Does it involve sick? Luckily G is around a lot if Maurice ever does get ill but also with a cat I find there’s A LOT of notice if he is going to get ill - there’s a certain sound he’ll make first so I know to run away 😅 as long as I don’t see it physically come out of his mouth I’m fine and I’ve managed to clear it up in the past myself! I think with people it scares me because there can be no warning at all and it can come out of nowhere but at least there’s warning with a cat!
@ okay, I hope it doesn‘t trigger you - if it does, please stop reading! it involves bad smells and my highly active gag reflex 🙈 I have never gotten sick from it in that sense, I just have to remove myself from the smell and it‘s fine again. But I have a lot of Anxiety about gagging in public places because of it :/ Got this problem with food (consistency, smell, unexpected ingredients or parts of ingredients), too, that‘s why I only ever order „safe“ food when I‘m out and about with people that are not my wife xD I don‘t usually look like getting sick tho, it‘s literally one gag that I try to hide behind turning away or coughing afterwards, a little bit of glassy eyes and then I‘m fine again. ah that makes sense with Maurice and people in comparison! I find the smell most digusting, but it depends.. for cats, Hairballs are the worst, but easiest to clean up fast at least 😭😂 I haven‘t encountert a lot of humans being sick so far, so I‘m not even sure how I‘d react… but I definitely hate Movies and Shows where stuff like that is involved ☠️
I have it, it is getting better, I am going to be 66 next week! About having children.... Please go to therapy again, my children sufferd from ny fobia, exactly about what you are saying!!! I used to share my food with my ex husband, and asking the whole evening, are you feeling sick??? It is better cause I live alone! Hope you feeling a bit better now you talked about it!
Hey Katie, I don't have this phobia but I do struggle heavily with anxiety. I think it might help if you tell yourself that you are not your thoughts...meaning that they have no real power over you. Maybe name them when they come up with a name, like mean Mike or something (!) And tell him to go away as you have no time for him. Another thing that's good is to turn these worries and thoughts into a silly kind of song which might diminish their severity. I don't know if any of that has helped. I hope you can get a handle on things luvvie. Sorry if my advice wasn't the best. Xx
I’m a fellow emetophobe and all i can think of is maybe the milk in your hot chocolate was off? Or just the mix of the hot chocolate, the alcohol and the food at dinner was just a bit too much for your tummy after skipping lunch? Or something about the meal was a bit off? As it seems once it was all out of your system you were ok. I understand it must be so difficult, I had Covid back in June and it made me so so sick (I didn’t actually be sick, I literally have no idea how) but it threw me off for months and months. But you did it and you got through it and you’re alive and coping and that is incredible ❤❤ sending love
Yes, thank you for bringing this up. A lot of people don't know this, but Covid-19 can actually cause stomach issues in a lot of people (vomiting, diarrhea, etc). Also, I once had a restaurant meal and struggled with intense nausea the rest of the night (I'm an emetophobe too), and I wondered if the restaurant had clean and properly sanitized prepping stations or maybe some cross-contamination happened? It's the only thing I could think of because I really only eat meat if I prepare it myself & everything I ate that night was vegetarian.
@ The first time I had it I didn’t have any issues with my stomach but the second time was genuinely horrific. I have had the same problems after eating out (I don’t do it as much anymore because of this, I do have intolerances though) - I think as emetophobes we’re incredibly clean with cooking and preparation whereas restaurants can be more lax with it. Also food from restaurants can sometimes be more rich/heavy than what we would have at home? We emets do tend to have more sensitive stomachs too I’ve noticed
@@pandapaws297x I’ve literally been going over everything in my head so much and trying to work it out too! I don’t think it was the milk because I had more of it in my tea the following day, I think it must have been the hot chocolate - maybe it was old? I’ve been too scared to have another since which is so sad because it’s the perfect time of year for it!! Thanks for this comment xxxx
Can I just say well done to you for not panicking after you were sick :) your body was trying to help you feel better and I hope you had some sense of relief afterwards. I hate the anticipation of being sick but once it's over I feel so much better. For me when it comes to not knowing why you were sick or how to stop it happening again, I view it as my body did a successful job of ridding whatever it was from my body and helping me feel better so as long as I focus on that I don't need to worry about the source of the sickness. If I ever find myself feeling sick (sometimes in crowded spaces or on trains etc) I just remind myself that I'm not actually feeling sick, I'm thinking sick. Also if I ever see sick outside I always think about the circumstances that led to the sick which was likely a drunk person, so they aren't ill and going to spread a bug, they probably just drank too much (like you said you did). I think you should go back to CBT, if it's impacting your life enough to make a video about it, definitely get some CBT again. Sometimes seeing a different therapist helps and I have had refresher CBT every few years and find that really helpfup.Thank you so much for sharing as I struggle with my own anxieties and it's a nice reminder that we all have things we are anxious about!
Hi katie. There could be a chance you might not have morning sickness if you wanted to start a family. I've had 2 little girls now and both pregnancies I have never had morning sickness. I know it can be scary. I don't have a phobia like yourself but I don't like being sick and I was relieved I didn't have morning sickness. I hope you are feeling better. X
Hi Katie, I honestly have too much to say on this. I’m exactly the same as you, I’ve had emetephobia (more about other people but I panic a lot if I feel unwell too - especially in public places) for as long as I can remember (I’m now 35). I feel exactly the same about public transport, drunk people, children, pregnant women, I’m constantly convincing myself that people around me look unwell and that I’ll be trapped near them on the train/plane etc. I’m even terrified of my cat being sick and have to leave the room if I think it’s going to happen. I’ve also felt particularly anxious lately too, but I’m pretty sure my anxiety is heightened because of everything I keep hearing about the norovirus - I’ve become obsessed with handwashing and making sure people around me are washing their hands etc. Even listening to you talk about it in this video (and your recent experience 😢) has made me feel so anxious and shaky. I’m a similar age to you and also feel like the main reason that makes me “not want” children is knowing that I couldn’t look after them if they were sick. It can’t be right that such a big life decision is being made for us because of fear. I’m sorry that I don’t have any advice or words of comfort, but I just had to message to say that I HEAR YOU and I feel exactly the same - even the earplugs/headphones/little habits that have stemmed from this phobia - I can relate to it all. Hopefully it means something to know that someone else feels the same x
Hi Katie. I have been watching your vlogs for a long time now and closely followed your journey with emetaphobia. I’ve had this for as long as I can remember and I’m as frustrated as you are at how controlling it is. My heart was racing as you were shaking! The panic, the tubes, the ear plugs, pavement checking, I do it all too :-(. You are not alone and your vlog reminds me I’m not alone too. This time of year really is the worst. Rescue remedy, chamomile teas, deep breathing and distraction can help a bit but most importantly… …remember you are stronger than you think, your mind is a powerful tool so keep telling yourself that the thought and build up to these things is often far worse than the event itself. You will get through like you always do.
Really appreciate you opening up on this subject. Virtual hug coming your way . X
I've never commented on a video before but felt compelled to. I have struggled with emetophobia for most of my life and now at the age of 40 am in place where it's mostly under control. Firstly, you're very brave for talking publicly about this in such an open manner and it will absolutely help a lot of people so thank you for that. At the risk of being one of those "do this it worked for me so it'll work for you" people, I wanted to share that the thing that actually helped me work through it properly was regular talking therapy with a counsellor/psychotherapist, not CBT. I didn't go to therapy for my emetophobia in itself although it did come up in conversation from time to time but what I realised is that the therapy really helped me work through a lot of issues I was repressing, which then had a knock on effect of massively reducing my overall anxiety and panic and therefore reduced my emetophobia so dramatically that recently, I witnessed a young guy thrown up all over the pavement and I just felt sorry for him and then turned around and went back to talking with my friends. That would have been absolutely unthinkable a year or so ago, so I really do understand where you're at. I don't know what your root causes are but I did find that CBT was helpful in the short term but these feelings would always come back, just like you're currently experiencing, because CBT doesn't really always unpick the root, so it was the deeper therapeutic work I did that has really made the most difference. I always try to keep in mind that if I'm feeling sick, I need to trust my body to do what it needs to do, not focus on my mind. And if someone else is likely to be sick, then there is literally nothing I can do to control that so I have to focus my energies elsewhere. I don't want to sound glib as this is after years of therapy and hard work but I'm just sharing it to try to give you some hope that it is treatable and you will get better, but maybe something a little stronger than CBT is needed to help you out in the long run. Sending you lots of love and strength, it's so exhausting getting to grips with these things so I hope you can find some peace soon xxx
Hi Katie, I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with this. I've had emetophobia ever since I got food poisoning in 2016, and it has unfortunately controlled my life ever since. I avoid cars, boats, roller coasters, meat, obsessively wash my hands, check the expiration dates on things constantly and will even throw stuff away that just seems "off" (even if it's perfectly fine). My primary fear is myself getting sick, but seeing/hearing others getting sick isn't great either. I think my fear at its core is a loss of control, so not being near a bathroom, out in public in an unfamiliar space, in a confined space like a train, etc. is triggering and flares my anxiety like no other. To help with this, I always carry: hand sanitizer, mask (in case someone is coughing/sneezing near me), Xanax, ginger chews, sour candy, water, peppermint essential oil, and earphones (to listen to a comforting youtube video for panic attacks/anxiety). I actually just returned from a trip abroad and one thing that MASSIVELY helped was taking Bonine (active ingredient is meclizine); it's an anti-nausea that works for 24 hours. I took 7 plane rides, multiple trains/cars/public transport rides etc, and not once felt true nausea which was SO amazing for me. I struggle with anticipatory anxiety a lot (for instance, if i know i'm taking a plane journey, the thought of me MAYBE getting sick gives me anxiety, which leads to panic attacks which leads to symptoms like nausea, an endless cycle as you know) so the Bonine really helped. Thanks for making this video; you absolutely make myself and others feel less alone.
Hello Katie!
I’m not usually one to drop a comment but i really resonated with what you said about leaving the house for fear of being unwell in public.
This last year i’ve been struggling with my IBS, and in turn, this means i’m terrified of being unwell in public.
I find myself constantly checking where the nearest bathroom is, checking menus at restaurants to see if any of my IBS triggers are ingredients in dishes i want to eat.
I’m so sorry your phobia has crept up on you recently sending so much love 💕
I have his too. I started with health anxiety then almost 3 years now, I started with IBS symptoms and it is completely ruling my whole entire life. The anxiety about what my body is doing\going out in public/getting ooorly when not at home is debilitating xx
@@Emmag265 sending love i know it’s really overwhelming xx
@@leahbeth97same to you too ❤
I totally relate. I am also Emetaphobic and it is really difficult. The things that go through your mind with worry van be hard woek. I also have health anxiety which I have had therapy for but not for emetaphobia. I do have 2 kids and schools and this time of year is really triggering for me. We have had to deal with these bugs being brought home but I’m so lucky in that I have a really supportive husband who is not fazed by it and I think that massively helps but it’s still difficult when it happens.
I struggle with feeling it myself as well as being it causes panic attacks, luckily my pregnancy’s were free of it, thankfully! Thank you so much for this video, it’s so nice to feel you’re not on your own xxx
I give you an i-hug as I know how difficult living with a phobia is. I have globophobia - a fear of balloons and it's so difficult during this festive season...Just the other day I went to Tesco and after grabbing all the items I needed I rushed to the self checkout just to find out it's...adorned with balloons. As I totally understand than no phobia is nice to have I must say that being scared of something others perceive as awesome and festive is awful. Sending hugs againnnn
It's totally valid to choose to be childfree (obviously) but that is very different to letting a fear/anxiety hold you back from having children. It sounds like emetophobia is ruling your life and is in charge of your life decisions. Definitely seek help, CBT can be very helpful as you've experienced but other therapies (such as psychotherapy) may also be helpful to look at other underlying patterns and experiences. Zoella talks about emetophobia in context of her 1st pregnancy in some of her trimester videos which you might find interesting/helpful.
i've had emetophobia since i was 17. the main issue being - me throwing up. it got a bit better when i was 20-22, being able to eat out in restaurants which would have never happened for years. now at the age of 35 it's back and raging, as it were back when i was a late teen. CBT didn't help me really, but i am seeking out options for other therapies to try. all these scare tactics of the big 'quademic' is tiring me on the daily. it's hard to not completely shut yourself off from people and life when in a state of panic.
I’m so sorry you’ve been struggling!! And it’s brave of you to talk openly about it and rehash it. I struggle with misophonia (people eating/crunching food, or repetitive noises) .. and my husbands food clicking as he walks is my new trigger and I’ve been struggling so much the past month 🥲 it’s sucks our brains do this to us!
I too have misophonia, I can be in noisy places but certain sounds will set me of, so it's not always the volume of noise but the type of noise like you said repetitive sounds can really set my anxiety off badly,.iv found that as iv got older its gotten worse along with my anxiety. Have you found anything that helps you?. I really like the loop plugs but I know not everyone gets on with them.
@@shelby7481 I have misophonia too! It unleashes some sort of rage in me that is totally unexplainable so I can really relate! Mine is mostly people eating but also if there’s a sudden loud noise it triggers Elle too!
Fellow emetophobe here, I'm so sorry you've been struggling recently! Would definitely recommend psychotherapy as well as CBT - I feel a lot better able to cope in situations that would otherwise feel very debilitating after about a year of this therapy. Totally feel you about the decision to postpone a family because of your phobia, I'm the same and look at other people in awe at the fact they can just "get on with it". However, I came to the conclusion that if I wasn't going to have a family it needed to be because of a choice with my partner, and not my fear winning...which is what led me to get that therapy. Appreciate you sharing your journey so much. I know this will help a lot of other people feel less alone with something that is so often brushed off or not talked about. I hope you find your way through this and kick this stupid phobia to the curb! ❤
So sorry to hear that you have been struggling with it! I might say that I have a different variation of this phobia - I'm terribly scared of throwing up in public (the funniest thing is that I haven't really been sick for the past ten years or more). This phobia appeared out of nowhere, and it was horrible last year - I had full-blown panic attacks in public transport and all sorts of public places. After that I had to adjust my routine to avoid feeling 'trapped' because that's what usually causes my fits. I know that it's all in my brain too, though no idea how to deal with it. 😢
I really feel for you. I have the same version of the phobia as you and always feel people who suffer with it are more scared of themselves being sick but find our way debilitating as you can’t control it happening with other people. I struggle with going on flights and will worry about it the full lead up to it, I can’t really be around young kids on my own and also terrified to have my own children. Wish I had tips but just sending you my love and sympathy with how you’re feeling 😢
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. I can relate unfortunately. I was sick right in the middle of a restaurant (unable to get to the toilet on time) back in July and it made me develop slight emetophobia afterwards, particularly when going out to restaurants. I felt like the anxiety was making me feel sick, so I convinced myself that I felt sick when actually I was fine. It's very frustrating! It still happens occasionally but I just find that I have to try and ignore the anxious, nauseous feelings and focus on what I'm doing, whether it's seeing a play or having a meal. I also have eczema as well and scratch the shit out of my hands when I'm stressed, it's not good!
Bless your heart, I really feel for you Katie. I don’t have your phobia but I do have very bad anxiety around health and fear of dying. I know where this originates from, having lost my first husband very suddenly. I since developed a huge fear around health symptoms, instantly going into worse case scenario with every symptom I’ve got and this also applies to my family and friends. I literally Google everything and of course I know that makes it worse but it doesn’t stop me! I will avoid going to the doctor if at all possible because I don’t want them to do any tests because I convince myself I’m going to be diagnosed with something terrible. I wouldn’t say this anxiety is consistent and there are definitely periods where it isn’t as prevalent. It’s usually always worse when other factors come into play, like work stress or being run down. Listening to you talk about your phobia makes me sad as it’s obviously getting in the way of your life. It’s got me thinking that I need to stop just accepting what I have as just being a part of me and that perhaps if I seek out help I could overcome it. Let’s both explore what support is out there to make a positive change. Lots of love x
Fellow emetophobe here. Struggled with it for as long as I can remember. I have an 8 month old son and struggled with nausea and sickness from about 4 weeks until about 27 weeks. And was sick during labour. It was intense and took a lot of the joy from my pregnancy however I had antisickness tablets. I don’t know if it helped but I think the placebo of actually taking the medication helped. I put in my birth notes and birth plan that I had emetophobia and the midwives were amazing. They cleaned up after me so quickly that I didn’t even really realise I had been sick until my other half told me 😂 I was also petrified of having a baby who is sick and honestly it’s the best form of exposure therapy. I didn’t believe anyone who told me this but ultimately you are the sole carer of this person and there is no other option to help them. If it’s really bad I just literally hose him down in the shower 🙈. I can’t speak for ‘proper sick’ as he’s still just a baby and it’s different. But mums I have spoken to have said it is the same principle of you just deal with it because you have to. I also have a fab partner who is amazing at helping me through my anxiety!
Nothing wrong with choosing a child free life but please from a fellow emetophobe if you want children don’t let it put you off ❤️
Katie I feel you 10000%. I have both forms of emetephobia: myself getting sick and others. Like you it affected my decision about having kids. I did go through CBT therapy to get ready to get pregnant. Fast forward to now: My 3 year old daughter has had pertussis for a few months, which essentially means she has a cough that makes her gag and sometimes throw up multiple times a day. It has been crippling for me and my stress level has been at a level 10. I am so sorry you’re going through a bad spell of anxiety around it. Just sending you so much love. You’ll get through this. ❤
I never comment on videos but couldn’t NOT about this!
Literally all of this resonates, dominated my thinking for yearssss.
During a bad patch I read a book called ‘Cure your Emetophobia and Thrive’ by Rob Kelly and while I’m not saying it’s a miracle cure -I didn’t do the whole programme- so can’t speak on that, some of the ideas in it helped me unpick the root of the phobia rather than just ‘facing it’ CBT-style. Eg patterns of thinking like “I wouldn’t be able to cope if….etc”.
There’s a reason this phobia is so common and so often in women and girls (also probably a reason it’s dismissed as something silly 🙄)
Like you say some of the routines and rituals stay with you forever but I felt that book was just one tool that really helped me change my thinking patterns -in other areas of my life too!
PS. I am now a primary teacher(!!!) and very new mum (!!!) past me wouldn’t believe it!
I don't have this phobia but I am a very nervous person and I completely understand how such an illness can affect your life. I think that the combination of beer and hot chocolate may not have been the best idea especially at night. As for having children, I think that during pregnancy and childbirth the body changes and hormones change the way you think. Therefore, you love the child so much that no matter what they do it will not be a problem for you. I personally do not have children so I cannot confirm this but I see changes in my friends and family members, how much their brains "trick" them to care about the survival of the child. It may sound brutal to some but this is literally how nature works. Thank you for sharing with us this part of your life ❤
Katie I have this phobia and currently am having a massive meltdown where I don't want to live anymore 😭
Have you tried getting hypnotized? I've heard that it can be helpful for phobias. Just a thought.
I feel like this was filmed a couple weeks ago but clearly it feels like you’re still thinking about it and feeling very anxious about you being sick that night , so if it might help, to me it sounds like what you experienced is indigestion or dyspepsia, especially since you felt nauseous as soon as you got in bed and only got sick once. I used to get this all the time as a child after a particularly heavy meal and going back out in the cold, your body redirects the blood used to digest to your skin and muscles to warm you up, it slows your digestion and can cause nausea. You mention you went out that night, had meal in a restaurant and then went back out to a gig so sounds like that may be what you experienced. Obviously I’m not a doctor but i hope it may help in finding an answer and put your mind at ease a bit. I do hope your phobia around that gets better and you find a way to manage it cause I know how horrible it feels to have your anxiety rule and RUIN your life.
As someone who suffered from anxiety most od my life, I know the feeling, even if I don't have a phobia. I have learnt that when it gets too intense it's a sign that it's time to go back to a therapist. Especially as you say you don't know if you can have children because of it. Sure, some people can get rid of it wholly, but not all, and for others it takes a long time. But regarding that awful comment saying you should just get over it - I don't know why but some just don't understand it. In Sweden we just had a debate around a cabinet minister with a phobia of bananas who was sooo ridiculed in the media. Some just seem to get why you would have of phobia of snakes and spiders, when the thing with a phobia is that's irrational. Hope all the best for you!
i know this video must have been hard to make because saying everything out loud can be really hard. You should be really proud of yourself and i hope you feel better soon x
Really appreciate u doing this video as I am someone who suffers badly with anxiety ❤xx
So sorry Katie!! Emetophobia is a nightmare and people who don't have it have no idea what it's like 🙈🙈
I'm sorry you are struggling with this,I do not have this phobia but I do get how crippling our thoughts can be as I struggle with general anxiety most days, for me I find cbd really helps as it doesn't take the anxious thoughts away completely but it prevents my brain from constantly fixating on them, almost as if like a frog jumping from one leaf pad to another, the frog will still land on the anxious thoughts but as soon as its there it'll jump onto the next leaf if that makes sense. In regards to feeling unwell myself I swear by sniffing peppermint essential oil (always have a bottle in my bag), it has saved me many times if I'm out the house around the time of the month or even when im at home, not just the scent of the peppermint but the fact that you have to take deep breathes into the nose and then out through your mouth which will then help to regulate your breathing. If you would like to try peppermint essential oil, don't leave it anywhere your cat can have access to it and don't use in a oil diffuser as its not good for cats to ingest.
Thank you for sharing and I‘m sorry you‘re been struggling with it so much!! While I don‘t have this phobia, I can relate a little with my own problems in public (that I don‘t want to mention solely because of possible triggers about being sick 🙈).
I do wonder how you‘re dealing with Maurice being sick? My cats are the worst during these times 😂
@@bimchi4022 oh I’m so curious as to this! Does it involve sick? Luckily G is around a lot if Maurice ever does get ill but also with a cat I find there’s A LOT of notice if he is going to get ill - there’s a certain sound he’ll make first so I know to run away 😅 as long as I don’t see it physically come out of his mouth I’m fine and I’ve managed to clear it up in the past myself! I think with people it scares me because there can be no warning at all and it can come out of nowhere but at least there’s warning with a cat!
@ okay, I hope it doesn‘t trigger you - if it does, please stop reading!
it involves bad smells and my highly active gag reflex 🙈 I have never gotten sick from it in that sense, I just have to remove myself from the smell and it‘s fine again. But I have a lot of Anxiety about gagging in public places because of it :/ Got this problem with food (consistency, smell, unexpected ingredients or parts of ingredients), too, that‘s why I only ever order „safe“ food when I‘m out and about with people that are not my wife xD I don‘t usually look like getting sick tho, it‘s literally one gag that I try to hide behind turning away or coughing afterwards, a little bit of glassy eyes and then I‘m fine again.
ah that makes sense with Maurice and people in comparison! I find the smell most digusting, but it depends.. for cats, Hairballs are the worst, but easiest to clean up fast at least 😭😂 I haven‘t encountert a lot of humans being sick so far, so I‘m not even sure how I‘d react… but I definitely hate Movies and Shows where stuff like that is involved ☠️
I have it, it is getting better, I am going to be 66 next week! About having children.... Please go to therapy again, my children sufferd from ny fobia, exactly about what you are saying!!! I used to share my food with my ex husband, and asking the whole evening, are you feeling sick??? It is better cause I live alone! Hope you feeling a bit better now you talked about it!
Hey Katie, I don't have this phobia but I do struggle heavily with anxiety.
I think it might help if you tell yourself that you are not your thoughts...meaning that they have no real power over you. Maybe name them when they come up with a name, like mean Mike or something (!) And tell him to go away as you have no time for him. Another thing that's good is to turn these worries and thoughts into a silly kind of song which might diminish their severity.
I don't know if any of that has helped.
I hope you can get a handle on things luvvie. Sorry if my advice wasn't the best. Xx
I’m a fellow emetophobe and all i can think of is maybe the milk in your hot chocolate was off? Or just the mix of the hot chocolate, the alcohol and the food at dinner was just a bit too much for your tummy after skipping lunch? Or something about the meal was a bit off? As it seems once it was all out of your system you were ok. I understand it must be so difficult, I had Covid back in June and it made me so so sick (I didn’t actually be sick, I literally have no idea how) but it threw me off for months and months. But you did it and you got through it and you’re alive and coping and that is incredible ❤❤ sending love
Yes, thank you for bringing this up. A lot of people don't know this, but Covid-19 can actually cause stomach issues in a lot of people (vomiting, diarrhea, etc).
Also, I once had a restaurant meal and struggled with intense nausea the rest of the night (I'm an emetophobe too), and I wondered if the restaurant had clean and properly sanitized prepping stations or maybe some cross-contamination happened? It's the only thing I could think of because I really only eat meat if I prepare it myself & everything I ate that night was vegetarian.
@ The first time I had it I didn’t have any issues with my stomach but the second time was genuinely horrific. I have had the same problems after eating out (I don’t do it as much anymore because of this, I do have intolerances though) - I think as emetophobes we’re incredibly clean with cooking and preparation whereas restaurants can be more lax with it. Also food from restaurants can sometimes be more rich/heavy than what we would have at home? We emets do tend to have more sensitive stomachs too I’ve noticed
@@pandapaws297x I’ve literally been going over everything in my head so much and trying to work it out too! I don’t think it was the milk because I had more of it in my tea the following day, I think it must have been the hot chocolate - maybe it was old? I’ve been too scared to have another since which is so sad because it’s the perfect time of year for it!! Thanks for this comment xxxx
Can I just say well done to you for not panicking after you were sick :) your body was trying to help you feel better and I hope you had some sense of relief afterwards. I hate the anticipation of being sick but once it's over I feel so much better.
For me when it comes to not knowing why you were sick or how to stop it happening again, I view it as my body did a successful job of ridding whatever it was from my body and helping me feel better so as long as I focus on that I don't need to worry about the source of the sickness. If I ever find myself feeling sick (sometimes in crowded spaces or on trains etc) I just remind myself that I'm not actually feeling sick, I'm thinking sick.
Also if I ever see sick outside I always think about the circumstances that led to the sick which was likely a drunk person, so they aren't ill and going to spread a bug, they probably just drank too much (like you said you did).
I think you should go back to CBT, if it's impacting your life enough to make a video about it, definitely get some CBT again. Sometimes seeing a different therapist helps and I have had refresher CBT every few years and find that really helpfup.Thank you so much for sharing as I struggle with my own anxieties and it's a nice reminder that we all have things we are anxious about!
Hi katie. There could be a chance you might not have morning sickness if you wanted to start a family. I've had 2 little girls now and both pregnancies I have never had morning sickness. I know it can be scary. I don't have a phobia like yourself but I don't like being sick and I was relieved I didn't have morning sickness. I hope you are feeling better. X
Hi Katie, I honestly have too much to say on this. I’m exactly the same as you, I’ve had emetephobia (more about other people but I panic a lot if I feel unwell too - especially in public places) for as long as I can remember (I’m now 35). I feel exactly the same about public transport, drunk people, children, pregnant women, I’m constantly convincing myself that people around me look unwell and that I’ll be trapped near them on the train/plane etc. I’m even terrified of my cat being sick and have to leave the room if I think it’s going to happen.
I’ve also felt particularly anxious lately too, but I’m pretty sure my anxiety is heightened because of everything I keep hearing about the norovirus - I’ve become obsessed with handwashing and making sure people around me are washing their hands etc. Even listening to you talk about it in this video (and your recent experience 😢) has made me feel so anxious and shaky.
I’m a similar age to you and also feel like the main reason that makes me “not want” children is knowing that I couldn’t look after them if they were sick. It can’t be right that such a big life decision is being made for us because of fear.
I’m sorry that I don’t have any advice or words of comfort, but I just had to message to say that I HEAR YOU and I feel exactly the same - even the earplugs/headphones/little habits that have stemmed from this phobia - I can relate to it all. Hopefully it means something to know that someone else feels the same x