junglemonkey

Hey,

For a long time I've had suspicions I was emetophobic, and I would like to know your opinion! It has also been suggested, however, that it is OCD but I don't believe that.

I have chronic GAD + PA's but my panic attacks have become only about vomiting and anything vomit related now, pretty much.

I have to make a doctors appointment to see about something else. I was thinking I could say to the doctor I would like to see someone because I have suspicions I have a phobia that is disrupting my life. I'd have to work out how to break this to my parents and that but hey... Small sacrifice. I am terrified of the treatment but just feel as though, now, I would be ready to go through with some treatment or whatever.

So anyway the things I've been experiencing for a long time are as follows:-

I can't talk about vomiting. I can for a couple of seconds then I get anxious and restless and afraid.
I am anxious watching TV when there's a chance there may be someone who will vomit on it. Just tonight I saw Tarnation and the guy threw up a couple of times. I literally slid down so I couldn't see the screen and covered my eyes with my hands. I then felt apprehensive and awful for the remainder, worrying that someone would puke again.
If a family member is sick (even not vomiting/non contageous) I can't touch anything they've touched, can't be in the same room, can't care for them, avoid them as much as possible (same goes for sick friends).
I wash my hands a lot.
I can't cook my own food.
I'm scared of going to restaurants in case they haven't cooked it right.
I'm scared of going on holiday in case I catch something or the different food makes me sick.
I'm scared of long plane, car, train, bus journeys in case it makes me sick, and I'm scared of going on planes in case I catch something with all that recirculated air.
I also don't trust food a lot of the time from supermarkets etc for no good reason.
Certain foods cause problems, ones that are known for going "off" or containing harmful bugs - milk, cream, meat etc
I had to leave the light in my bedroom on all night sometimes because of the fear of waking up and throwing up in the darkness.
I carry bottles of water EVERYWHERE to help with nausea etc, and I keep some sort of water or juice by my bed every night
I refuse to drink alcohol because I may throw up and parties where there are teenagers and alcohol are a problem because other people may be throwing up.
When I work at dentists and see someone even look uncomfortable I am straight into a panic attack.

A lot of the things detailed above (all that I could think of for now) will cause panic and severe anxiety.

My question to you is, do you think I have emetophobia, and do you think it is worth getting treatment?

Thanks,
Lesley x

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I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell.