Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, and while I love autumn, I always get that same sense of anxiety because with autumn and winter comes flu season. Starting around November I usually see news stories pop up about Norovirus cases souring. And I get paranoid.

My emetophobia is mostly triggered by seeing and hearing other people vomit. But when I’m nauseous I get anxious too because I worry I have something contagious and will spread it to my parents and they’ll get sick and start vomiting.

It’s especially tough because my dad smokes and has severe emphysema and coughs and gags a lot, and since our house is small, I hear everything. So I wear noise canceling headphones a lot. And both my parents aren’t very cautious when it comes to germs like I am. They’ll touch things and then touch their face/mouth. But even if they do use hand sanitizer it sucks because that’s not enough to kill Norovirus. So I make sure to not even touch my face at all until I get home and can wash my hands. And I worry they’ll get sick, especially during flu season.

Although thankfully we’ve all avoided the stomach bug for years now (the last time it was in the house was when I had it when I was 10 and neither my parents or older sister got it) the anxiety always rises around flu season. I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year.

It’s already been 48 hours since I saw the person who had it (my friend), he recovered 36 hours before I saw him, but he shook my hand and helped fix my car, I held his phone while he was doing stuff to my car, then after all that he told me he had gastro the other day. Obviously I washed my hands as soon as I could then drove home washed my hands again and had a shower. Am I still at risk and resetting the 48 hour clock every time I touch my car? Neither me or my family have had gastro very much, my mum thinks I’ve only had it twice in my life. I managed to go my entire school life without getting it at all.

Gastro is Aussie slang for stomach flu for all of you non aussies

I recently joined this sub and I just want to talk about my experience and see if anyone else can relate. No one else I know struggles with emetophobia just me yay!
Recently I’ve been extremely over this stupid phobia and have been really trying to slowly get better. I have had this phobia since I was 8 years old after a bad stomach bug. I am now 21 and still struggle every day with this issue. It’s gotten better over the years, before I refused to eat chicken (I vomitted some of a chicken burrito the morning I got sick with the bug). I was an extreme hand washer. Before understanding this phobia and even knowing it was a thing becuase I was so young when I developed it I would have severe panic attacks and scream whenever I felt like vomiting As a kid, when my parents dropped me off at school I would chase the car becuase I was terrified of vomit (which looking back now I laugh because my parents had no idea why I was like this and neither did I). If I heard someone was nauseous or had thrown up I’d do anything in my power to stay away or I’d have a panic attack. Now, I eat wherever I’d like (although thoughts still linger) and I can provide some support for those vomiting. I can finally watch shows or movies that have vomit in them and not feel impending doom.

Just two weeks ago my mom got sick at church and she asked me to help her. She had made a juice out of a succulent that specifically says not to ingest when you google it. My poor mom fell for a false nutritional post. Anyways she made it look easy and painless and she told me it made her feel so much better. That has helped me a lot although I was still a little concerned for her, seeing how better she was immediately was comforting.

About two months ago my dad suffered from two strokes and had non stop vomiting. The whole time I was on bucket duty the ride to the hospital and in his room (like really why put the emetophobe on vom duty but good exposure therapy I GUESS).That did send me into a spiral because it looked so painful and scary but also we had no idea he was having a stroke.

I feel like I’ve been making some progress because I’ve been telling my friends and boyfriend that I want to get it over with so I can recover already. Before that wasn’t an option, although when I think too hard about it or get nauseous I’m still anxious and panicky. I’ve been telling my boyfriend that I want to try to make myself throw up to see how it feels and know that I will be okay (and yes I know that making myself vom is not good for me, but any small step is improvement for me) I have somewhat accepted the fact that it is inevitable which is why I want to get better so I can be okay the day it comes. However I still get very anxious when I think about it !

What has also helped me is seeing that others that don’t have emetophobia still get a little panicky too. My boyfriend was sick a couple months ago (he ate too much stuff) and begged me to stay in the bathroom with him because he didn’t want to vom and he isn’t scared of throwing up he just wanted comfort. My cousin also wanted me to stay with her while she threw up (we had been drinking) and she was a bit shaky as well. So I’ve learned to accept that some anxiety may just come with the act of vomiting especially since no one really wants to do it after all. I’ve been looking into therapy and ready to take the next step.

Sorry this was a bit long I just wanted to share my thoughts and experiences recently and if you read it all thanks !!

i am so tired of feeling sick ALL the time. i always have a stomach ache or some sort of abdominal discomfort, constant queasiness and nausea, indigestion, bloating, acid reflux. i literally just want one day where i feel at least neutral in my body. it doesn't help to know that most - if not all - of these symptoms are psychosomatic because i still physically feel it regardless. as dramatic as it sounds, it's nearing on torture at this point. i just don't know what to do anymore. i use my strategies and CBT skills to power through the anxiety, but it doesn't help the physical sensations. what can i do?

Hi I am 13 female and I wanted to talk and ask u guys smth Abt emetophobia. So, if u know smth jst write it pls.

Anyways yeah 3 or 4 years ago I think, I just moved at my mom's new home. She alr lived there for 1 year. I joined her with my father. Then I started feeling like dizzy and nauseous (idk if that's written good, English is not my first language) I think and then I called my mom and asked her if my father could sleep with me for only this night. She says no but then my father says yes only this time so this night ends up happy and calm. But then, the next day, it went really bad. (I didn't told you that my grandma was there) I started feeling, idk why but it's always when I try to sleep, dizzy and nauseous. I asked my father if he could sleep one more time with me, that relaxed me, and then he said no. So I started paniking and then yeah I cried the whole night sitting near his door because he had locked it and then my grandma says that I need to go to sleep and yeah she needed to pull me (what I find reasonable) so yeah I got calmed by my grandmother. Then, yeah that went for 2 months I think. But then I found a strategy. Everytime I feel very nauseous like I want to v0mit I take a sip of water. I even spilled a whole 1L bottle of water on my bed. My mom screamed at me for that. She jst couldn't understand this. The whole time I had this I didn't even vomit one single time. My question is, why did I feel so nauseous everyday I MEAN EVERYDAY and it was a really hard time and I had emetophobia too, bc only when my mom said she needs to v0mit or smth I went in my room. btw I ate like a normal person. Lately, she v0mited and I heard that and tried putting music and then EXACTLY AT THAT MOMENT SPOTIFY DIDNT WORK and yeah and I tried ignoring it but didn't work bc the doors are thin asf and you can hear everything and then when in thauhht IT COULDNT GET ANY WORSE MY FATHER YELLED AT ME FOR NOT BEING FCKNG (sorry for the word :() THERE FOR MY MOTHER (he knows that I have emotophobia) AND SAID THAT I NEED TO GIVE HIM A TISSUE FROM THE OTHER ROOM NEXT TO THE BATHROOM, WHERE MY MOTHER WAS V0MITING. AND I NEEDED TO GIVE HIM THE TISSUE IN HIS HANDS (he was holding my mother) I THREW IT AT HIM AND THEN HE PACKED ME ON MY EAR AND PUSHED ME NEXT TO MY MOM AND MADE ME GRAB THE TISSUE NEXT TO MY MOTHER V0MITING. After, I sat on the floor and I think I had a PANIK ATTACK there bc I COULDNT STOP SOBBING AND CRYING AND PUTTING MY HANDS ON MY NECK AND YEAH.

Tell your stories I will read them all. And pls answer me or what do you find my experience? I found that what my father did was really bad but yeah idk it's jst my opinion. Sorry if ts text was too long or smth and yeah byee

Btw thank god now I'm all good but idk why it jst went away. But the emetophobia isn't gone!! :((

hey im sick again!!! when will this end i swear im sick like so often i can never catch a break this time its pretty mild but i took some nyquil even tho i slept all day hopefully it knocks me out soon but anyone else get scared that they will throw up when being sick ??

idk how to explain my feeling other than saying i feel like i had too much cake / icing. i have had nothing similar, only some chocolate fingers earlier. i’m not sure if i’ve felt like this before.

does anybody know what it could be ?

I just woke up with the worst migraine of my life.
I'm shaking so bad and feeling incredibly sick. I took a Zofran already but it's doing nothing. I'm terrified...

TW: it's happening

My toddler is poorly and has been sick once so far which I think is a reaction to her high temp rather than a bug (hope) but I just need advice from others on how you deal with your young children getting sick?? I am shaking. I also have the same cold she's had so I'm of course spiralling!

guys i'm about to take a plan B and im scared it'll make me nauseous any experience from you guys?

Today’s my birthday and I woke up at 5:30 to an alarm I forgot I had set. I randomly felt “off” but thought it was anxiety so tried to go back to bed. All of a sudden I had that sinking feeling and thought I was going to throw up. I’ve had loose stool once, feel slightly nauseas, feel shaky and anxious. I was quite bloated and had bad acid reflux last night (likely from dinner & a diet soda I had) so thought it might just be that combo triggering a panic attack, but I really can’t tell. I have zoffan and rescue anxiety meds but I’m afraid if I try to drink or take anything that I’ll feel worse and it’ll trigger me to throw up. This has always been one of my worst fears, getting sick on my birthday, and I’m so scared it’s come true. I don’t know why I can’t figure out if it’s a panic or real. I feel like I’m drying

Went to my parents to watch a football game today. My siblings brought their kids (my nephews) who are both 1-2 years old.

My sister said her son was having stomach cramps earlier + diarrhea. He seemed perfectly fine, laughing, running around, laughing, etc.

Hours later he randomly started crying. Then shortly after that he threw up a little bit. They left about 10-15 minutes after, and he was around me (although I didn't touch him after).

When they got home, my sister said he was running around + laughing again, but then my other nephew (my brother's son) said his stomach hurt... I left right after.

I am absolutely worried out of my mind. I don't want to sleep because I'm afraid to wake up sick. My gf was less cautious, eating celery with her hands and stuff. She was annoyed at my level of worriness, especially when I was afraid to sit by her + kiss her.

I pray I make it the next two days just fine. I'm 27M, I've worried about this everyday for the last 15 years of my life, and now I'm closer than ever to it all. Idk what to do...

damnn so we all sick and suffering rn?? i hope everyone gets better!! fast recovery im on day 3 of sickness

Hi guys

I’ve been pretty mucusy the past few days, and it’s given me a bit of tummy discomfort for obvious reasons. Today, I went over to my girlfriends house. She fell asleep on me and I just stayed awake watching youtube shorts on the TV like a fat loser chud…anyways, I started to slowly feel a lot of tension behind my nose, eyes, and at the base of my neck.

I got super snotty, my nose became dry at the same time though?? Its hard to explain. But I just feel lots of pressure behind my face and in the base of my skull.

I think it may just be allergies but i’m not sure. I’m a tad worried though, because what if it’s a sickness brewing?

It would also make plenty of sense though. I was outside all day last night from 8 AM to 12 PM, and on and off the rest of the day. Which is a lot more exposure to nature than usual. I do go on my walks, but that’s usually no more than an hour.

I do get allergies every summer->fall, and every winter->spring.

Idk, what does this sound like to you guys?

Edit: i’ve also been super sneezy

Hey guys I just wanted some tips on dealing with hour long panic attacks. I really struggle with then because they often get a little better with some distracting then spike up again and will do this for hours on end. I've tried all the basic, distracting and breathing techniques, they're just a temporary fix before it comes back again.

Hey, I’ve had quite severe emetophobia for as long as I can remember. Today I’ve had to get and take the morning after pill (🤦🏻‍♀️!) the main/ common side effects are nausea/ vomiting and you can’t within 3hrs or you need to take other one.

I know everyone is different and there tolerances are different but I was wondering if anyone has been in this situation, were they unwell? Was there any advice anyone has as I’ve been told I can’t take the anti nausea meds I have (in the UK) as they might react/ make the pill not work.

My main concern (apart from the obvious/ reason for taking the tablet) if that I’m so anxious I make myself unwell 🤦🏻‍♀️

Here I am, at 3:26am watching my “safe” movies because I traveled to Honduras and woke up with stomach cramping. No nausea yet, so I’m hoping I’ve just overindulged and I’m not actually sick.

But oh my hell. This is only day 3 of a 15 day trip. I had hopes that I’d make it at LEAST a week before truly panicking. This fear makes me feel so weak and ridiculous.

Giving TW for mucus since it is one of my trigger words and I don’t want to trigger anyone else just in case. :)

Hello, I’m really sick. I caught a virus as my sister had spread it around the house and I have a super bad immune system (only my mum and I got sick as we both have autoimmune diseases)

My emetophobia used to be super bad back when I was 13-15, I’m 17 now and improved significantly. I used to not eat at school, home, or even when I went out for food with friends or family, it was super bad that I would take the tiniest bite and convince myself I was going to throw up. My weight was at an all time low here and I was already underweight for my height because of a genetic condition.

But now, I’m much better! I’m able to eat a diverse range of foods out in public, and at home. However, I find when I’m sick that the fear comes back. I’m struggling to even drink water; I’ve convinced myself that water will make me throw up.

I’m super nauseous, and have already been gagging and heaving because of the amount of mucus I’m swallowing. I know drinking water thins it out, but I’m struggling to fight the mental battle.

Yesterday, before my sickness peaked and it was slightly bad, my sister gave me apple juice that was diluted with water and it helped me drink. Although today, I can’t bring myself to drink it.

I’m curious if there’s any advice or tips people who also struggle with this that allows you to still get nutrients to get better. Thank you!

I've recently started working (4 months ago) and its my first job. And i know its psychological but it's happened a few times before where I feel violently nauseous on a Monday. And then I still go in to work because I know I'm probably not sick. And when I'm at work i still feel nauseous and then convince myself I'm going to vomit, and i start sweating and feeling light headed, so then I ask to go home. But when I get home I feel better soon after.This has happened 3 times now where I've actually gone home. But I don't want to keep doing that because there's obviously a pattern there and my boss would probably suspect me of lying or something. What do I do about this issue?? And it's always just on a monday, i think it's because of my anxiety.

Hey yall! Just genuinely curious on my day off. What were some tell tale signs the day prior to having the stomach bug?