help with dealing with anxiety/emetophobia

[navywife06]

Hello, I am 24 years old, been through alot and I am still dealing with my anxiety I do have ptsd also. But not only am I dealing with the anxiety and the attacks which happen alot, I also have emetophobia (fear of vomiting) it controls my life, If I feel as if I am going to be sick I go into an anxiety fit, and dealing with them both at once gets hard on me. I have talked to counsilors and doctors, yet I still suffer from this. Does anyone know techniques to calm your heart rate, because when I have an episode my heartrate shoots up, my hands get clamy and i start tingling in my hands and lips. I try breathing but I just get so freaked out. I would appreciate any advice. Also I waas wondering if anyone has ever beaten emetophobia? I hear its hard to beat but I would love to read about if anyone has, it wil shine a little light my way. Thanks so much for reading

[sk8b33]

I know what your going through. I am sixteen, and have had emetophobia since i was eleven. i was also born with chronic acid reflux, so that never helps much. When I am having an attack, which happens atleast twice a week, I get an increased heart rate, clammy hands, trembles, and just overall fear. When I have these feelings, the first thing I do is breathe deeply for a few minutes. My mind always wants to say your gonna throw up, but I just think, no this is just another attack, it will be over in a few hours. After breathing, I would take Pepto Bismol, since I have GERD which triggers the Emetophobia. And it might sound corny, but I have always rubbed my stomach, since I can remember, and it seems to go away. Also, watching television and adverting your attention can help. If I just sit for a while, my attacks normally end in two hours. Over my life I have learned to wait out the attacks, and explain to all of my friends whats wrong, but my emetophobia only seems to get worse for some reason. Its probaby because Im afraid of what my peers would think, knowing that I have acid reflux. Whenever I feel alone and that no one else is sufferring, I think of my family members who also have chornic acid reflux, and sometimes even call them when Im feeling an attack coming on. Feeling that i am in control really helps. You cant let the fear get the best of you. I know im not the best to say this since I am still suffering. But after avoiding going out a lot and rollercoasters, and just social events in general since I was scared to have people see my "attack" side, I realized it wasnt worth it, and I have been trying to explain to all of my friends just what is wrong with me. All of them are nice and understanding. They even help me lug around my acid reflux wedge. WOW im off topic. Sorry about that. But anyway, just try relaxing somehow. Taking a bath, reading, watching television, just breathing, all of these things help for me. I hope I helped somehow.

[omgseriouslywtf]

i suffer with emetophobia as well. i find it hard to go anywhere because i'm always afraid of being sick. but if i do find the courage to get out of the house, i ALWAYS have peppermints with me. they help my nausea and give me a bit of a distraction. when i'm at home i drink a lot of peppermint tea which also helps. funny thing is, i'm so scared of being sick yet i've never been sick outside of the home, and i haven't been sick in quite a few years. yet, i still find it hard to think rationally about the situation (if i haven't ever gotten sick outside of the home, then i probably won't whether i'm nauseous or not). try peppermints though if you haven't before. they really do help. :)

[MrGreen]

My favourite love to hate fear. Took me under last year, big time. To the point were I gave up eating. My weight dropped to under 6 stone. Those around me thought I was dying. That is no lie. My face shrunk. I was a mirror image of death himself. I ended up in a hospital as a result for over a month. There is no instant fix cure for emataphobia. You really just have to change the way you think. They gave me a good tablet called Stemitil. It is to prevent nausea or vomiting. Call it peace of mind. I can take it after every meal. I still do. But that's how far it can take you down if you let it. It's just one of those fears you have to face up to. No magic wand waving I'm afraid. For so long I used to fight with myself. Mind versus body. Imagining sickness was about to happen. Horrible to be slap bang in the middle of it. But, with me, it stopped as quickly as it started. I began eating again in the hospital. As I write this I am having my dinner. The weight all came back on. So don't give up. It can be beating. Just going to have to work out your own method for beating it.