its a strange one - but people with a fear of vomit - help needed please!!!

I would be interested to read replies on this,

I don't have a phobia about being sick myself but hate seeing other people be sick - someone on a train threw up whilst sitting next to me last year and again a few weeks ago - I should start to recognise signs and move! I hate it so much I think about it all the time - I am a teacher and hate kids being sick too - I can't clean it up and have to shout for help - I don't know what it is but like you, I would cross the road to avoid it on pavements and could not be near someone else if they were sick. I am sorry I can't help but really sympathise with you. x

Thanks Marmite - its helps knowing its not just me!!

I've got better at dealing with sick in general as i have two children now, but the fear of me or them being sick in public is just growing and growing! I am also so sad that i can remember all the times when people have been sick near me in quite graphic detail!

Perhaps you could see a hypnotist who might be able to "cure you". I'm sure they can help with phobias and I def read about a pregnant lady who had a phobia of childbirth being sorted out in time.

I'm another member of the vomit phobic club so I totally sympathise. It's one of the many factors in my decision not to have children (from morning sickness through to children vomiting). I can just about cope with clearing up dog vomit! If I've drunk too much and think I'm going to be sick I would rather lie still and deep breathe all night than vomit, even though I know the vomiting would make me feel better instantly.

I would also suggest hypnotherapy.

One thing that I do automatically when clearing up things that I know are going to smell foul is to breathe through my mouth (and stand upwind if appropriate). I know this sounds a bit ridiculous but the smell can often be a horrible trigger for the heaves.

Wanted to add, although it's not addressing your phobia as such, I think kids mostly grow out of travel sickness don't they? I used to have to sit between my brothers on car journeys when we were kids and invariably one or both of them would throw up. A contributory cause of my phobia perhaps?! My dad's like it too. If anyone looks even mildly green, he will run very fast....

Thank you everyone. i will definitely give hynotherapy a go - will look into it.

god, having to sit between two vomitting boys in a car on family outings must have been hideous!!! i sympathise with the not wanting to go through pregnancy etc and then have to deal with the sick kids - i was so lucky, i wasn't sick at all during either of my pregnancies, but i felt like i could be at any moment for about 3 months. in fact i think thats what made me get more paranoid about being sick in public - i was so scared it might happen that now i can't quite get rid of the paranoia!

I have Emetophobia http://www.emetophobia.com/

I am identical to you in your thinking and like you mind is linked to a social phobia too which is the being sick in a public place part. I have had CBT via the NHS for mine and was 'cured' after 13 session. It was fantastic and although I have an extreme case, it is now much more under control.

I am paranoid of getting a bug so I alos have hand washing OCD and am very very anal about bacteria, is a big joke with family and at work.

I have had mine on and off since I was 8 and I was sick in my classroom at primary school, now if I get stressed or tired the first thing that happens is that I feel sick. I find that bachs flower remedy, mints, chewing gum and rennie rapeeze are all a good comfort blanket for me and I feel more content after have one of them, even though I know that they are a placebo.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat in more detail, I will happily chat things through.

I'm another Emetophobe, who also suffers travel sickness. As an adult I have to drive everywhere and this solves the problem, but otherwise in cars I have to sit in the front. Its also one of the reasons we are unlikely to have another child (which breaks my heart my phobia has so much control over my life).

I did try CBT but my counsellor was naff, and I have no courage to get re-refered to another one. I also am terrified on a day to day basis of getting any sort of tummy bug, so am constantly washing etc

Have you tried that seasickness bands from boots?

I use to suffer quite badly from this phobia. I also suffered crippling panic attack because I was terrified I would be sick in public. My panic attacks and phobia were linked to some emotional issues I had and dealing with them by talking them over with a councellor helped to stop them, I haven't had a panic attack for years now.

Oddly, a girl I worked with helped me put the being sick in public phobia into perspective. She asked me how I would feel if I was to see someone else being sick. I decided that I would feel awful for them and offer any help that I could. I also started to carry a plastic bag, a bottle of water and a packet of baby wipes with me so that if I was sick I at least had something to throw up in to and something to clean myself up with too. That made me feel more in control of the situation.

Yo have my sympathies as I know how awful these feelings are.

Thank you all so much for your replies - i really really appreciate it. Rosencrantz - i'm so pleased that you've got your phobia under control - it must be like having a new lease of life!

Croyde, i would LOVE to talk to you about it in more detail - are you sure you don't mind??

Its totally fine! Its nice to find someone (an actually a whole handful of other people here too!!) that knows how I feel/felt.

Croyde - i'm having problems PM'ing you - keeps going all funny - but i'll keep trying!