Living With Emetophobia

Guest Blogger A: How She Overcame Emetophobia

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:15:00 +0000

I became an emetophobic in 6th grade after a lovely week at Astronomy Camp, an experience I sadly don't remember due to every detail being blocked by the catostrophic occurance at the end.

I had had semi normal bouts of carsickness as a child, so my mother sent me with some dramamine to camp, instructing me to tell a counsoler "1 hour" before departure to give it enough time to kick in. I did exactly as I was told, handing the tiny package over to my trusted instructor exactly 1 hour before leaving, as indicated by my mickey mouse watch.

The instructor (who I still loathe to this day), swatted me away and told me we would "get to that later", and proceeded to give me my meds about 20 minutes before the bus pulled out of the lot and began it's curving decent down the mountain.

I won't bore (or disgust you) with the details. Long story short - I was sick on the bus into a bag with the help of my sympathetic school teacher.

I don't remember being embarrased (although I'm sure I must have been), but what I do remember is panicking, hyperventalating, because the teacher refused to let the bus pull over so I could be sick outside with privacy. It seemed unfair to me (and honestly still does to this day).

After that point, the troubles began. I began feeling nauseous all the time. In class or church, I insisted on sitting in the seat closest to the door, literally counting the steps it would take (converting them into seconds) of how long it would take me to make it outside. I was constantly evaluating the state of my stomach: (Did I feel nauseous? Even a little bit?) which almost inevitably turned into a full blown stomach ache. I left class numerous times to sit and try to breathe deeply outside. I remember crying on my bed while my parents stood around with concern when I refused, again, to go to the grocery store. I couldn't bring myself to tell them what was wrong, and they were at first concerned, then frustrated, as they began to believe I was making it up to get out of doing things I didn't want to do.

If someone was sick, I couldn't even look at their face, for fear I would catch them just as "it" would happen. The sound of someone throwing up on TV sent a bolt of fear through my entire being, and more than once caused me to cover my ears and scream.

Family vacations are a blur to me, as I spent most of them so messed up on Dramamine the details are lost in a foggy daze. It was essentially the equivilant of taking shots of nyquil before going site-seeing.

I became a dramamine junkie, taking a pill to go short distances in the car with other people. (I stopped this only when I found out SOME people say you can form an immunity from over use...which I can rest assure you probably isn't true given how much I used).

I didn't drink or use drugs all through high school, primarily because I was afraid it would make me ill.

When I lived with my first boyfriend and he got food poisoning, I set up camp in our living room under sleeping bags to block out the sound and bawled my eyes out, teeth chattering I was trembling so hard. When he came out of the bathroom he actually laughed at me, basically like, what the hell, I'm the one that's sick here!

I suppose it's probably a good thing to mention that I had other OCD habits at the time too. I suffered from anorexia and hair twisting around this time as well. As most of you know, important to note that these disorders may be separate issues, but often go hand in hand.

ANYWAY - on to the good stuff.

Amazingly, I got better, and the whole point of writing you was to tell you some of the things that helped me, in an effort to help some of you.

I wish there was an "ah hah!" moment I could tell you, but there wasn't, and isn't. I honestly don't know what changed, other than my feelings about a lot of things that have nothing to do with vomiting! I began to lose my fear of living, of gaining weight, of not being in control, and with it so did the phobia. I was NEVER medicated, and I really was very sick for 10 years or more.

Strangely enough, although it may sound silly, I think it was facing the fear of loss of control through a lifestyle change that began the road to recovery.

I dated a boy who loved camping, and although the very idea of camping terrified little OCD me at the time, out of pure undying love, I went.

You would never believe how much I planned for that trip. I made lists and then LISTS about my LISTS of what I should bring. I packed and repacked my suitcase. I worried endlessly about how I would do all my little before bed rituals out there in the woods, and worried (of course) about "what happens if I have to throw up?!"

That trip wasn't what changed me, but it was what started to. I went, and I had a great time. Of course I freaked out about little things, but I made it through the weekend, and was surprised to find the world still existed even though I hadn't single-handedly been trying to hold it up.

I started to take more risks like that, and here I am.

I'm free.

I love camping, attend Burning man annually, and oddly enough am usually the first person to care for a friend who is sick.

In a nutshell? Facing some of my fears is what freed me. A little bit at a time. You'll be surprised (I promise) at what you've been afraid of.

I'm not telling all of you to go get sick to get over this fear, but what I am saying is this: Most of us readily recognize that this is an issue about control or fear of lack-thereof. In that case, I urge you to shift your attention away from figuring out how to cure yourself of emetophobia, and more towards how to cure yourself of that, with either professional help, or as I did, through challenging yourself a little bit at a time.

Take baby steps, be patient with yourself! It didn't happen for me over night.

Here's some tips I thought of that helped me back when I was still dealing with it.

-Remember how much we exaggerate things as a little kid! Many of us developed this during childhood due to a traumatic experience around being sick. Have you ever gone back to visit a place you haven't been since a child, and been surprised at how much smaller it is? That's because child minds exaggerate people, places, and events! If you haven't thrown up since then, how do you know it's as bad as you're allowing yourself to believe? I can assure you, it isn't. It makes sense that a child would find it scary - it's new, sudden, makes mommy worried, and comes with a tummy ache. But as an adult I promise it really isn't all that bad.

-Vomiting is RARELY the way they make it appear in the movies or tv shows as comedy. Maybe, unfortunately, in children, but only because they are little and don't know how to do it discreetly or where they should, but most of the time in an adolescent or adult, they will do so discreetly and out of your way.

- Remember what vomit actually IS! It's food! Mixed with stomach juices, etc of course, but that's really all it is: a part of you, and something you put in it. Vomiting is a function our body has evolved to keep us ALIVE and to get rid of germs and things that could harm us.

I hope this helps, if even a little.

What Kills Norovirus

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:06:00 +0000

So it is going around like crazy. I am not an expert, but I do know a few products that do work to kill the dreaded norovirus. This is by no means a complete list, but her you go with some tips and tricks to killing the dreaded Norovirus.

Germ-X kills norovirus where purell does not. The secret ingredient is - Benzalkonium Chloride look for something with at least .013%
Lysol spray - not the wipes
chlorine bleach - one ounce to 32 ounces of water will do the trick.
Wet ones- They work.

Hope these help!

Stay healthy,

Robin

Guest Blogger - Sara's Struggles

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:12:00 +0000

So I just noticed that I never really explained how my crazy phobia got it's start. I just kind of dove head first into my crazy and didn't let you in on the low down. So here it goes.

Hi I'm Sara, I am 28 years old and have been afraid of vomit since I was 7. (HAHA, but for real) I had a pretty violent stomach virus that year. I threw up a LOT. I remember sitting on the couch thinking to myself, I will NEVER let myself do this again.

After that day I continued to try to learn why people threw up and how to avoid it. The more information I got the power I felt I had over it. For instance the normal gestation period for the typical stomach virus is 12-72 hours. So if you are in contact with someone who is ill if you are still healthy after 72 hours you can relax!

I kept my dirty little secret to myself. I felt embarrassed by it and I didn't want anyone to think that I wasn't brave or strong. Or worse for them to think I was weird. (they did anyway) So I went on as a little girl with a huge fear, trying to handle it all on my own.

Most of my teen years I did well. I never got sick. I managed to live a mostly normal life. Except that I didn't ride roller coasters, or drink, or eat odd stuff. And I avoided people who were sick like the plague. Still stuffing my secret deep down.

When I was 18 I underwent brain surgery. On the morning of that surgery I was most upset that the anesthesia would make me ill, not that they were shaving my hair off, or that I was, you know, having BRAIN SURGERY. Still I kept it inside.

Through my early 20's I got married and had two babies. Let me tell you that when I first got pregnant I was TERRIFIED about morning sickness. So badly that I ended up in the ER for dehydration from not drinking and eating properly. Even so I made it through 2 pregnancies without being sick or divulging my fear.

Then it happened. I got the call that my Grandfather was in Hospice care in the hospital. He was unconscious and our family huddled and wept and waited for 12 hours. He passed away at 1:50 in the afternoon. I was emotionally shattered, exhausted, and numb. When I walked into my house to head into bed my daughter threw up all over the place. I couldn't handle it. I ran away from her. That was the lowest place I have ever been in my life. After that day the panic attacks started. Then we found out our Son was on his way. Baby number three! I didn't know what to do. I felt like I was going to die and I couldn't leave my house. My Husband was starting to ask questions. Rightfully so.

So I sat down and told another human about my fear. I told him about the shame, the guilt, the anxiety, the panic, the crazy rituals, and the more I talked the better I felt. After I told him I told my Doctor. After I told her I told my family. After the family I told a therapist. After the therapist I started this blog and told whomever would read it. The more people I told the better I felt. It was like keeping it secret gave it power.

I had a rough third pregnancy with non stop panic attacks and an emergency appendectomy. It ended with a perfect little yellow haired boy though, so it was all worth it.

Today I keep on a regular schedule with my therapist and medication. I find most of my healing through faith though, without my God I would be stuck in that dark, low place. I am not cured, not even close, but when my second daughter was ill a month ago I was able to take care of her. I was able to be with her and help her through, a far cry from that low place. I see the road I have traveled and I know that I am more than half way to the destination. And that is totally awesome.

Thank you for letting me share my story. I hope that if you are reading this and suffer too that it will help you. I hope that if you have read this and you don't suffer that it might help you help someone you know who suffers from unseen hurts and secret fears. If you are someone who's fears are still in the dark I encourage you to bring them out. Shed some light on those suckers. I promise you will see that in the light they don't look so scary.

XOXO, Sara

Sara Brunner

Facing the Beast - Guest Blogger Sara

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:49:00 +0000

So this is how it went down.

Bailey had a tummy ache and didn't want to eat dinner, which for Bailey is a *MASSIVE* red flag. So I went about making the other kids their dinner. I went in and sat with them while they ate and returned to find my second born standing in the center of the LARGEST throw up I have ever seen.

So there I was standing in the middle of my worst nightmare. She was happy and singing, and I was desperately trying to hold it together. So I immediately prayed for the strength to deal with this and not lose it in front of my kids. Then it happened. I just started to clean it up. Dealing with one detail at a time. One foot in front of the other, God gave me what I needed to get it done.

I got my baby cleaned up and safely in bed. I got my other two ready and in bed. Then I will admit I called my Mommy and fell apart a little. Then I commenced with the laundry and other miscellaneous things that are involved in this sort of thing. That's when Mom showed up with some Starbucks Peppermint hot chocolate. What a great lady! There are sometimes when a woman just needs her Mommy.

She left and I laid in my bed for a few minutes talking to my Sister on the phone when Ky came in to tell me that Bailey had done it again. So in God and I went one foot in front of the other and systematically got it taken care of. Put her back to bed and she drifted off and slept ALL NIGHT LONG!

Then I finished up the cleaning detail and put myself to bed. Where I proceeded to freak out and worry until 1 O'Clock. UNNECESSARILY. Why worry? If it had happened again I would have done the same thing. I would have taken care of it, but the worry of "What's next?" got a hold of me and wouldn't let go. I will admit that this morning the "What's next?" is still alive and well. Hopefully it moves along soon now that I have proven to myself that I can hack it!

The best part about this tale is that I was able to stand in the hell I have been panicking about and THANK GOD sincerely for the opportunity to prove my strength. He gave me something so precious yesterday that I don't think any gift that I ever receive will compare. When faced with the beast, I beat the CRAP out of it. And that is awesome.

Sara Brunner

emetmommy.blogspot.com

Overcoming Emetophobia? Annie Did It

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

I have been living with emetophobia for as long as I can remember. I am 26 years old, and it has been a struggle.

But, I can happily say I have made remarkable progress and can do things now I could of never imagined doing before.

That is one of the main reasons I'd would like to share my story, because we are all working on getting "better", right?

I only have two memories of getting sick when I was young. Both memories are bad. I will spare everyone the details. But, because of my memories being bad

I have always had a very biased perception of getting sick...which over time and through lots of therapy I have realized these memories are very skewed.

Anyway, part of the reason I feel I have so struggled so much is that I really do feel like getting sick is one of the worst things that can possible happen, when it is not.

But, my phobia brain likes to remember all those negative experiences (besides my own two bad experiences I have had repeated impressions over time from observing other people get sick and seeing poor responses from others) and forget all the not so negative experiences!

For the most part, I was fine for most of Middle School and High School. I didn't obsess over things except for the rare occasion my brothers were sick (and I wouldn't eat until it was safe etc.) In High School, same type of thing I didn't really care about it much unless my boyfriend got sick or something. I did start to experience anxiety at parties if someone got sick, which always seemed to happen. For some reason, drinking actually helped me because it dulled my sense of awareness and I actually didn't care if people got sick, even helped a friend or two! But being sober at a party was unbearable. I would watch everyone, staying away from people who were too drunk. At one party, I had my first panic attack. A girl had gotten sick at a party, I freaked out and hid outside, shaking.

Then comes college, where my drinking got even worse! I know emetophobics don't typically drink, but I drank and drank a lot. I guess it was more of an escape method, I didn't care if people got sick when I was drunk, so in order to go out and be social, I needed to be drunk. I almost never got sick. I did get sick a total of 3 times during my college years. They were all somewhat positive experiences...people didn't get mad at me...they took care of me etc. But I could never really remember them clearly (I have always struggled with not knowing when I will get sick, because I don't remember what it feels like, which causes me to over analyze/ be hyper sensitive to stomach and throat sensations). But once again, I could not handle being around drunk people when I was sober and unfortunately my boyfriend at the time had a major substance abuse problem. I had to go find him at the bars and was terrified driving him home that he would get sick in the car. This is where my emetophobia became full blown. I lost about 30 pounds in less than 2 years (I wasn't overweight to begin with). I would have anxiety attacks in class and would have to leave. I couldn't go out to eat. The only place I felt safe was in my room, with the door locked, with an empty stomach. I only ate toast. Besides the terrible boyfriend at the time, I was started graduate school, and my roommate was bulimic. All these things happening in combination led to one of the worst periods in my life. I was completely debilitated. This is when I started visiting the counselor at the college. My first counselor laughed at me...told me I was being ridiculous. I stopped going...suffered for awhile, decided to go back. They put me with a new therapist. She was a little more helpful, but she basically said there was nothing she could do to really help me with her resources. They sent me to the actual psychiatrist. He was pretty helpful. One of the best pieces of advice I learned from him was the importance of getting sleep, eating right, and exercising. This is one of the most important things I was ever told. Also, avoiding caffeine is also important (I have learned over time it really triggers my symptoms). Anyway, he put me on antidepressants and Elavil to help me sleep. One of my main symptoms is that I have trouble swallowing and start to panic...it almost feels like I am about to have a seizure or something. It is hard to explain. Eventually, I started to feel better enough to go off medication. I still struggled in certain situations (going out to dinner, public places, driving, traveling etc.) but was doing good for awhile.

I graduated from grad school..3.9 GPA. I moved, and met the love of my life! We got engaged and went on our first vacation together...and I relapsed. We drove to Myrtle Beach with no sleep and I was wigging out...every night we ate out I would pretty much struggle to eat and swallow my food. We ended up driving to Ohio from Myrtle to pick up his new car, then drive separately to NY. I endured a 10 hour drive by myself, completely freaking out thinking I was going to get sick and crash, my jaw clenched so hard it was sore for days. I went back to therapy. Luckily, I found a great therapist. I have been seeing her for about 1 1/2 years. I have made sooo much progress. I have done exposure therapy using pics/videos. I also mainly do CBT. The main reason I have been working so hard is that I plan on trying to get pregnant soon. I am trying so hard to be strong about dealing with potential morning sickness, but I am of course, scared. My husband wants kids so bad, and doesn't really understand my fear. I know kids are going to be one of the greatest gifts I could ever give him, but it is going to be one of the hardest things for me. For now, I feel good though. I have been taking my prenatals, getting exercise and trying to get as mentally strong as I can! Wish me luck! If everyone else can do it, I can do it!

- Annie

Call for Guest Bloggers

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:39:00 +0000

Do you have a story about "Living with Emetophobia?"

Email me at thetshirtdiaries@yahoo.com and I will put it on the blog. You have no idea how helpful it is to get your story out there!

On another note I just wanted to share this with you...

I can not wait to hear from you,

I Am Afraid of My Own Children

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Phoebe has been in bed all afternoon. 

She has a fever of 100, less at times, and I so afraid she is going to throw up. I said it I am afraid of my own child when she is sick with what is most likely a common cold. 

The fear is overwhelming, and the guilt on top of it sucks. I mean I am her mom, I should not be grilling her on whether her tummy hurts or if anyone else has been sick. I should just take care of her. I should just be there for her. 

The good news is that she does not know anything about my phobia. She has no clue that the act of vomiting makes me want to cover the house in bleach, throw on a face mask, and rent out a surrogate to take care of her while I run to a hotel to crash (wouldn't that be great if we could really do that?). Granted once at the hotel I would cover that room in lysol, but that is a different story for a different day. 

She has been sick for about six hours now. I am probably in the clear for the stomach flu aka the dreaded norovirus. 

I am not in the clear for vomit. She threw up last time she had strep. 

Crazy mommy wants to grab her and take her to the doctor. I want to force a strep test on her so I can get her on antibiotics before she throws up and beg the doctor for an anti-emetic for myself because the stress is making me downright nauseous. 

I am not proud of any of these feelings. I am not proud of this phobia. I live in a quiet embarrassment that I can barely handle my kids when they are sick. I do, I get through, but I have a few more panic attacks then I should. 

I will get through tonight, I wish I was a drinker to make things easier. There will probably be some insomnia, and fear that *it* will happen. If it does I will get through that. I know these things, I just wish the panic of the "what if" didn't cause me to be such a freak about everything. 

Children are an amazing blessing. I have two. I would not change that for anything because they are true gifts from God. I just wish I wasn't afraid of them during norovirus season.  

-Robin

Sleep, Why Do You Hate Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:40:00 +0000

Who knew that people with emetophobia don't sleep much?

I had no idea that not sleeping was a huge problem, but it makes sense. 

See I originally thought I would NEVER get married because their was no way I could sleep next to another human being. I mean what if he got sick in the middle of the night. 

It took me about five years to finally fall asleep without stressing about it. My husband hits the pillow and is out. I hit the pillow and it's at least a half hour. 

There are several nights I wake up with weird tummy trouble and I think, this is the night, I am going to get sick. I don't I just have a lot of acid reflux.

I hear a cough in the middle of the night from one of my kids and I am so scared that they are about to do *it.* They are going to vomit in the middle of the night. 

I hear one of my kids crying from a bad dream, that is it they are obviously sick. 

I honestly hate checking on the kids in the middle of the night to see whats wrong because, I want my husband to check. I want to stay in an isolated bubble. The problem is I am a stay at home mom and part of the deal is I take care of the kids. I get to stay home and raise the kids, he gets to sleep. Sadly, it is fair.

I hate night time because I feel the most vulnerable. I feel like the element of surprise is just waiting around the corner or next to me on the bed to puke all over my happy vomit free existence. I am in fear of someone getting sick in the middle of the night.

I am an emetophobe and darn it because of it I can not sleep. It sucks.

It really sucks,

Does Norovirus Season Make You Panic?

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:26:00 +0000

Yep it is that time of year. Norovirus is running amok amongst everyone.

Does the thought of vomit scare you?

Do you run into the other room when you hear someone gagging?

Do you break out the bleach and Lysol when you hear someone who was in your house mightbe sick?

If you are afraid of vomit and vomiting you might be suffering from Emetophobia. I have it, it's cool. You are not some freak or something. You have a name for it, now you can find a way to kick the phobia, or at least look into and learn about what other people are doing who are suffering from emetophobia.

See the thing is this fear is at it's worst when it is winter time. Norovirus is everywhere and isn't going to go away until winter is over. I personally wish I could lock my family in a bubble and stay there until it was all over. That or the norovirus vaccine could hurry up and get here (it's about three years away).

So chin up fellow emetophobe. Welcome to my blog, enjoy my rmblings and musings, and relish the fact that you are not alone!

Robin

Goodbye Dear Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:15:00 +0000

Today was a sad day.

Phugley

05/05/03 - 01/04/12

We lost a dear friend. We lost our dog.

He was our pug. A dog that is as stubborn as can be but will love your children to pieces.

We had good times with him, and let's be real we had bad times as well.

He was a dear friend that the kids loved to pieces. He did not love getting his picture taken.

I am at a loss for words. I don't know what to say, I didn't know what to say to the kids when I had to tell them he was in heaven, but I do like to believe he is in a much better place.

Phugley, or big Phugs as we liked to call him is roaming around in heaven getting harassed by his two year old brother Seamus who we lost New Years Day 2007.

The death of a pet is a hard thing. You love them so much you don't want to let them go, but in the end he was sick. He was blind, deaf, and lost complete control of his bowels (disgusting I know). He no longer chewed bones (he was a fan of nylabones) and he slept 23 hours a day. He is in a much happier place right now.

So for all of you who have lost a dear pet my heart goes out to you. This is the second time it has happened to me and I feel this massive hole in my heart that I don't think will ever close.

So Phugley the Pug, I miss you, I love you, but I know you are roaming around on the other side chewing a bone and checking out all the beauty that you haven't been able to see while you were here these last few months on earth.

What is it about cars?

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:22:00 +0000

What is it about cars and emetophobia.

I hate driving in cars. I hate it. I mean if I am driving by myself I am fine, but put a few other people in there and it is time to panic.

I am convinced that someone is going to get sick and darn it when you are in a car there is no where left to go. You are stuck. It is not like you can jump out and roll into the street. Nope someone throws up next to you and you are so stuck.

Now I am 37 years old and I can only think of two times when someone got sick in a car while I was in it. First time was on New Years Eve, there was a little too much alcohol, and bam my friend needed to roll down the window.

The second time was when my daughter was two and who knows what made her sick but it was not pretty.

So two times in 37 years, that is like once every 18 1/2 years. It is pretty much not going to happen any time soon.

Regardless I am still nervous that maybe my kids will eat too much, my friends will drink too much, or someone will just plain get car sick.

I dread road trips. I have an excuse now as to why I can't make the big family trip (Interstitial cystitis and road trips don't mix) that require you to drive for 24 hours. I still can't get out of two hour jaunts to the relatives.

So I hate road trips, I hate driving, and darn it I am just afraid of someone getting sick.

I so blame this phobia for my hatred of cars and I just wish I could get over it.

Robin

Happy Emetophobia Free New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:16:00 +0000

So the New Year is coming.

It is going to be a great one. I mean how can it not. Take a second to imagine it. A year without having emetophobia. A year where you just live life, you visit friends with reckless abandon, and can take care of sick kidlets like it is nobodies business.

Off the bat I don't have an answer as to how this is possible but I just want to sit back and imagine what life would be like without having emetophobia.

I just want to think positive and believe that you, my loyal readers, will join me in beating this phobia once and for all. There are a lot of cool things going on, some studies, the norovirus vaccine, and a lot of great support groups that will definately make life with emetophobia better.

So lets take a moment and enjoy life, enjoy that there is hope, and hope that this year the emetophobia ends!

Robin

Norovirus Season with Emetophobia

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:46:00 +0000

It's the most wonderful time of the year my butt.

Winter brings the dreaded norovirus to a home near you and if you are anything like me you are living in fear wishing that you could put a bublle around your whole family. That would be pretty darn awesome, a bubble that would make sure that they do not get exposed.

For some reason this is the worst year yet for norovirus, not because more people are getting it, but because people are pretty lax about what they say on social media.

Do I blame facebook? No not at all. When you are at home with a sick kid what else is there to do besides try and share your woes with the world via Facebook. I mean if you had emetophobia (the fear of vomit, vomiting, and all things vomit related) you would be bleaching everything and
holding a bottle of Lysol as if it were your lover.

People without emetophobia tend to not fret, have sympathy for the sick, and share their woes on facebook. One friend mentioned that she had three friends posting about vomiting, another had a friend write about how she was sick all night then woke up to bake for a party, and me I have friends talking about how they have two kids puking in different parts of the house at the same time.

It's not that they are not sensitive to us, rather we are so overly sensitive to this stupid phobia. I mean really it's a bodily function and somehow it defines our lives. I know it defines my life.

I try to live as normal a life as possible, but I seriously cut down on my children's activities because I do not want them to catch norovirus.

If you don't know norovirus is transmitted oral-fecal so in order to catch it you would have to ingest something that "came out" of someone. As long as you are washing your hands often you really should be fine.

Problems come when the people around you don't wash their hands, get sick, prepare food, shake hands, and touch door-knobs (and light switches, and handles, and everything else). So that is how norovirus tends to spread, the sick person goes to work, infects food, the brothers and sisters don't wash their hands, or the momma with norovirus waking up and preparing a salad for an party because the worst is supposedly over, but she didn't wash her hands thouroughly.

This is just the absolute worst time of the year. We need to not only be on high alert, but we need to support each other.

So let's do this. Let's support each other (the facebook group rocks email me rneorr@yahoo.com and I will get you set up) and do what we can to not spread norovirus.

Keep on washing those hands!

Robin

You Know You're an Emetophobe If

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:43:00 +0000

You know you're an emetophobe if:

The thought of raw chicken makes you cringe
You own more bleach then one person should ever be legally allowed to
You have been known to go 72 hours without eating if someone around you has been ill
You prefer Germ-X to Purell
You keep close tabs on the status of the norovirus vaccine
You know that Wet Ones kill norovirus and clorox wipes do not
You know that in order to kill noro you have to use spray Lysol (the wipes don't work).
Winters suck, but not because it is cold outside
You carry your own wet ones with you everywhere to wipe down handles
You never touch door knobs
You are afraid to vomit or of someone vomiting around you.

Sad but true I fit in just about all of the above statements. So the good news is even if you do have emetophobia you are not alone. I am right there with you being phobic :)

Happy Holidays!

Robin

Emetophobia is Hard: But You Rock

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000

I just wanted to take time off from Holiday madness to tell you, the reader, how completely awesome you are. Thank you so much for dealing with this irrational and crazy phobia with me, and thank you so much for joining my facebook group. It truly feels like this amazing "home" for random emetophobics to become best friends. I want so badly to just jump out of my computer screen and give each and every one of you a gigantic hug. This is the absolute worst time of the year for our phobia (stupid norovirus) and you guys are hanging in there and supporting each other. What an amazing gift is that. The most amazing thing is that so many of you thought you were the only one with this mad phobia of all things vomit and vomit related, found out you are not alone, and now we can share stories like we are best friends! Now I would perfer that we all didn't have this phobia, but we are lucky to have each other. So thank you and remember you are so incredibly beautiful and stronger than you could ever imagine dealing with this phobia. For that YOU ROCK!

Interstitial Cystitis: It's Harder Than I Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:33:00 +0000

I am coming to terms that I will be in bladder pain for the rest of my life. I am coming to terms with having Interstitial Cystitis, and you know what it is harder than I thought.

I now realize that I have a chronic condition, and one that is going to pretty much go unnoticed.

My daughter asked me, "why do you have to go to the bathroom again?"

She was frustrated, mommy constantly has to pee. Mommy is always in the bathroom, and no matter where we are and what we are doing I will inevitably have to run to the restroom in pain.

"Mommy has a bladder problem."

"Why don't you take medicine for it."

"Well honey mommy is taking medicine, but it doesn't really work right now."

"Then you need a stronger medicine." I smiled. She is sweet. She is five and doesn't realize that medicine can not make everything better. I want her to hold onto that thought for a little bit longer. I want things to be that easy.

I hate that no matter how sick I am no one can tell, no one knows what is wrong with me, and as far as they no, unless they look into my bladder I am just some whiny middle age woman.

I am coming to terms with everything. I am hopeful. I don't want to dwell, but I am also overwhelmed and right now I just wanted to complain.

Not one of my better posts, but hey sometimes I just blog to vent.

Till Next Time,

Interstitial Cystitis Sucks

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:52:00 +0000

I have been having a bit of a slow down in blogging, I am trying, but it's hard.

Since May I have felt like I have had a bladder infection. At times a full fledge UTI, at times just like I am getting one.

Well it sucks, but after a few doctors, some tests, and a painful Cystoscopy Procedure the doctor finally confirmed that I do have Interstitial Cycstitis.

It sucks, I will have it for the rest of my life, I have some meds, and now I am moving on.

So I am going to just deal with it and probably not mention it again, but I just wanted to share so you know if I am out of touch it's an IC thing, nothing personal.

Talk Soon!

Top Five Relaxation and Anxiety-Reducing Techniques

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:26:00 +0000

The following techniques are great for reducing anxious feelings and calming the mind during stressful times. All of these techniques can be practiced anywhere with minimal external tools. The following techniques can provide benefits to both those who experience occasional anxiety and stress and those who suffer from a mental illness.

1. Practice deep breathing: Deep breathing slows the heart rate, relaxes tense muscles and increases the amount of oxygen in your blood stream. These things work together to create a sense of calm. To do this, breathe in deeply for five seconds through your nose, filling your belly and chest with air. Hold it in for two to three seconds and exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat until you feel calm and your heart rate has decreased.

2. Be mindful of your surroundings: Anxiety and stress is often a product of racing thoughts. Instead of focusing on the internal, try looking at the people and objects around you. Focus on how calm they appear and allow this calmness to take over your anxious thoughts. Being mindful of your surroundings helps keep anxious thoughts from entering your mind by keeping it occupied with other things.

3. Drink hot tea: Most of us choose to drink coffee when we first wake up. However, the caffeine in coffee can increase anxiety and stress. To avoid this, choose to drink hot tea instead. There are many teas that actually can help reduce stress and create calm (for example, chamomile, peppermint and lemon). To enhance the stress-reducing experience, drink your hot tea mindfully. First, hold your cup or mug of tea in both hands and slowly lift to your nose. Inhale the fragrance of the tea slowly with your eyes closed. Breathe in and out deeply for about a minute. Then slowly drink your tea allowing it to roll past your tongue. Doing this combines the benefits of deep breathing, mindfulness meditation and aromatherapy into one.

4. Go for a walk or exercise: These two things provide two different benefits. When you go for a walk, be mindful of the natural scenery and sounds. This is a form of meditation and allows your mind to occupy itself with clear, stress-free thoughts for a moment. Mild or intense exercise is not only good for your physical body but your mental body, as well. When you exercise, good-feeling endorphins are released. These endorphins work to decrease stress and anxiety.

5. Memorize a prayer or meditation technique: Do you have a favorite prayer or spiritual text? Memorize this and repeat it to yourself in times of stress or crisis. Meditation is also a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Traditional meditative practices can be difficult to master, however. If you are interested in traditional meditation, purchase a book or instructional DVD to help you learn the basics and techniques for effective deep meditation.

Lindsey Webster has been a rehabilitation counselor for 15 years and also owns the site Masters in Counseling. She likes to write about different topics related to counseling and careers.

Emetophobia and Driving: Tips and Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Driving is scary for people with emetophobia.

I am not talking about driving alone, I am talking about driving with other people in the car.

See what happens is if someone gets car sick, has eaten too much, or has had a little too much to drink, they might have to vomit. That will then cause you to panic, and darn it we all know no one wants to have a panic attack while driving.

So what do you do? Well I have few few emetophobia friendly driving tips (some real, some not).

Only drive alone - there problem solved. This of course is not possible, but in an ideal world this would be the way to go.
Offer to drive. Seriously for some reason when I am driving I have less time to panic and spend more time concentrating on the road.
Play music while driving. Your brain will have less time to think about your carmates and might decide to rock out to some tunes instead.
Choose the front seat. Sometimes you are in a car or mini-van with a lot of people. Your best bet is to be in the front seat as opposed to being stuck in a middle seat with a person on either side.
Take deep breathes. Relaxing goes a long way to surviving your trip. Focus on breathing in and out and the air flowing through your lungs. I love deep breathing and I love the fact that I can just relax.
If you are out drinking with friends sit in the front seat next to the cab driver. Why? You just have more control over the situation, you can roll the window down. The air flowing through the windows can bring a sense of peace and tranquility that might help you survivie the situation.

Hope these tips help. I know it is hard driving, but you can do it. Do not let emetophobia control your life. You really need to enjoy your life, get out of your comfort zone, and do things you might normally not try.

Thanks,

Robin

Facebook Group F.A.Q.'s

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:07:00 +0000

I wasn't prepared for the influx of people who want to join the Facebook Group.

I am so excited about it, but boy is this a time consuming venture. I feel like I have been getting a lot of questions and I need to answer a few questions to put everyone at ease.

How Can I Become A Member?

Please email thetshirtdiaries@yahoo.com and either myself, Jackie or Jessica will send you a friend request. Once your accepted the friend request one of us will add you to the group.

How do I know I have been added?

The group will appear on under your groups section. You will be able to see it, other people (your other friends) will not. It is a private group.

Will posts appear on my wall?

They will appear on your wall, but being a private group you will see them, your other friends will not. Your privacy will be maintained for those of us who have not come out to our friends about our phobia.

Who will see my posts?

Everyone in the Living with Emetophobia facebook group.

Why does the group call it emtophobia?

Because I can't spell? Actually I screwed up, I don't know if it can be fixed.

How long does the whole process take?

Please give me about 48 hours to friend request you and add you to the group. I don't spend that much time in front of my computer, and I can't do it from my phone.

Is there a cost?

As long as Facebook doesn't charge it's free.

*I am not liable for anything that is said on the group. I am not liable for any changes facebook makes. *

I hope that helps.

Robin

Mandy's Story - Guest Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:05:00 +0000

Hi! My name is Mandy and I've seriously struggled with emetophobia for the past six years. Before six years ago, I was afraid of other people vomiting in front of me, but the fear didn't threaten to rule my life like it does now.

Before I share a bit of my story, I want to thank Robin for her Living With Emetophobia blog and for starting the emetophobia group on Facebook. I really appreciate her bravery and her willingness to support and unite others who are suffering with emetophobia. It helps us so much to know we're not alone!

Now here's a bit of my story and some things that have helped me:

As a child, I got car sick pretty often. I remember getting sick lots of times. In fact, many of my early memories of childhood involve vomiting or being motion sick. I had issues with vomiting in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. I think I was also pretty anxious as a child, but tried to hide it from my parents. They had enough to deal with.

My father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when I was seven years old. His disease brought on depression and he was suicidal for a time. Not long after he was diagnosed, he needed two canes to walk. A few years after that, he was in a wheelchair and still is to this day. This stress on the family came out in depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms like my mom's trouble with irritable bowel syndrome and my weak stomach.

I don't remember fearing vomiting myself while growing up, but I definitely feared witnessing it in other people. My mom recently told me a story of my brother being very ill as a young child and him blaming my mother for making him vomit and screaming at her about it. I think that must have sunk into me somehow - that vomiting is a horrible thing to be avoided at all costs and that vomiting in other people is sudden, scary, and even destructive.

My emetophobia really struck full-force after I gave birth to my first child. I began to fear more than anything else that he would contract a stomach virus or get sick with food poisoning. In fact, when he was eighteen months old, he did get very sick with a virus he caught from my mom. He got dehydrated and my husband and I had to take him to the emergency room for fluids. It took him two weeks to recover.

I decided at that time to research the causes of vomiting so I could avoid them, if possible. This research mostly served to strengthen my fears. I developed a fear of public places, a fear of food, and a fear of germs. I become hypervigilant about food and possible germ exposure whenever I was away from home or entertaining guests. While away from home, I would avoid touching my face, eating, and using public restrooms. I avoided inviting people to my house whenever possible, and when I did have guests, I would be constantly washing my hands and worrying about my children. I was even afraid of things brought into my home: groceries, packages, clothing. Anything that had been handled by a cashier or delivery person was put away and not used until I believed the germs had died. I still struggle with all these things all the time.

Just to give you a picture of how emetophobia has threatened my life, here is a letter I wrote back in 2009:

March 28, 2009

Dear Fear of Germs,

I want you to know that I’m sick of you. You nag me all the time. I feel like I never get any break from your demands. I’m never clean enough, never watchful enough, never protective enough to suit you. You make me feel inadequate and nervous. I can’t enjoy myself when I go out and visit people or when I have guests in my home. I’m afraid to eat anything that other people have prepared and I’m even scared of my own groceries when they are fresh from the store. I don’t want to eat out at restaurants either. When I do go out I end up feeling nervous and afraid to eat anything. I don’t know what to order because anything could be contaminated.

My children are a constant concern. I can’t seem to do enough to keep them safe. You are always telling me I should be trying harder and doing more. But I really never can do enough, can I? There will never be a time when I have done everything I possibly can to protect them from illness or harm. I know I can’t protect them from everything, but you tell me that it is my responsibility to do everything I possibly can, so I’m always trying to figure out what that is. What is enough for you? The more I do, the more you seem to demand. I try to learn what to do, but there is always more to learn and more to do. And then when I know I haven’t done enough, because I can’t do enough, I’m left to worry about when they will get sick. I watch them and try to figure out how they’re feeling and sometimes they seem sick when they’re not. I wonder how I will cope when they are sick and I am all alone to care for them. Will I be able to do what I have to do or will it be too much? Will I know how to take care of them or will I make a mistake and make things worse? Will I know when it’s an emergency and I need to call 911? If I don’t do the right things and take good enough care of my children, I could lose them. I’ve read stories where moms have lost their kids because they didn’t take them to the hospital quickly enough and they were deemed negligent. I don’t want that to happen to me. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my children and it was my fault.

So I work as hard as I can for you. I try to pay attention to everything and anticipate everything. I work hard to try to keep things clean. I wash my hands and my children’s hands often, especially when we just got home from somewhere or when we are about to eat. I don’t let them eat after me and I don’t eat after them. I wash their food and prepare it very carefully. I ask guests and other caretakers of my children to wash their hands and not let the children touch their mouths or eat after them. I don’t invite guests over unless I feel like I have to and I don’t take the children anywhere except for church unless I absolutely must. I hate visits to the doctor’s office because of all the sick children there. I don’t ever take them to the grocery store or let them sit in carts where other kid’s diapers may have overflowed and left germs. I hate it when someone else wants to take them out to the library or to the store or to visit someone. I don’t want them to go to preschool or any school because I know they will pick up germs there and get sick. I always hope and pray that God will keep them safe, but I know that every kid gets sick now and then and I dread it so much that I want to do anything I can to prevent it. I’m afraid not to have them go to church because I think that I will really seem crazy and God might get angry at me.

I never feel safe for very long. I feel safest when I am home alone with the children during the day or when they are in bed for the night. Even then, I am wondering when they will get sick. I feel most nervous on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday each week since that is when the children are most likely to get sick with a stomach virus from church. I dread that my husband will bring an illness home from work or that any delivery people including the mail carrier will bring germs to the house along with the packages. I don’t trust anyone to be free from germs, myself included. I also suspect any items that were recently brought into the house such as mail, groceries, new books, toys or clothing, library books, and my husband's schoolbag.

Sometimes I wish it was just me and that I didn’t have children. Then I wouldn’t have to be so careful to protect them and I wouldn’t have to take care of them when they are sick. I would only be responsible for me. I can handle getting sick. But the thought of getting sick and then passing it on to them terrifies me. Also I worry that I will be too sick to care for them.

So I don’t know how to escape from you. You seem to be with me all the time now. I’m always thinking of the things you want me to do and trying to take in details that might be important to your agenda. I’m always thinking, always watching, always worrying. There is never any rest - except maybe when my husband is caring for the children and I am alone. Then I don’t have to be so careful anymore. I can relax a little. That is one reason why I love to be alone now.

So I guess if I had to summarize your mission, it would be to keep me alone in a vacuum. I wouldn't visit with people, eat anything, or do anything. I would have to die physically to satisfy those requirements. I guess that’s why I wish I could die sometimes. That seems like the only way I can be truly free. I don’t want to kill myself, but sometimes I ask God to take my life. But he doesn’t. I try to choose to trust him, to believe in him, but it never seems to be enough. I don’t seem to get much help from him. I read the Bible and pray, but it doesn’t help much. I wish God would show me what to do to be free. I feel weary from always fighting. I don’t know how much longer I can keep fighting.

As you can see, I was in a very bad place then. I'm thankful that I am not in that place today. Instead, I'm fighting my fears and trying to get better.

I majored in Psychology in college and went on to study Mental Health Counseling in graduate school. I am now a volunteer Biblical counselor with my church's counseling ministry. For years, I have studied psychology and the Bible and how people's hearts and minds work - all the while, hoping to find a quick fix or cure for my emetophobia. For a year-and-a-half, I met with a licensed, Christian mental health counselor. She was very helpful in supporting me and encouraging me to find out what goes on in my heart and mind underneath the anxiety. Even though she never really understood my emetophobia, she helped me look at my past and how I formed various false beliefs about myself, the world, and God. Since I stopped meeting with her almost two years ago, I have continued to explore my internal world, trying to discover why I struggle so with emetophobia.

I realize that there are possible biological factors involved. Anxiety does run in my family. But just as genes can lead to chemical imbalances in the brain, so can lies be handed down from parents to children. Also, believing lies in the mind and heart can cause chemical responses in the brain and physical symptoms, stomach problems, tension headaches, and others. There was a time when I sought medication, but my counselor told me she didn't think it would be a good idea in my case and I agree. I think medication would make my life easier, but then I would have less motivation to continue my journey out of this phobia. Certainly, if I ever reach a place where I am constantly anxious and struggling to function, I will pursue medication.

Here are some ways I can work on getting better:

· Avoid letting emetophobia become my identity: Rather than accepting that I am an emet, I say that I struggle with emetophobia. I believe it's important that I don't let emetophobia become who I am. Also, I refuse to believe that I will always struggle with emetophobia. My emetophobia will not last forever. Even if I am never completely free of it in this life, I will be free of it some day in eternity. This gives me hope.

· Take care of myself: My anxiety gets much worse if I let myself go. When I eat healthy, exercise, and get enough rest, I do much, much better.

· Blog (or journal) about it: About a year ago, I started blogging about my life, including my anxiety. At the time, I didn't know my fear was called emetophobia, and it wasn't until I started searching specifically for information about my fear a couple months ago that I was able to put a name to my condition. My blog has helped me as I work through what's going with me. Just recently, I was able to uncover a very deep lie that I've believed since childhood. The lie came to my mind as I was writing a blog post. You can read about it here.

· Seek out safe people to support and encourage me: As I grapple with this lie and seek to vanquish it with truth, I need other people in my life who will support me throughout the process. For this reason, I've shared about my emetophobia with safe people: my husband, my supervisor in the Biblical counseling ministry, and a close friend. None of them struggles with emetophobia, so they cannot fully understand. However, they each have their own struggles also based on lies they believe: struggles such as depression and addiction. It's important for anyone with emetophobia to seek out safe people who will walk with them on their journey. None of us should try to go it alone.

· Stop giving in to my fear: Every time I do what my fear tells me to, it grows stronger. Every time I wash my hands AGAIN because I'm afraid (even though I've already washed them) or refuse to eat at a gathering for no good reason other than my fear, I let my fear gain ground in my mind and heart. So instead of doing what my fear tells me to, I seek to be brave. I have learned that I can be brave IN SPITE OF my fear; in other words, my fear doesn't have to be gone for me to act bravely. Every time I'm brave, my fear gets weaker. It's hard work, but freedom is worth it.

· Stop expecting a quick fix: My journey out of emetophobia probably isn't going to quickly and suddenly end with a miraculous healing or cure. It may go on for the rest of my life on this earth. But that doesn't mean I can't focus on getting better, bit by bit, day by day. By moving forward every day, making small steps in the right direction, I will get better and better and better. By making brave choices, refusing to isolate myself, and refusing to give up, I can make progress. I can say each morning, "Not today, emetophobia. You're not going to win today." If I fail, let fear control me, or lose hope for a season, I don't have to give up. The next day is a new day with new chances to make better choices!

· Get to know God: As hard as I try to beat emetophobia, I will fail on my own. I simply don't have the strength to save myself. But God does. I believe in the God of the Bible, a perfectly good, all-powerful God who loves me and you and everyone with a fierce, eternal love. God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants us to live in FREEDOM! For more about how getting to know God has helped me, please check out my blog: What I Wish I Could Say.

Facebook and Emetophobia

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0000

We have reached that time of year, the time when everyone is posting to their facebook status that their kids have been up all night with Norovirus.

Now is the time I start playing six degrees of separation. Did I see you, or your kids in the past three days. What was the interaction, did we share a drink? Seriously, I don't share drinks with my own kids so I doubt I would with my friends kidlets, but this always goes through my head.

It is like this sick game, where my kids exposed? If so how much.

I seriously feel like quitting facebook just so I can avoid these posts because they produce way to much anxiety. I mean what the heck can I do about it at this point.

That being said as my kids get older I fear them getting sick more than I fear myself getting sick. I am worried about them being exposed to germs and bringing something home, which is probably because I am hyper vigilant about cleaning and hand washing and they are: kids.

So my goal for this week is to just get over it.

Kids are kids. They get germy, go to school, go to playgroups, and are exposed to germs. This is good for their immune system. This helps them as people. This is in the end good for them.

I need to just suck it up, maybe curb my twenty times per day facebook checking, and let them live their lives regardless of panic ridden mommy. I brought them into this world to have a wonderful and beautiful life and darn it I am not going to let a stupid phobia take that gift away. I am not going to share my paranoia with them (they will pick up a little on it, they are smart like that). I am going to let them live their lives and let the sick chips fall where they may.

No more obsessing! Easier said then done of course....I will keep you updated.

Surviving The Holidays with Emetophobia

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:08:00 +0000

It is not even Christmas yet, the snow isn't falling in Cleveland (yet), but it feels like the Holidays are already here.

Maybe it is because I am watching Elf with my husband and two kids. Maybe it is because my mind is on ultra-alert because the dreaded stomach flu is buzzing around me. No not in my house, but on Facebook. If I read one more post about how life stinks because someone has been up all night either vomiting or taking care of a vomiting child I am going to pull my hair out.

I keep playing six degrees of separation in my head. Have I seen them lately? Have they been in contact with my kids? Have my kids been in contact with anyone who have been in contact with one of the sickies?

Seriously why does this bother me? Why do I dwell on it, because there is nothing I can do about it. My kids either will or will not get sick. Worrying about it is not going to keep them from getting sick or keep the germs away. I can not make norovirus disappear from my home. I can make myself crazy, but why bother.

Here are four tips for not stressing about Norovirus:

Take a run. Any work out will do. Excerise releases the stress and calms the anxiety. If you think you are going to loose it, get moving.
Try Yoga. It is hard, takes quite a bit of concentration, and does wonders for your nerves. Strike a pose and end that non stop "what-if" freak out in your mind.
Dance. I am serious. Sometimes thee thoughts just keep repeating themselves in your head. Now is a good time to turn up the radio and rock out like a crazy person. You might want to sing along for a bit. I think it works in the same way as a good run, but there is something about pretending you are a character on Glee that makes this one a lot more fun.
Deep breathing. Repeat your favorite mantra or go to your happy place (why do I always picture a beach at sunset?) Relax a bit and listen to your breathing. Try to slow your heart beat down. Find calm and release yourself from your fears.

Hopefully you are enjoying the new facebook group I put together. i am trying to get invites out as fast as possible. If I forgot you just send me another email. I have had a HUGE response and it is a little overwhelming.

Stay healthy!

Emetophobia Party Time

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:34:00 +0000

I am so excited our Facebook group is up to ten people and growing. It is so great to be able to talk to other people who have the same issues and fears you do.

Here is an example of my recent issue: my daughter turned five and my brother came over to celebrate. Little did I know he felt nauseous the whole time he was here and ended up leaving early after he thought hey I might have the stomach flu.

Needless to say this incident had me in panic mode but, blessing, the emetophobia Facebook group gave me a place to vent when saying my fears out loud just pretty much had people making fun of how ridiculous I sounded. I of course have to tell everyone, repeatedly, emetophobia is a legitimate phobia and I should not be ridiculed for it, come on people it's not like I haven't freaked out about sick people for the past 30 years.

So if you want to join email me I will friend you and add you to they group. Please include your email that your Facebook account is under because you would be surprised how many people have the same name. Allow 24 hours for the whole process.

Thanks,

Facebook Group

noreply@blogger.com (Robin Neorr) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:42:00 +0000

I have a "private" Facebook group to talk about emet and the general suckiness of this winter season.

If you are interested please email me with your Facebook name and email, I will friend you, and then ad you to the group. Sorry about all the hoops but I wanted to make sure only legitimate emets were in the group.

Hope to Facebook friend you...thetshirtdiaries@yahoo.com