Topic : Fears, Phobias and Anxiety Disorders

Hi Ali.  My name is Stephanie and I have been living (if thats what you want t o call it) with emetophobia for 26 years.  I lived with it pretty well until about 6 years ago.  I don't know what happened, something just clicked, and now I can barely leave the house.  I, too, barely eat, and think about it every waking moment.  I won't go to sleep unless my stomach is growling, because if it is growling, than I know I  am not sick , and I can sleep more peaceful.  On 12/01/04 my roommate and I got food poisoning, and I actually vomited for the first time in 25 years.  The actual vomiting wasn't so bad and I remember thinking "I did it, and I lived!"  It's all the before feelings, the nausea, that I can't handle.  Usually I can keep it down, by swallowing alot when I think it's going to happen.  I have tried hypnotherapy, and NLP, but nothing has helped...yet.  There is a place in New York City called CTRN (Change, That's Right Now) that says they have cured people completely of  this phobia.  It is pretty expensive, and I am trying to save the money to do the program.  I have talked to a couple of people there, and it really sounds promising.    I don't know your financial situation, but maybe you can do it.  Let me know.  

Stephanie 

Hi everyone its me again. 

  

So here is my "bid Idea"  I know I have mentioned beliefnet.com on here I think a couple times.  Now at first glance this sight seems religion orientated, but there is a spot where you can start what is known as a Dialog group.  SO I was thinking of starting one for all of us here and whomever else wants to "come out" so to say with their fears and phobias, it would be a good support system for all of us I think.  If you are interested PLEASE let me know either on here or via email.  

On Beliefnet its self you can remain anonymous,and its totally free, all you have to do is sign up for a user name.  I went on to help with my abuse issues, and it has put a whole new spin on that area of my life for the good. 

Hi Stephanie, I only learned yesterday that the fear I have actually has the name emetophobia!  I thought I was the only one with these feelings and didn't realize I'm not alone.   You are not alone either, people become good at hiding these feelings.   I know I do.  There have been times when I like you, didn't want to leave the house and would let my husband do the shopping and keep my young kids home.  There have been better times, when it seemed I almost didn't have the fears anymore.  I'm doing pretty good right now but struggle with the feelings and fears often.  It's hard, my kids are old, they go to school, want to go to friend's houses, want friend's to come over, etc.  I have to let them do these things but, it's hard.  I won't let this control my life and theirs.  I want to do things, to have fun and enjoy life.  I think you can do it too, if you can get out one day a week to work, try to get out another day, say to do errands or visit someone or just walk around the mall.  Maybe little by little you can get yourself back out there and see that it's ok, most likely you won't catch the bug, food poisioning or vomit.  I understand how home is safe.  I have been looking into this and it seems everyone has it a little worse or a little less than others. None of us are totally alike, we have different fears and concerns.  I always chew gum, it seems to help and I always have my bottled water with me, it seems to pacify me if I start to start thinking the wrong thoughts.  I try to devert my attention if I start to panic, usually it works, sometimes better than others, depending on the circumstances.  My heart goes out  to you, I feel bad you are missing doing things in your life because of this, but remember, you are not alone.  Try, don't give up, don't let "it" win and take pleasures of living from you.  You deserve to enjoy life as everyone does.  I hope this gives you some strength, woman, we are strong, get yourself a friend who can support you and help you to get  out more.    I wish you luck.  Keep us posted, I check the site often now. It has helped me to know my feelings actually have a name and I'm not alone in suffering with them. Take care, Wendy

afraud if everything. I believe that most if not al fears are the same, you may have fear of life and death, I may be afraid of dogs and flying but they all come from the same place in our brain. Believe it or not it is a chemical imbalance. There are medicines that will help, but you must go to a psychiatrist who works in the field of phobias, anxiety, OCD etc. This is a special field. As for helping you I would suggest that you get therapy first, it is not easy to do on your own, or look for workbooks, CD, DVDs on phobias. I worked out most of my phobias on my own and it took years of dedicated work. I did it by doing what scared me until I could do it without as much fear. There are many things I do that are very difficut still but I do them some I choose to not work on as they are not important enough. Having to stop yourself from thinking happy thoughts is not good for you or your children. I can tell you that being brought up in a house with phobias, fears, anxiety will continue is not good. Your children will be affected as well as grow up to have theose fears also. I am sure you love your children. I fount that thinking about my childeren and how my fears would affect them made me do things that I would not think I could or would do. It is important that not only do you work on learning to think positive thoughts but that you teach your children to have positive thoughts. Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that can happen if I think happy thoughts? What are you gaining by thinking negative thoughts and what will it do to your children. That worked for me. Each time you think a negative though, replace it with a positive thought. Try it every day for a few m inutes and work up to doing it more and more each day. Act like it is an excerse that you do a litle more each day. Do not give up on finding a way of dealing with your fears you will pass them on to your children. You owe it to yourself and them to have a happy and fulfilling life. You do deservi it. No matter what you have been told. We who have phobias can not expect others to understand, it would be nice but ususually they do not. The truth is the brain is give you incorrect messages. It does not change the fear, but we know they are not logical, but we are afraid anyway. That is where the medicine can help. As for the panic attack, it is the breathing that will stop the panic attacks, at least it is for me. Begin to take very deep slow breaths in and slowly out. I focus on my breath and work on slowing my hear rate. I find that if I slow my breaathing by taking deep breaths I can calm myself down. It is not easy and it takes practice. I hope that I can help you more. If I can, please let me know and let me know if slowing your breathing and taking slow deep breaths help. LOL Bev

I've been reading all of everyone's fears and they sound so devestating. My fear is a pretty common fear or phobia that has developed into an irrational set of fears. I'm afraid of clowns. I have good reason to be. When I was four years old, my neighbor who was a perv dressed up like a clown and came knocking on my bedroom windown in the middle of the night. I remember hearing the tapping and when I pulled back my curtain next to my bed, there was a clown there on the window and he was laughing. I let out an awful scream and my stepfather came and pulled back the curtain and no one was there. It is as real to me today at 32 years old as it was then. I remember thinking someone had painted this clown on my window, until I heard the laughing. This guy eventually flashed my mother and was arrested. We moved. 

  

Anyway, aside from avoiding every circumstance involving a clown, I'm also afraid of sleeping in a bed at night. Especially near a window. I'm afraid someone will break in and kill me. I fight sleep all the time. I'm up sometimes till 5 o'clock in the morning. It is the same stresses most people feel when the take a plane ride. When I get up out of the bed and walk around my house, I'm okay. I can even go outside the house at 2 am. It is weird. It is only involving a bed, bedroom and nightfall...surrendering to the unknown. Not being able to control the situation if someone has a gun at my head while I sleep. 

  

Also, I once dreamt that a soldier was standing guard outside my window with a gun. Kinda weird, it should have made me feel good but it was scary. 

  

Anybody else with these fears? 

  

Kathwren   

Hey, anyone I'm brand new to any computor talks.  I am trying to get into chat, anyone afraid of lizards?

Ever fear tomorrow..I don't let myself get caught up in it but there are moments I think the fear will swallow me alive... I have the neurological condition: "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy" (RSD) which is also known as "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome" (CRPS). I was injured in June 2005 and I have developed CRPS. This neuropathic pain disorder is a progressive deterioration of the *autonomic nervous system. Early diagnosis is an important factor in managing the progression of RSD and successfully keeping it under control. This chronic neurological condition effects all age groups, it does not discriminate. It is a condition that can be complex and most difficult to treat. At this time there is no cure.  Suicide is among the concerns regarding this condition due to the chronic intense pain that overwhelms a person's physical and emotional self. This neurological condition is devastating. It can turns hopes and dreams for tomorrow upside down. It is difficult if not impossible for some sufferers to remain employed due to the *central nervous system abnormalities. Some symptoms/complications are: severe burning pain, decreased range of motion in the region of the pain, physiological tremors and muscle spasms, organ complications. There are changes in bone and skin, changes in skin blood flow = skin color changes, skin temperature changes, excessive sweating. Loud noise, vibration, and touch can cause severe pain. There can also be short-term memory loss, lack of concentration, insomnia, inability to find the right word when talking. There can even be changes to one's hair and nails. I believe the hardest part to be the sensitivity to touch. Taking a shower or shaving can be excruciating. The touch from a loved one, a hug, can cause severe pain. A child reaching out for a hug from someone with RSD does not understand that the unwillingness to reciprocate is "not about him or her". My son  sobbed. Anyone can develop RSD. I simply moved a box-injuring my back.  That is all it took for my nervous system to run a muck and devastate my family.  I have already had difficulties arise with my heart and have now developed "Secondary *Raynaud's".  I was completely ignorant when it came to RSD... The simplest injury can trigger one's nervous system to run a muck; anything-from a fall or sprain, a break or fracture, certain infections, surgery, spinal injuries/disorders, even a heart attack.    Dee  

As a child I had a horrible fear of clowns and my father would have to take me out of any circus or a big show ( THE LION'S LOONIES) in our town was a big show each year and a clown would alway's run down the aisle, I would try to not to be afraid though I alway's was.  My fear did not present as yours having read your encounter, I know myself I would be fearful.  Happy to talk to someone.Fanny  

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