My Emetophobia Story || A Man's Perspective

I'm a girl who has emetophobia but you described it better than anyone else could. I'm not just terrified of vomiting myself. I'm terrified of vomiting myself and seeing other people get sick. It's the worst. But thank you for making me feel like I'm not alone.

I remember one time before my wife and I got married when she got food poisoning. I went out on my back balcony and sat with headphones in for four hours until a friend came and picked me up. I sat out there rocking and trying not to lose it, and I remember her coming out to check on me. I couldn't look at her, wouldn't let her touch me, I would scoot away when she got close... The guilt that I had for leaving her was so immense and I don't think that people ever touch on that. This shit fucks people up.

Hey man thanks for this video. I'm a male and I have this fear as well. It is so bad that it's taking over my life , I've tried to fight this but it's too fucking much. Everything your saying I can relate to it so much. I'm glad I'm not alone. Sometimes I wish I had someone to talk to, when I try to talk to one of my friends about it they just scratch their heads. Thank you for this video

I have emetophobia as well. It affects me every day, it affects what I eat, my sleep, my relationships, my grades, everything. It's truly one of the most scariest phobias because it's root is something that is completely out of your control. It has been better for me lately, so let me just talk to you, anyone who needs help right now. First, what you are feeling right now is all in your head. That nausea you're feeling, your mouth watering, your throat constricting, your temperature rising, those are all your body's responses to your anxiety. Breathe. Relax. Breathe. Relax. You're okay. You're safe. You're healthy. Second, what is going to happen is going to happen and there is nothing you can do about it, okay? If you truly have to throw up (not saying you will!!!) you will. You're strong and this will not hurt you. Your mind has a way of magnifying things. Throwing up is not as scary as it seems to you right now. Close your eyes, it'll be over soon. You're fine. You're going to be fine. Throwing up is a rare defense mechanism, and it is your body's *last resort*. But if it has to go there, it will. But it's not a bad thing. Your body is looking out for you. Look at how smart and kind your body is! Don't worry. It knows exactly what to do and it will take care of you. Lastly, I know what you're feeling. Your heartbeat is in your ears and you can feel the adenaline coursing through your veins and your brain flashing signals "*CODE RED CODE RED CODE RED*" Believe me, it's happened to me a million times😂 Just breathe. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Feel the air filling your lungs and whistling through your mouth as you breathe out. Just how God made you! God knows how you feel, and it pains him to see you so scared and in pain. He's with you and he's holding you and is telling you he's here. You're okay. You're okay.

I have emetophobia and i feel so sick right now and I'm crying and cant breathe

I was once stuck in the car with my mom vomiting into a bag beside me. It’s easily the most traumatizing moment I have ever experienced. I almost want to cry because how stressed I am about my phobia :(

This phobia has been pretty ok for me the last year or so. Until about 2 months ago, I was suddenly awoken by my brother throwing up in the hallway just outside my room. I grabbed my headphones and went back to bed, trying to sleep with a full on panic attack. The worst thing was, it was in the comfort of my own home, the only place i ever feel safe, and the second part was that it was directly outside my room so i was forced to walk over where it had been the next day and so on. That kind of triggered it again. Ugh.

I relate to you so much, I never knew I suffered with it until I watched this. I have been terrified of this for years and I have never talked to anyone about it. I didn't know it was the cause of most of my anxiety attacks and now you've talked about it, I should probably talk to my parents about this. Thank-you Tom.

I was on a plane and saw a flight attendant giving a passenger a sick bag and I started having a panic attack and we had to shut off our electronics and I didn't care and I grabbed my phone and headphones and blasted my music till landing and every so often I would take of one and hear something being dropped inside the bag and I almost cried. My parents don't understand and I hear stories of supportive parents but mine will hold me down and make me watch a movie to the extent of me screaming crying and nearly throwing up myself, it was one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever had

omg same! especially this winter- virus thing , I'm just so terrified when something like this is going around ..:/

My Emetophobia is very bad. I have had it since 1st grade and it feels like there's no escape! I also do the headphone thing at night. I can't stop washing my hands, and if someone in my house is sick I block my door, wear a coughing mask and gloves. It gets really hard. In school kids spit on me and say they are "Throwing up". My panic attacks are daily and all I think about is someone getting sick or me getting sick. Panic attacks kind of feel like my neck is closing and that I'm drowning. My friends don't understand and I hate avoiding them but I have to. I wash my hands 20 times a day (no joke) and if I was around someone who was sick I can't eat at least 2-3 days after. I have OCD and ADHD and it's really hard. It's nice to know that other people have Emetophobia and people talking about it. Thank you

Damn. I can't even drink because I'm afraid it will cause me to be sick. This video really helped me. Thank you it's nice to know other guys suffer from this too. Mine hits me the most when I'm in class for some reason

my bathroom is right across from my bedroom and i do the same thing with the earbuds... it's so nice to know i'm not alone

Emetophobia has the devastating ability to turn its sufferers into horrid human beings; I know, because it happened to me. My family & I were in a diner yesterday afternoon when an elderly gentleman at a nearby table began to be sick. Immediately I covered my ears, started humming to myself, and closed my eyes, but because I felt trapped and increasingly anxious, I completely lost my composure and experienced a public meltdown. The panic attack consisted of everything you described as well as some outward-directed behaviours of which I am definitely not proud. paying for my drink, nearly knocked another patron onto his bum in my madness, demanded someone else “pardon me” (yes, you can most certainly demand someone pardon you ~ trust me on this) so I could get out of the building immediately, and then refused to eat for the remainder of the day. Anyhow, thank you for posting. It is actually quite nice to realise I’m not alone (though I may well be the most bonkers in my behaviour.) Cheers.

Dude, you hit the nail on the head so much in this video, but where you REALLY got me was when you said it seems worse when you're in a position where you can't easily get out of. I hate not being in control of my surroundings... Not being able to just get up and leave... I need to know where a washroom is whenever I go somewhere... I can't be in a car for longer than 10 minutes without anxiety and panic setting in. I've pulled out chunks of hair and skin because of it. I need water with me at all times, and my medication and gravol are always in my purse. I can't eat at restaurants, no one can cook for me because my OCD is germ-based because of emetophobia... So when I don't know the brand of ingredients or I don't know how clean utensils or pots/pans were, I just can't. The people who know me the most know all of this and thankfully are very understanding. But literally, just the other day, I took my friend to a movie (we went to see IT and I had to check to see if it was what I call "Mel safe"... It is. A guy projectile "vomits" some black stuff but it's like... Tar or something like that) and I always go to the VIP showings because there are no kids allowed and you can choose your seats. I always choose the seats closest to the exit/an aisle seat and the washroom is right next to the auditorium, so it's just sort of perfect for someone like me. I've had nights where I've literally stayed up all night trying to keep myself busy and entertained in my room because I felt sick... Usually from my anxiety getting so bad that I couldn't function. I can't swallow sometimes because I'm worried I'll choke/gag (pseudodysphagia)... When I was a child, I used to run to the washroom and start dry heaving the second I woke up before school. I was terrified of going to school. This really does affect pretty much every aspect of your life. My social life is messed up because I won't hang out with someone if they've been sick recently or even if someone in their family has been sick. I have a two week rule that they have to have been healthy for 2 weeks.. Symptom free as well as anyone in their family or anyone they've been in contact with. And I've literally said I'd rather die than get sick... Which means if I ever needed chemo, I wouldn't get treated. This fear causes such a lonely feeling. You become so isolated and isolating because of it and it sucks. Also, it's worth noting that one of the first I'd ever met who also had emetophobia (cuz I'd never met anyone else in person who had it) was a dude. I hadn't even thought about how it does appear to be mostly females who suffer, but I wonder if that's just because men feel that admitting to being afraid of this doesn't seem very "masculine"... Generally speaking, of course. Anyways, thank you for your video... I know it's a bit of an older video, but still. 💜

I appreciate the way you describe your symptoms as mine are very similar. The headphones, the people in the house going to the bathroom, avoiding friends, public places, vacations ... EVERYTHING!! The panic is debilitating. I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I work at a large company with thousands of people and the winter months are the worst for me but I have to deal with it because life must go on. We know its irrational but damnit, can't control it. Thank you for making this video!

finally another guy with emetophobia XD

I know exactly about the rush feeling that you described that ends in the stomach.

I am a woman, but im finding this comforting, thank you for sharing. Im totally shut off from the world right now, will explain another time.

Thank you for doing this, I' ve been carrying a plastic bag around for months now and it's funny and sad at the same time that somebody got my same idea. I thought I was the only man with this problem