[brothadan]

i recently started looking into my problems,it seems like its emetophobia and social phobia. i only recently started researching my problem as i have had this for many years. im 23 now. i had given up college and jobs due to this. recently it has gotten worse again. i no longer like to go out or do anything but stay home. if i HAVE to go somewhere, i always make sure i havent eaten anything and hope nothing bad happens. i hate going out to eat because im afraid of vomiting. i hate this feeling so badly and i want to get rid of it! for example if i was to go somewhere i would first look to see where the bathroom or a area where no one would see me if i had the urge to vomit. lately i hate to travel by car or plane,etc i cant feel trapped! once i start feeling trapped or nervous my stomache would feel like its ripping apart inside, then i would feel the urge to vomit! i plan to get married soon and i have no clue how that is going to happen if im like this! please help! PLEASE!!!!!

[AnnaSydney]

I used to have a friend with the exact same problem. Honestly, when reading your post I thought she wrote it at first, but obviously not. Anyways, I am the kind who does things my own way. I also highly believe in and recommend behavioural therapy. That's what I did with my ex friend, except I did my own speedy version of it. I simply dragged her outta the house, kicking and screaming and crying but I did. She had it so bad at that point that she would only go to work, which was a 20 min walk from her house. Apart from that she'd only sit at home. As much as she hated me at first for it, there came a day that she thanked me. It was rather extreme what I did, and I don't recommend you do it alone but maybe you have someone who could help you? Someone who could make you go out even when you chicken out? On the other hand... My psych teacher once told me the story of her friend having the same problem... You know what she did? She was talking her friend out to busy shopping centres up to 20 times a day! Another friend of hers was scared of spiders..... She made her hold a spider.... It was SO extreme but she made her hold it and hold and hold it till something just cracked in her and she no longer feared it. It's a pretty extreme approach but I truly believe in it.... I have seen some miracles. Expose yourself to whatever you are scared of to the point where you just don't give a damn anymore. Also, pair it with something positive so that it becomes a positive experience. If you are scared of going out, everytime you go out, buy yourself something you like. It worked with my friend. I kept dragging her to shopping centres all grumpy and all but for the first time ever she could buy her own clothes (rather than have her mother buy her clothes at the age of 18). Then one day she said, I hate it when you make me do things but if it wasn't for you i wouldnt have had all these new clothes. And I knew it was worth it. She definitely hasn't recovered yet (blame it on the lack of support from her family) but she's made a huge progress. Best of luck!

[dollydarko]

hey, sorry to here you are having such a tough time. I used to suffer from emetophobia quite badly, I understand completely about going out to eat...it used scare the living daylights out of me, and nightclubs etc anywhere food or drunk people were involved!

I began to take citalopram to help with other anxiety issues and while they seem to still be about, I realised the other day my emetophobia has totaly gone. I don't like getting ill or other people getting ill either obviously but it doesn't scare me whatsoever. The only thing I can think of that could have caused me to get over this is the medication. It has made my life so much better, purhapse it is worth you speaking to your doctor about trying some therapy and possibley some medication, I only took citalopram for a short amount of time before the emetophobia left.

Whatever you decide, you should try and get help, this is something can be solved (the social phobia also) and you deserve to have an amazing wedding day, not at all spoiled by anxiety

Good Luck!