Asylum InformationBelow is information about the "Emetophobia support group" asylum on InsaneJournal. To join this asylum, click here. You may leave the asylum at any time. |
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User: | emetophobia (114842) |
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Name: | Emetophobia support group | ||||||||||
E-mail: | dadiweb@forumvirtuale.it | ||||||||||
About: | This is a sister/mirror community for the emetophobia support group at LiveJournal (http://community.livejournal.com/emetophobia/). Emetophobia is an irrational fear of vomiting. This comunity wants to be a support and information point for those who suffer from it and their friends and family. Being able to talk to others who understand about this fear often helps a lot to ease anxiety, and get over tough moments. Due to the difficulty some of us have in dealing with descriptions of other people feeling sick, please put everything that could be considered too graphic or scary behind a cut. This is a simple measure which allows everybody to read what they feel up to, and leave out the rest. It would generally be more anxiety-saving for some members if the slang words (b**fing etc) could be reduced or avoided. I know that some of us don't have problems with words, but some others do, and will obsess over them nearly as much as over an image or a noise. Therefore, using words having to do with "doing it", we tend to not write them out, if possible, particularly on the part of an entry which shows up on other peoples' friend pages without a cut. A few examples of the most frequent abbreviations, so new members know what we are talking about: Instead of "vomit": v* Instead of "nausea": n* Instead of "stomach virus": s*v* Instead of "throw up": t*u* Instead of "sick": s* ....etc. A simple question of respect for each other, we all are at different stages facing the phobia, and I want to feel everybody comfortable here. Congratulation to those who are able to read, watch and do mostly everything.. let's try to help each other to do this at our own pace! Thank you all for your consideration! Now something more about the dreaded phobia.. in case you didn't know ;-) We all know it’s not nice to vomit, but for people who suffer from emetophobia it’s much more than “not nice”. It is a fear that has to do with your body, not something "outside" you can more easily try to avoid. The only way to avoid sickness it is to go out as little as possible. don’t drink alcohol, don’t travel, and last but by far the least, don’t EAT. This phobia has a tendency to get worse the longer you have it, but on a lighter note, people who suffer from this tend not to vomit very often, sometimes many years. This is because the person with this fear is generally careful with what is eaten, and is very hygienic. Life with emetophobia can become very hard. You can’t take a job, or go to college, you can’t go shopping or travel, through fear of seeing, smelling, hearing something you don’t want to. You miss out on so much of life, because you limit yourself to invisible boundaries, to keep yourself safe from the risks that may cause you to vomit, such as, smells that make you feel sick, things you see, things you hear, situations that make you feel uncomfortable, etc. Emetophobes behave very strangely and have many ways of doing everyday tasks such as: When sharing a drink from a cup, sip from the opposite side. Opening doors using their sleeves as surgical gloves. Flushing public toilets with their feet. Many emetophobes avoid using public transport and, if traveling, often insist that travel by car and that they are the driver. Where this isn't possible, emetophobes have been known to travel in their own car while the rest of a group will travel by rail, or even trail behind a mini-bus in their own car. Few emetophobes will travel by boat and fairground rides, particularly those that rotate, are most unpopular. Most emetophobes adopt meticulous food hygiene standards and are very careful about the types of food they will eat, especially when eating out. Sandwiches and similar packaged foods might be eaten direct from their wrapping without being touched at all. Fries can be held between fingertips and the touched end of the fry discarded. Often, emetophobes will avoid having necessary medical treatment or investigations, including surgery, anesthesia or even taking prescribed medication without first checking potential drug side-effects. Many emetophobic women will avoid pregnancy due to the risks of 'morning sickness'. When a member of their household, or a close acquaintance, suffers a stomach infection - they will be extremely anxious that they might contract it themselves. Many will virtually starve themselves for the following few days until the likely incubation period has passed without them becoming ill. Some emetophobes are misdiagnosed as suffering from anorexia nervosa or another eating disorder. In more extreme cases, emetophobes become socially isolated in order to minimize the risk of catching any infection and will adopt a 'safe' diet to minimize the chances of contracting food poisoning. Emetophobes often have a morbid obsession regarding their fear. For example, an emetophobe who fears others vomiting will constantly be on the lookout for others who may be vomiting or about to vomit. This can include closely watching people in social situations to ensure they look well and healthy - e.g. while in a theatre or cinema, such an emetophobe will be checking those in the neighboring seats are laughing at appropriate moments, ordering refreshments at the interval and, when traveling by road, will strain to look at the car pulled off the road with the nearside door wide open - just incase somebody should be ill. Although they strongly dislike seeing others vomit, there is a strange compulsion to actually look and observe briefly their worst fear being confirmed! This morbid obsession can even lead to a smaller number of emetophobes monitoring the progress of a 'stain' on the pavement being washed away over the following few weeks! Emetophobes will normally sit far away from other patients in hospitals and medical centers (and will only even attend when absolutely necessary), often beside a door or open window, and hardly dare to lick their lips or pick up a well-thumbed magazine, to minimize any risk of contracting any infection from other patients. On the rare occasions that emetophobes eat out, you may spot them looking through their meal with their fork, especially meat, to ensure they are adequately cooked thorough. (from http://www.emetophobia.org) | ||||||||||
Interests: | 15: anxiety, depression, desensitization, emetophobia, fear of vomiting, food poisoning, norwalk virus, panic, pregnancy sickness, rotavirus, seasickness, stomach flu, therapy, travel sickness, vomiting | ||||||||||
Members: | 1: | ||||||||||
Account type: | Free Patient |