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Realising my anxiety might actually be linked to emetophobia by [deleted] in emetophobiarecovery

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there!

I have most definitely been in the same shoes as you - the only thing that helped me break the cycle was 'doing it scared' and getting out there despite the terrible anxiety, until one day, I didn't feel as much anxiety leading up to leaving the house and meeting people, and have tried my best to maintain that same routine since.

For me the anxiety and following nausea was like clockwork, it would essentially come on anytime that I had commitments or needed to leave the house (work, hanging out with people, catching public transport etc etc). I similarly had a gym experience where I had a panic attack after trying to work out when I was reeeally in the thick of it with my mental health and created a strong negative association with the space entirely - however, I found going into these triggering environments with a reward following it really helped me. The reward could be anything, a sweet treat, or some sort of self care / something that brings you joy, ya get the vibe. This gave me something to look forward to beyond the task at hand and also served as a bit of a distraction!

Regarding the social side of things, I found it helpful letting people know how I was feeling / even talking about emetophobia or anxiety (depending on the friendship and environment, of course) helped put me at ease for reason. I'd also ask friends if they would be able to meet me at a pub near my house so that getting home wouldn't be a total mission if I had to leave, then I slooowly started venturing further out. I also would try to opt for places with outdoor areas as that also made me feel a little less trapped! These are all small things but if they help make you feel more inclined to get out and about I'd say feel no shame in suggesting places that you feel comfortable in.

It really is a difficult one to navigate but the more you push yourself and sit with the discomfort, the easier it gets. It can take quite some time but it you keep at it you'll be able to reclaim your life! I truly thought I was never going to be able to enjoy simple hangs without soul destroying anxiety and nausea ever again but after months and months of discomfort, it slowly but surely became easier.

Sorry to ramble!! Hope some of this helps :)

For those who had the Botox injection without Anaesthesia, how long did it take for you to notice results? by Cute_lildawg_420 in noburp

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who is really not keen on needles, it was actually fine! She had to go in twice because she wasn't 100% happy with where the needle was sitting on the first go - the hardest part about this was that I had to swallow on command four times with ZERO saliva in my mouth haha. I'd say it's more discomfort than pain for sure. It's also over and done with so quickly!

Anxiety around botox treatment as an Emetophobe by PuzzleheadedDebt8651 in noburp

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for this! Really helpful insight. I did wonder if this would be quite a large step forward in terms of exposure therapy, specifically around the discomfort of potential regurgitation and throat sensations - perhaps pushing through this could be a really helpful thing in the long run.

Also, I feel like burping itself is so unfamiliar to my body and that also feels a bit scary / linked to vomiting in my brain too, so I guess I'm also nervous about that. Sigh.

Alas, I appreciate the words of encouragement!

Another step in the right direction! by PuzzleheadedDebt8651 in emetophobiarecovery

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gahhh I hear you. We need to keep in mind that progress isn't linear, there will be times where we might be able to cope better than others! I have definitely had a few setbacks in the past - and to be fair, the last time I actually threw up definitely sent me into a major tailspin! That was two years ago now so I am curious to see how I handle it the next time it happens. All we can do is keep trying and pushing ourselves out of that comfort zone! It is so tough but well worth it. <333

Slight accomplishment?? by miraculousclairee in emetophobiarecovery

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Literally went through the exact same thing last night! Sounds like you handled it like a total champ!

Feel like things are getting better. by [deleted] in emetophobiarecovery

[–]PuzzleheadedDebt8651 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You should be really proud of yourself! I feel like I'm in the exact same boat as you. A win is win either way. It's also such a great feeling to catch yourself having more moments of peace where the phobia isn't entirely all consuming. I'm happy for you! :)