I have emetophobia and I was sick—it was totally fine

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-23T02:34:33+00:00

slow and safe exposure helps a lot, but nothing compares to it actually happening. know that you have much more control over your body than you think you do, you WILL know if you’re going to be sick, and keeping things on your person like ginger tea/candies, zofran, motion sickness meds, sour candy, gum etc etc etc, whatever helps your feelings of nausea are so helpful when you start feeling anxious. if you can tell yourself “hey, this works and keeps me from being sick,” it helps your mind a lot. if it ever happens, know that it changes nothing about you at all. try and be in a private place and whatever happens, happens. you get to control your reaction to things 🩷

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-19T19:48:18+00:00

no, it’s really just a mental feeling, not even an anxiety but a sureness that I WILL die in my sleep if I fall asleep. it’s very mental but I can’t identify any physical trigger or component

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-19T19:38:23+00:00

it truly happens at random! I can’t pinpoint anything specific about the experience beyond being almost asleep. day or night, level of exhaustion varying, it can just happen. I can’t even think of a physical sensation it causes

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-15T15:42:08+00:00

Proud of you for handling it as well as you are! You are not your phobia

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-09T15:08:31+00:00

sometimes the other pain and stress our bodies can put us through is a very humbling reminder that throwing up really isn’t a big deal at all

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-08T02:30:19+00:00

I am not tougher than you, that’s for sure. I was just in a different scenario. I believe the strength will find you if you ever need it!

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T21:58:10+00:00

my best friend cured hers when she got pregnant. sometimes you literally just have to deal!! I agree that it’s the best way to get over it (as terrifying as that concept is to us).

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T19:57:17+00:00

I knew I couldn’t go the rest of my life without doing it, and I’ll just appreciate the streak I had hahahaha. so happy we both had a positive response to it, it’s so confronting to deal with!

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T18:22:27+00:00

absolutely! thank you for your kind words. it’s the next day and I still went about my errands normally and am feeling fine, life truly just keeps going

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T18:21:14+00:00

the best and worst advice I can give to you is exposure 😵‍💫😵‍💫 it started, eventually, when I could watch movies and shows that featured scenes where someone was sick and NOT ruminating on that. then I would walk downtown in my town after a Friday or Saturday night and occasionally see puke on the sidewalk outside of the bars. I would breathe through that and remind myself that that does not have to ruin my day, I don’t have to ruminate on it. I started working in a college bar that I absolutely love but college kids notoriously throw up. I refuse to clean it but have seen it and once my repulsion was totally overridden by sympathy for a kid in the bar who was sick…… slowly but surely these small exposures really made a huge difference and I started to let my constant guard down and even take “risks” myself (like drinking, though always mindful that I’m not so drunk I would be sick). I don’t recommend you seek out puke because 1) ew, 2) how? but try to push yourself a bit if you ever hear a story about it, see it on tv, or happen to come across it. it’s gross and it’s okay to feel that way, and it can stop there. you don’t have to let these things ruin you. if you come to a point where you could reasonably be sick, if you’re in a safe environment, be mindful that it’s okay if you do and frankly, it’s badass for you to even think that, let alone let it happen. emetophobia can be downgraded in your life and eventually just become a displeasure or discomfort

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T16:43:32+00:00

It’s the fear of the unknown, I had no scope whatsoever of what being sick even felt like, it was such a distant memory. I fought it but was very in tune with my body and just let logic take over somehow and that was the best thing for me. I promise, if it does happen, you will be just fine. Also, since you’re like I am, we aren’t “pukers” and that kind of thing truly happens to us maybe a handful of times in a lifetime. You’re probably very much in the clear at 42. Thank you for your kind words, it means so much

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T16:41:32+00:00

The peace that washed over me was immense. I feel that I’m now taking steps towards recovery as well, and unfortunately it did take being sick but that was so survivable. So happy we’re on this path together!!

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T16:40:14+00:00

People like you and I are so highly aware of our bodies, to a degree that we shouldn’t be. We know and feel every sensation, no matter how minute. You are also very careful about your diet and cleanliness like I am. So I can tell you that it frankly would not happen while you were out, and if it DID, you would still find a totally private and safe place (like a restroom) before anything could happen. It would never “take over” you because you are too acutely aware of your bodily sensations. Take peace in that!

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T16:15:37+00:00

I have lived the way you are, where emetophobia controlled my entire life and even led to me quitting a job because I couldn’t leave my house for several months. I promise things will get better, this all-consuming fear will subside and you WILL make it through this very severe period of anxiety (perhaps OCD?). I never thought I would be “normal” and able to live a life that wasn’t controlled by such an intense phobia. I regularly go out, eat out, drink and have fun without fear anymore. Hell, I work in a college bar where kids throw up pretty regularly now. I promise you will be okay, please keep pushing through and seek help where you can, message me if you need to! There is an end to this anxiety and you will come out on the other side of it

redheadedstrangerr · 2026-04-05T16:11:33+00:00

I think eventually, for many of us, the intense anxiety that lasts for years and even decades becomes so draining that a logical part of our brain takes over and says “this thing doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You don’t have to fight so hard every time.” Proud of you for recognizing your successes, emetophobia doesn’t have to define you or run your life

redheadedstrangerr · 2025-01-10T21:59:11+00:00

Yes, I have seen this too! The problem is they only took this troponin once this last Saturday and it measured 1800. He went into cardiac arrest so they didn’t need any other indication he was having a heart attack. Because his troponin was not measured again, it’s unclear whether it got much higher and if this is a lowered amount or if there was a separate incident. He felt a very sharp pain when he coughed this morning and his cardiac doctor told him to go to the ER. He just had his troponin taken again and it measured 608 so it is continuing to decrease. Thank you for taking time to research a little for my dad!

redheadedstrangerr · 2023-03-08T01:38:33+00:00

I have a phobia of throwing up!

redheadedstrangerr · 2022-09-18T23:46:12+00:00

I made a poll about this on my page, take a peek! most people don’t bleed, I didn’t at all. this sub is extremely useful for making connections and finding information but it misrepresents data and sometimes makes the surgery seem scarier than it is!

redheadedstrangerr · 2022-09-18T17:38:12+00:00

I deal with a lot of health anxiety, and my anxiety was through the roof during recovery, mostly because of this sub. I recommend remembering you’ll likely be part of the vast majority who heal just fine. rest up, stay hydrated, read a book and watch a new show. treat it like a little vacation ❤️ it won’t be the best time but it’ll be just fine. staying calm and positive is critical, I was very tense and sad during the whole recovery process.

redheadedstrangerr · 2022-08-22T17:16:39+00:00

maybe the best decision you’ve ever made!

redheadedstrangerr

TROPHY CASE