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Emetophobia: 'I'm terrified of vomiting - chicken scares me' | Emetophobia: 'I'm terrified of vomiting - chicken scares me' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Nobody likes being sick. But Hannah Ellis says her fear of vomiting is so intense that "chicken scares me" and she panics if friends or family fall ill. The 19-year-old from Sheffield has emetophobia, a condition affecting thousands people in the UK. | |
My flatmates are probably wondering why I'm eating pasta and tomato sauce for the fourth evening in a row. | My flatmates are probably wondering why I'm eating pasta and tomato sauce for the fourth evening in a row. |
It's not because I'm skint, the truth is that chicken or the thought of reheating food is terrifying. | It's not because I'm skint, the truth is that chicken or the thought of reheating food is terrifying. |
My phobia of vomiting - even the word churns my stomach - dictates nearly every aspect of my life. | My phobia of vomiting - even the word churns my stomach - dictates nearly every aspect of my life. |
'I feel guilty' | 'I feel guilty' |
Being a university fresher is always nerve-wracking but for me it's been 10 times harder. | Being a university fresher is always nerve-wracking but for me it's been 10 times harder. |
Nights out are a struggle because I can't drink too much or look after my friends if they're unwell. | Nights out are a struggle because I can't drink too much or look after my friends if they're unwell. |
If my boyfriend, friends or family get ill I don't think: "Are they OK?" My first thought is: "Oh God, am I going to get ill?" It makes me feel guilty. | If my boyfriend, friends or family get ill I don't think: "Are they OK?" My first thought is: "Oh God, am I going to get ill?" It makes me feel guilty. |
I used to be scared to eat at all in case I would throw up. | I used to be scared to eat at all in case I would throw up. |
Now, when I make a sandwich it has to be slightly toasted because I keep my bread in the freezer in case it goes mouldy. | Now, when I make a sandwich it has to be slightly toasted because I keep my bread in the freezer in case it goes mouldy. |
I'll bin anything I opened two days ago if it says "once opened eat within two days". | I'll bin anything I opened two days ago if it says "once opened eat within two days". |
The diagnosis | The diagnosis |
It began at the age of 10 when I got food poisoning on a holiday to Egypt, but I've blocked that out now. | It began at the age of 10 when I got food poisoning on a holiday to Egypt, but I've blocked that out now. |
I haven't been sick since. | I haven't been sick since. |
I was lucky because a family friend's daughter had it. She told my mum what it was, and that it was a thing with a name. | I was lucky because a family friend's daughter had it. She told my mum what it was, and that it was a thing with a name. |
Doctors I went to said I had anxiety but I'm not an anxious person, it's just sick that scares me. They sent me to counselling which didn't help, they just thought it was a deeper issue. | Doctors I went to said I had anxiety but I'm not an anxious person, it's just sick that scares me. They sent me to counselling which didn't help, they just thought it was a deeper issue. |
I was hypnotised but that didn't work - maybe I'm too cynical. | I was hypnotised but that didn't work - maybe I'm too cynical. |
I've found my own way of dealing with it, trying not to think about it all day and getting on with my life. | I've found my own way of dealing with it, trying not to think about it all day and getting on with my life. |
'Love to travel' | 'Love to travel' |
I'm a lot better than I used to be. I gave my flatmates the lowdown before I moved in and they're really considerate. | I'm a lot better than I used to be. I gave my flatmates the lowdown before I moved in and they're really considerate. |
It was really hard to make new friends at secondary school because I was scared to eat at people's houses and always had to pick the restaurant. | It was really hard to make new friends at secondary school because I was scared to eat at people's houses and always had to pick the restaurant. |
Now I only ever panic when someone near me is contagiously sick, or when I actually feel sick. | Now I only ever panic when someone near me is contagiously sick, or when I actually feel sick. |
But sometimes I think, "Oh God, am I ever going to have a family?" because I can't bear the thought of morning sickness or my own children being ill. | But sometimes I think, "Oh God, am I ever going to have a family?" because I can't bear the thought of morning sickness or my own children being ill. |
My parents told me that when I have my own kids it'll feel different - so I'm clinging onto that. | My parents told me that when I have my own kids it'll feel different - so I'm clinging onto that. |
I'd love to be able to travel without being scared one day. I'd go to Thailand, but it's not a feasible option at the moment. | I'd love to be able to travel without being scared one day. I'd go to Thailand, but it's not a feasible option at the moment. |
What is emetophobia and how common is it? | What is emetophobia and how common is it? |
Emetophobes might restrict their diet, avoid eating out and even prevent pregnancy due to the fear of morning sickness. | Emetophobes might restrict their diet, avoid eating out and even prevent pregnancy due to the fear of morning sickness. |
They may refuse to go to school or work if there is a sickness bug going around. | They may refuse to go to school or work if there is a sickness bug going around. |
"It's truly debilitating", explains Nicky Lidbetter, chief executive of charity, Anxiety UK. | "It's truly debilitating", explains Nicky Lidbetter, chief executive of charity, Anxiety UK. |
"I've known women who have not become mothers because of it." | "I've known women who have not become mothers because of it." |
The number of UK sufferers is thought to be in the hundreds of thousands with around 80% of these being women. | The number of UK sufferers is thought to be in the hundreds of thousands with around 80% of these being women. |
There are no exact figures due to lack of research and misdiagnosis. | There are no exact figures due to lack of research and misdiagnosis. |
Anxiety UK, which receives around 15,000 inquiries a year to its telephone helpline, says around one in 20 callers report signs of emetophobia. | Anxiety UK, which receives around 15,000 inquiries a year to its telephone helpline, says around one in 20 callers report signs of emetophobia. |
Most are women, Ms Lidbetter says. "We think it's because women are more likely to fear the social ramifications of being sick." | Most are women, Ms Lidbetter says. "We think it's because women are more likely to fear the social ramifications of being sick." |
But "we don't have an accurate picture" of the phobia according to Alexandra Keyes of the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, a researcher in emetophobia at King's College London. | But "we don't have an accurate picture" of the phobia according to Alexandra Keyes of the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, a researcher in emetophobia at King's College London. |
"It's classified as an 'other' type phobia", says Ms Keyes. "This is unhelpful for clinicians, who may misdiagnose someone as having an eating disorder or OCD." | "It's classified as an 'other' type phobia", says Ms Keyes. "This is unhelpful for clinicians, who may misdiagnose someone as having an eating disorder or OCD." |
Can emetophobia be overcome? | Can emetophobia be overcome? |
Emetophobia usually emerges after someone has had a traumatic experience of vomiting, especially in childhood. | Emetophobia usually emerges after someone has had a traumatic experience of vomiting, especially in childhood. |
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for sufferers and is available on the NHS, says Ms Keyes. | Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for sufferers and is available on the NHS, says Ms Keyes. |
King's College London is trialling intensive sessions where sufferers are presented with "feared situations" - including sitting next to a hospital patient or visiting a restaurant where they do not know the hygiene rating. | King's College London is trialling intensive sessions where sufferers are presented with "feared situations" - including sitting next to a hospital patient or visiting a restaurant where they do not know the hygiene rating. |
"We also make up concoctions of fake vomit and use role play to confront someone with a sick person," Ms Keyes adds. | "We also make up concoctions of fake vomit and use role play to confront someone with a sick person," Ms Keyes adds. |
Hypnotherapy is another treatment option, but it is not typically available on the NHS. Ms Lidbetter says: "It really helps people relax and feel more in control." | Hypnotherapy is another treatment option, but it is not typically available on the NHS. Ms Lidbetter says: "It really helps people relax and feel more in control." |
Sufferers can find out more about the condition, and meet like-minded people online. Resources include NHS Choices, Anxiety UK's emetophobia page, the Emetophobia.org forum and several Facebook groups. | Sufferers can find out more about the condition, and meet like-minded people online. Resources include NHS Choices, Anxiety UK's emetophobia page, the Emetophobia.org forum and several Facebook groups. |
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