Fear

(Note: I am not a doctor or health professional. I am just a person who suffers from different fears)

Fear! It can make you face a challenge and beat it. But it is the other fear, the fear that stops you from doing something that I am talking about. Is there any different between the two, sometimes. But I want to focus on the fear/phobia that stops you. I have a major fear of Vomiting. It is called "Emetophobia". You may think why would someone fear that? Or it must be very rare. Well it is quite common. Like many phobias, some people do not like to tell you that they are afraid of something. Because of this fear, I have stopped eating twice for a couple weeks at a time. I believed that if I ate then I was going to be sick, which I never have. There were times that I never left the house or when I have felt funny in the stomach I would have a panic attack. I have fear of heights, spiders etc. but nothing like Emetophobia. Is there a cure for this fear. Well they say there is and it is costly. You might be thinking the best way to over come it is to just vomit or make your self sick and then you will find that it isn't that bad. Well that may work some people, but for me and most sufferers, that will make things worse. For example, a person who has fear of spiders can attend workshops that they slowly introduce you to spiders. Over the time you will become more comfortable with spiders. (I am not saying that a fear of spiders is not bad or that the workshops help everyone, I am just making an example) But doing that for Emetophobia can actually bring damage to yourself by forcing yourself to vomit.

So I am guessing a few people in the world will say what was I thinking when I typed this on my blog? Well I am hoping that it can become more known to the world and help people to understand it and as well to help people who suffer from it not to be afraid to suffer and to realise that you are not alone.

I still suffer quite badly from it. I don't know how to get over it either but I can surely tell you how I cope with it. When I start to become anxious about feeling sick, my beautiful wife reassures me that it is only a feeling and that I am not going to be sick. This reassureance is helping, but psychologists will say that I will have to start reassuring myself and not relying on my wife. One thing I would like to stress to everyone even if you don't suffer Emetophobia, NEVER STOP EATING!!! I have damamged my body so much that now I suffer from reflux which I have to use high dosages of medication and I suffer from irritable bowel sydrome. My immune system is shot which I am more susceptable to flu's and bugs. I cannot stress this point enough!

Fears/Phobias can change your life. Never let a fear to over come you. Seek help and support straight away if it starts to interfear with your life. I will stress that I am not saying that if you have a fear you are going to become sick, just keep an eye on it. Professional help can help you. Some medications can help some phobias effects. So can support from family, friends or support groups.

I hope that you have found my blog interesting and I hope that you will read my blogs in the future. Please let me know what your thoughts are.