r/emetophobia

I just ate a hamburger and I noticed there was a bit of pink in the middle. When I noticed, there wasn’t a lot of pink and I ate the brown bit around the pink parts and threw the pink part out. I don’t think I truly know how much there was so I don’t know how much I ate. Has this happened to anyone here and did you get sick from it? My stomach is already funky from anxiety from learning how to drive so I really don’t want to feel worse.

I think i accidentally ate bad yogurt. it smells a little funky and i didn’t notice. I am freaking out so bad. 😭😭😭😭

Loads of vomit throughout the movie

My emetophobia was severe for years, but has recently started to improve. My younger brother is vomiting today, and I feel strangely calm. I do have a question, though. Is it okay to take steps to avoid catching a virus, or are all avoidant behaviors bad for recovery? For example, limiting contact with him while he’s sick, washing my hands often, and possibly wearing a mask. I know that people without emetophobia also do those things, I think they’re fairly “normal.” But I don’t want to jeopardize where I’m at in the recovery process by engaging in unhealthy behaviors.

So, can I take basic steps to avoid getting sick or should I just act like nothing is happening?

I have terrible emetophobia. So this week has been very strenuous for me mentally.

Advice please. I have 4 children, so I’m not a newby at this whole parenting thing. My toddler got the stomach bug earlier this week and it spread to me and then my two middle children in turn. It’s been bad but manageable for all of us. I’m still recovering. Tonight my 12 year old woke up about 2 hours ago, vomiting. She has gotten sick 6 times in 2 hours. The frequency is increasing. What can I do to help her from home? I plan to call the pediatrician once they open, but do you have any experience in managing stomach illnesses of this severity? It’s been a trying week and I’m running on empty at this point. I’ve never seen her get sick this often. Any advice appreciated.
From a tired and not full recovered mom.

My stupid brother didn’t wash his hands and then tore a piece of meat apart and PUT SOME BACK THAT HE TOUCHED!?? I was excited to eat it tomorrow but now he’s contaminated all the meat in the container and I can’t eat any of it. I can’t believe how disgusting and selfish these people are. And they laugh at me for everything. I’m so sick of living like this

I have emetophobia and ocd. Currently out and I think I stepped in something sticky. There is a pile of v**** past where I walked (which I may have walked in), but there are also other stains like liquid, which I’m worrying is u***e. I don’t know for sure which one I walked in or if they’re definitely those things but the back of my shoes are a bit sticky.

Usually I check the floor when walking but I was focusing on other things.

I’m feeling anxious and not sure how I will be able to enter my house with contaminated shoes. I am unable to walk barefoot in my house so I cannot leave them outside and throw them away. I’m worried I will contaminate my whole house floor if I enter with these shoes.

What can I do?

basically, i started an antidepressant zoloft 6 days ago for my anxiety and ive been getting pretty bad side effects of nausea and stomach upset (luckily no vomiting), but this has really heightened my anxiety and i can’t sleep alone in my room at night so i’ve been trying to have my best friend over a lot and my partner some nights too.

basically on friday night my friend came over after work to sleep over with me and everything was fine, but the next morning she woke up saying her throat was really sore and she was having a really wet sounding raspy cough. her symptoms got worse throughout the day so i was taking care of her all day by getting her medicine and watching shows with her. she was supposed to go clubbing that night for someone’s birthday, but she cancelled and stayed at my house because of how sick she felt.

throughout the saturday her symptoms fluctuated but i could tell she was getting worse. her chest was rattling with every breath and she couldn’t breathe properly and her cough sounded genuinely horrible with so much phlegm. she was getting fevers and her body was aching. she commented that she felt nausea after breakfast but i brushed it off from her having so much phlegm and fevers and overall feeling horrible.

with me, i’m not too scared of cold-like sicknesses so i was more than happy to care for her and make sure she felt better. she ended up sleeping another night at my house and she struggled to sleep really badly. her sleeping genuinely sounded like a death rattle i was getting really concerned about her and started thinking that maybe she should actually go home and go to a doctor or clinic. we both woke up at 4am (my zoloft side effects have been insomnia and waking up insanely early) and she woke up from how sick she felt.

this morning she told me she was feeling sick in her stomach now which panicked me a bit but i told her to try go to the toilet. she went twice and told me it was hard to get out but she managed a few normal bowel movements after being in the bathroom for a long time. i told myself it was just constipation making her feel sick and fell back asleep. i was then woken up by her at maybe 5am and she told me she vomited in the toilet. i got really panicky and asked what happened.

she told me she was trying to poop again but nothing was coming out and she was feeling so nauseous so she lifted up the toilet lid and just sat on the bathroom floor for a bit falling asleep. she said she was getting sick of being nauseous so she said she just kept trying and a small vomit came out. she said she felt better stomach wise after getting out some vomit but i just really wish she didn’t tell me she vomited.

i’m already so anxious from my medication and she knows i have horrible emetophobia. i wish i could help her when it comes to vomit but i just can’t. she wasn’t sick again after that and basically went home almost immediately after but now im terrified. i know she likely vomited from phlegm and mucus build up on top of fevers but my brain is making me overthink that she has a stomach bug on top of a chest infection or something. the fact i spent 2 days in a row with her and slept beside her both nights basically seals that i’m probably going to catch whatever she has if it’s contagious.

at the time i was more than happy to care for a sad and sick friend with a likely chest infection but now im wishing she didn’t come over at all and i feel horrible for it. i’ve barely slept and just feel horrible from these zoloft side effects so it’s like my body is too tired to fully freak out yet, but i know it’ll hit me soon that all her germs are in my bed. we even shared water bottles. i know it’s dumb being in such close contact to a sick person but i just really wanted to help her because i felt so upset seeing her so sickly.

EDIT: okay so things have gotten worse and im actually so scared now. she told me after she went home she kept vomiting non stop and had explosive diarrhoea. i am actually terrified now because i don’t know if a chest infection would do that.

This is going to be super long and personal and trigger warning I will mention an ED. If anyone reads all of it thank you for your time and if you have no advice I hope you feel less alone on how you feel since everyone is different and their etemophobia affects them differently.
To start off I threw up as a little girl non stop. I remember eating a pizza and a few hours later projectile vommiting. I remember swallowing so much vomit since I had really bad acid reflux it was just a normal day. In 3rd grade around the first week of december my mom brought home a stomach bug that day changed my life. I threw up in school a bunch and ever since that day I have been horrified of throw up. I do want to mention I have severe OCD which first started as just intrusive thoughts and repeatedly needing to do certain things otherwise my parents would die etc. Since that day in 3rd grade I have not thrown up and I am 24 now. I lived normally just that throwing up made me go into flight or fight and when I do I shake uncontrollably, breathe heavily, and just my whole body gets a shock throughout. Nothing major but fast forward to high school my grandma taught me all about these alcohol wipes and how gross everyone is. That day started my contamination OCD and at this point it’s nothing major just some classes I would wipe the desk or the computer but it will spiral. I played soccer and ran in intense heat and worked out heavily almost threw up a few times but kept going nothing getting me down at this point. I smoked weed a lot never threw up I almost did when I was laced but thats another story but long story short I only panicked for a bit about feeling like I was going to throw up there was much worse to worry about. I always was scared of my friends throwing up and everyone knew I didn’t like it but nothing major yet. So I’m a pretty normal person just a few quirks I still lived my life. In 2019 I dated this horrible person who abused me and fast forward to 2021 still dating this person my grandma died. My grandma was my world so that caused me to have peeing issues. No matter how often I went pee or didn’t have to pee the sensation was always there (this will become relevant). When I was home or somewhere I was comfortable I would pee like normal every 3-4 hours not biggie Dr’s couldn’t figure it out but kept living life. Broke up with this person the peeing problem still persisted moved on with life and met someone new 2022. In 2023 I started the police academy. I still had my peeing problem but I learned it was caused by anxiety and that was the moment I realized my anxiety was worse than I thought. I was in a school touching desk high school kids did. Almost threw up from intense heat/workouts and panicked a bit but always landed on my feet and brushed it off. I got broken up with during the academy and my mental health declined a bit but kept pushing I’ve wanted to be a cop my whole life. Then come the end of the academy I technically failed (long story) so just knowing I put so much of my life time and effort knowing I passed but some instructor didn’t like me so she didn’t pass me really got me. But im a fighter this is my dream fast forward a few months in 2024 since the academy was 9 months around june/july of 2024 I did the same workouts at bootcamp and I was way more fit than I was before but I felt so sick after practices that started to make me so scared but kept pushing again. Then in august 1 week into the academy I was driving to school and felt so sick but kept pushing because you can’t miss a day. I was sitting in class and I felt so hot and so sweaty and like I was going to vomit. Full panic mode the commanders wife touched my head and it was burning hot so I went home. Thought long and hard decided the academy can wait I need to work on my mental health maybe im just down from failing the first time. Forgot to mention my uncle who is a horrible person moved in with us around july and thats when my sick after every single bootcamp day happened. But after that day I quit my job and I could not leave the house. I could not sleep, could not eat, couldn’t do anything I was so anxious I went 4 weeks with just eating maybe 1 piece of toast every few days. I could not go down the street without feeling so sick and anxious. I realized I had agoraphobia and needed to fix myself. I got a job around november was it hard yes but I did it and even got a second job. Then one day at the second job I felt so sick and panicked so hard I had to go home then after that day straight to agoraphobia again. Fast forward to march 2025 still no job but progressing little by little. My mom got norovirus and that was it. I stopped eating didn’t leave my room. My mom mentioned how skinny I was. I didn’t shower for a month (my uncle used my bathroom and he is disgusting so I used my mom bathroom). My contamination OCD is at its worst to this day I still wont touch anything in my house without a napkin but I picked up bad habits that are lasting today. I still have “safe” clothes that only touch my room. If I go downstairs I wear different clothes. I shower every single day but I shower extra hard on days I am in public with antibacterial soap and exfoliate very hard. I barely eat and I have to have food I deem safe. I have always been bad at eating and just never had a bug appetite of course it changes with my depression or period but most the time I can’t eat too much. I don’t go out to eat. I have my left hand as my “safe” hand and my right touched everything my left touches my phone. I wash my hands non stop. The list can go on with little quirks but norovirus made my contamination OCD the worst. Fast forward to may 2025 my uncle moves out I get a few jobs here and there I go out sometimes life is okay. Then we go to now I have been going out almost everyday to the bar with my friends (I don’t drink I’m scared it will make me throw up) I drive 40 mins to get my hair done (I still struggle horrendously with agoraphobia and if I made a list of what I’m scared of this post will be 3 years long). Long story short I’m no where near where I used to be but I’ve kept a job for 2 months now. Getting better going out until last night. Last night I went to the bar with my friend I have been sick with a viral illness for a week so my throat was off and full of mucus plus my stomach wasn’t doing the best and haven’t ate much. So I arrive at the bar 21 mins from my house and as soon as I stepped out of the car bam instant weird gross feeling in my stomach. It was a heatwave so I just thought oh maybe it’s because I’m not really hungry and haven’t ate much today/didn’t drink today. But the top of my stomach felt all the sudden so butterfly like and so airy and light I burped a few times. Whatever we get into the bar it’s nothing I’m having anxiety. As soon as we step in I’m still trying to calm myself down talking to my friend but then we see a bartender we didn’t recognize so straight to the car I go to get my ID. Right as I was about to hit my car still feeling butterfly like but also pressure in my stomach I burp. And when I burp warm liquid comes up a little in my throat instant panic attack like never before I ran to my car drove home asap couldn’t calm down absolute horror. My mom and aunt said they get that way with acid reflux but I’ve had acid reflux my entire life horrible in fact and when stuff comes up it’s more stingy feeling and doesn’t come up with a burp. It took me hours to calm down I just ditched my friend and yes I am worried too what if all my progress of getting out of the house and facing my fears is ruined but no way this will happen again right. Now today I was fine even let my dad drive me like a total of 6 mins which is big I haven’t let anyone drive me in 2 years since I’ve gone downhill. Until around 7 me and my mom wanted to go to fireworks but its 32 mins away and I was the normal for me anxious with agoraphobia whatever I can do this. We get in the car that pressure feeling happened again and I was getting so scared my mom told me stop being a baby okay fine. We pull into the gas station 2 mins from my house and I do the burp and warm liquid comes up and full panic again and I turned around and went home. I pissed my mom off so much she won’t talk to me. Im so scared this will now be me anytime I go anywhere and this new symptom is not my favorite. Long story short I just want my life back I can’t do this anymore Ive lost all hope I will ever be okay especially wi to this new burping up warm liquid. Thank you for any advice and truly thank you so much if you read this all I do not open up to anyone so this is a big step!

For the past week or so my anxiety over someone being sick has been through the roof to the point I can’t sleep and I’m constantly scared I’ll hear someone throw up. It’s gotten so bad where I swear I can hear someone throwing up but no one actually is and it’s making my anxiety sooo much worse I hate it. I’ve never had this happen before now it’s so scary

10 hours ago i drank from a plastic water bottle that i had been refilling without washing it for 5 days. i only had a sip before i smelt it and put it down. ive felt okay since, but im still so worried. any reassurance?? ☹️☹️

Tonight me and my boyfriend are going to his friend’s house for Fourth of July. They are all big drinkers and have gotten sick a lot in the past during these hangouts according to my boyfriend. I have hung out with them all one other time and it was fine and no one got sick to my knowledge although I was very anxious at times. Later I find out that someone did get sick but it was in the bathroom so I didn’t witness it and I was told about it later. I really want to go tonight but I am SO worried and afraid that someone will get sick. I don’t know what to do does anyone have some advice?

what can I say, i'm scared af. i'm starting with 25mg.

if you have any tips or want to talk about your experience, pls tell me

Hi, I just wanted to see how other people reacted to Mirtazapine. I’ll try to explain my situation.

I’m female, 21. I tried sertraline but just kept vomiting on sertraline, so my clinician made the swap to a non SSRI which was Mirtazapine (15mg). I have emetophobia and OCD and struggle with early satiety because of my anxieties. The idea was to take Mirtazapine in hopes it would combat the anxiety, OCD and help with appetite. My clinician also said it has anti nausea properties, but I am still really nervous about taking these due to experience with sertraline and my emetophobia. I know Mirtazapine is mainly used for MDD and has strong sedation. I already sleep like an absolute log and normally take naps in the day.

I would appreciate to hear everybody’s experiences on Mirtazapine, even if your reasons for taking it are unrelated to mine and if anybody has taken it for emetophobia.

I am feeling so sick I’m just sitting on the toilet shaking. It’s going to happen but I’m having trouble letting it happen I’m just shaking and panicking

so I’ve been hearing a lot about this cyclospora thing that’s supposedly happening. I’ve heard a lot about it happening in TX, which is where I just was on vacation in San Antonio. while there, I got some of the pre washed carrots, broccoli, and snap peas and some bell peppers that I rinsed with bottled water before eating. I ate them all and I’m super worried because according to a lot of articles I read, produce is where cyclospora comes from. I ate a lot of it and I really am worried. Supposedly the incubation period is 2 days - 2 weeks, and I’m so nervous! Does anyone know anything about this cyclospora parasite thing? I’m a bit nervous and tbh it’s all I can think about 😩

Please help. I ate these noodles the "Reeva" brand just to find a tiktok and the news saying DO NOT EAT THEM because they contain salmonella and many people got affected. Guess who didn't see the video or news before eating them? I looked up the batch number and sure enough it's one of the affected ones. Now my stomach hurts and I feel nauseous. Please someone help, I'm spiraling what if I catch it and throw up.

Honestly, getting sick is the only thing I think about. I cannot eat with my hands anymore, I refuse to eat food made by anyone else, I'm afraid of going out, not being masked in public, etc.

My brain has convinced me that every single thing is somehow contaminated with a deadly vomitoxin or norovirus. Oh, I can't eat that because my hand touched the inside of the container and before that I was holding my phone and I was carrying my phone around the mall a couple days ago. Oh no, I can't drink from my water bottle because my finger grazed the rim of the bottle. Oh no I touched my face with unwashed hands I'm gonna explode.

Fact is, I completely understand I'm being unreasonable. But do I want to get better? No, not really.

It just gets in the way of being with my family. And my friends.

But I'm in too deep now. I'll do anything to not get sick.

i fainted yesterday (idk why i think it might be low iron) and ever since then i've been super nauseous but not like throwing up nauseous just nauseous and it literally won't go away 😭 i can barely eat, ive sipped water, ive done deep breaths, ive sniffed hand sanitiser (usually that gets rid of my nausea) but nothing is making it go away and it's making me really anxious and i just wanna feel normal 😭

I am a nurse and the last 2 days, I have cared for a patient in a double room. The other patient was having diarrhea and was tested for GI bugs so we moved my patient out yesterday. I found out overnight that the sick patient tested positive for norovirus. I haven’t been able to calm down since. I have OCD and am medicated on Zoloft and just increased my dose this week. A number one side effect of the increase is high anxiety, spiraling thoughts, and restlessness. Was this an exposure if I was in the room as somebody that is sick? He never vm’d, only symptom is diarrhea