Hello. My name is Sarah, I'm 15, and I suffer from emetophobia, a form of anxiety causing a fear of yourself vomiting or others vomiting. Anxiety in ANY form what-so-ever can effect your social life. This started when I was younger, and the cause could've been as simple as a stomach bug I had or a virus. Either way I've had it for a long time. My mother, and grandmother both have anxiety as well, but theirs is more of a social anxiety. For example, my mother has severe anxiety attacks while shopping if there are too many people, and my grandmother has an anxiety attack when driving for too long, especially when she's alone. So, I know where I get it. I also have been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD which tends to make me stress, causing my anxiety to become worse.

A lot of people don't understand anxiety unless they have it themselves. It's not something that is like a three year old being afraid of a monster under her bed. Anxiety in my form causes me constant fear, defineately in school or at friends house. I'm afraid of vomiting and being alone while doing so. At friends houses, I'm afraid of getting sick and having it be something bad, like I'll be hospitalized. Having this also causes me to feel ill and/or nauseous a lot, almost contantly. When I was younger, I used to always ask parents (mostly mom) if I was "going to be fine?" meaning, was this food going to make me vomit or ill? I used to be afraid to go into restraunts for a fear of food poisoning, but now, that's okay. I'm afraid, though, as I get older, this anxiety will become worse and worse. When I start to take a new medication, I always want to see the little slip with all the warnings and side-effects, and then, if I see nausea or vomiting, I tend to obsess about it, and become very worried or anxious.

I haven't really opened up about this before until today. I found out what it was called, by using http://www.webMD.com and afterwards, I was relieved to know it was common. The only person who knows about this is my mom. She listens well, and I explained to her what this was, and how it effects me and my social outlook, and life. I might tell my best friend too, but I'm not sure yet.

But soon, I'm going to talk to my therapy about it, and hope that she can help. To anyone else out there with anxiety please, don't be afraid of getting help. Anxiety is just a fear, and all fears can be conquered. If you believe so, you are truly more powerful than your anxiety itself!

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