I have had severe emetophobia since I was a very little girl and I'm into my 3rd decade now and it's still very much present and at times crippling. I've been to therapists aplenty over the years and ordered workbooks and tried to get on a 2 year waitlist for a specialist on the phobia in canada, and let me tell you, it's incredibly hard. Because it's a bodily function, it's something you can't just avoid, such as large crowds or flying etc. I feel like I've done so much to try to "fix it" but if I feel sick, I become like a helpless child, and I hate it. And most therapists know F ALL about it, and I've seen more than I care to admit. They usually have to google it and then they pretend they have a clue in the next session to keep you coming back.Hello and welcome to the thread. Yes and I also question how long was she bed bound before she contacted that 'life coach' she calls a therapist
So I have to say I really do empathize with her there. However, from the friends I have who are Mom's, who are emet as well, they say they wish they wouldn't have taken it on because someone is always sick, and if their husband or kid is sick, the phobia usually pushes them to leave and go to another part of the house and close themselves off, or go to a parents house, and many have a husband or partner who deals with it, but I can't imagine it's very easy on the relationship leaving the kid or KIDS with them while you go away during a crisis. People usually feel absolutely terrible for it and that's why they end up feeling like they shouldn't have ventured into having kids.
This and the fact I've never wanted kids has kept me out of this particular dilemma but I have feared pregnancy because of the phobia to where I've developed almost a phobia of pregnancy itself. So having said that, I'm not sure why she wants to go through this. I guess she wants kids that very much that she's just willing to start it out and see what happens, but then again here we see, it leaves Alfie and the others to do a lot different because of the phobia, and that's very tough. I guess it just depends on the support level ( and money to be fair..) you have from those around you and how much they accept you rather than saying " this is stupid, you're a basketcase" etc which does happen, been there done that.
Another issue I have with having kids if you don't feel that your phobia has "gone into remission" as they say, is that it directly passes it down to the kid because they see how crippled in fear you are about it and that "mom ( it's usually women but I know a few men who have it) has to leave the actual house when I'm sick..." and I see mothers who now have emet children and they're trying to help them both and it's just a mess.
Sorry that was so long. I'm just very interested in psychology and sociology and how these things effect us and thought I could offer insight as a sufferer. I really empathize with the mental toll this will have taken on her but I have to admit I'm not understanding how she's willing to go through it, but then again that's just me.
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