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Scared of being sick right now?

This page is for people with emetophobia, in the moment when that fear gets loud. It makes sense that this feels huge right now.

Go at your own pace. You don't have to do all of it. You can stop reading whenever you want. You don't have to explain yourself here.

What this page is, and what it isn't

This page is a few small things people try when the fear of being sick gets loud. It isn't a treatment, it won't tell you what's wrong, and it isn't a test you can fail. Take what helps and leave the rest.

This part is about why the fear and the queasy feeling can seem to show up as one big thing. When you're afraid of being sick, the two can get tangled up together. Feeling queasy can set the fear off, and being scared can make you notice every little thing you feel. One research overview describes the link as probably going both ways.

A few small steps

These go in order, from calming your body to what's around you. Pick whichever ones feel okay, or start anywhere. None of them is a rule. None of them is a test. Each one has a line about what it is, so you know what you're looking at.

Slow breathing, only if it feels okay. Slow breathing means taking each breath a little more slowly and gently than usual. Many people find it calming. It's completely optional. If focusing on your breath makes things feel worse, skip it.

A small moment of mindfulness. Mindfulness means paying attention to this moment just as it is, without trying to change it. Here's a very small version. Stop for a few seconds. You don't have to fix anything right now, and needing a minute is okay. Say what's happening in plain words, like "This feels strange, and I'm scared." You're just describing it, the way you'd describe the weather. You aren't arguing with it. Then let the feeling be there. These feelings rise and fall, and you don't have to push them away. You can do the next small thing while it's here.

Try one thing for your hands or your eyes. This is called grounding. It means bringing your attention to what's around you right now, what you can see, touch or hear, instead of what's going on in your head. It's a common tool people use when their mind is spinning. Here's one way:

  • Look around and name three things you can see.
  • Touch something nearby and notice how it feels.
  • Listen for one sound in the room.

Give your mind something else to do, if you want to. Distraction just means giving your attention something else to hold for a while. It's another common tool. Some people put on a show, text a friend, count backwards, or do a puzzle. If it doesn't help, that's okay.

Small comforts, if they help. Comforts are small, everyday things some people find soothing when they feel off. They're extras, not requirements.

  • A little fresh air, like cracking a window or stepping outside.
  • Water, or a few small sips of something cool.
  • A mint or a piece of gum. Using one to calm down is perfectly fine, and it doesn't mean you're losing.
  • Something small to eat, if that helps. If it's going to help you, go ahead and do it.

If these ever start to feel like musts, that's okay to notice, and it's worth talking to a doctor or mental health professional.

If you want another person

This just means letting someone you trust know you're having a hard time, so you're not sitting with it alone. You can text or call them and say, "I'm having a hard moment. Can you stay with me for a bit?" You don't need to explain more than that.

Back to right now

Look up for a second. You're here, in this room, in this moment. Whenever the fear does pass, go easy on yourself and do something small and ordinary.

Privacy

Only if it's a real emergency or crisis

This part is just for if you're in a real emergency, or in crisis or thinking about hurting yourself.

Emergency services (a medical emergency, or someone in immediate danger)

Emotional crisis support

The fine print

This page is general information, not medical advice, and not a treatment. It can't promise any result. I'm a person with emetophobia and a microphone, not a doctor. If this keeps taking up a lot of your life, a doctor or therapist who knows it is a really good call.

— Casey