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Fear from phobia

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  • #54359
    Deborah
    Participant

    Hi all

    I have joined the forum to try and add to my journey with my fear,

    I have a irrational fear of being sick. To the point where I was not going out much to socialize, not touching my food at all and washing hands a lot.

    No idea where it came from but as soon as I hear someone been sick or my kids mention it I get specalized with pure fear which takes over my whole body.

    It is always in my mind however I have been doing mindfulness for a few months which is helping but what do I do when for example my child says “I feel sick” and my heart pounds and I feel sick and weak??

    How do I get it out of my head everyday it’s there questioning if what I am doing will make me sick, please help?

    Thank you Deborah

    #54391
    Julie
    Participant

    Hello Deborah, I have just joined this forum. And here you popped up! The very first post that I read. And I felt love streaming from my heart to yours, because when I was in my early twenties I was riddled with all sorts of ridiculous thoughts, that I knew weren’t logical, but there they were, accompanying me through my life. Is this forever I thought to myself! I thought I was really weird, or sick, but I wasn’t at all. And you aren’t either. Our minds can play funny tricks on us. Even when we think that we’ve always been ‘normal’.

    So firstly, rest assured you are going to be ok. I have lead a wonderful life since then! I just needed someone to reassure me, and tell me I was OK. I had this fear that I was abnormal. Actually, I used to be terrified that if I sought help that someone would lock me away:)

    Anyway, i finally did reach out. As you have. That’s the first step. And you’ve done it. Yay:) My life changed as soon as someone explained things to me. Phew, what a relief!

    The biggest thing I have learned in life, is to not try and go it alone. Our imaginations are epic!

    I don’t know if I’m allowed to do this, because I’m so new to this site, but I’d love you to embrace EFT tapping. You can learn it for free on my website: http://www.trulymadlydeeplyhappy.com Sometimes you’re so panicked when you’re in this situation that you think, ‘Oh that’s just another whacky thing, and then I’ll have to sign up for some program.’ That is absolutely not my style. I don’t want anyone to believe things about themselves that will effect the rest of their life, when it doesn’t have to be that way. This is a free way of trying an amazing technique that I use every day with woman just like you.

    If you need help, I’m here of course. I have clients like you every day, that think they are stuck with this for life. And then… the nightmare is over … really quickly. You’re going to be ok, you really are my darling. I guess what prompts me to reply to you is that I see myself in you many decades ago, all that fear! All of that future catastrophysing about how life will never be the same again. Yes, it can be good and wonderful again. Good luck, J x

    #54408
    Jo
    Participant

    Hi Deborah,

    Up until about six months ago I had the exact same issues as you. Watching my food, sanitising my hands till they where red raw, avoiding certain situations and waking up every time someone in the house went to the loo at night in a blind panic.

    I tried all sorts of therapy from hypnosis to CBT and even EFT tapping (which I know has worked for some as Julie has said). But I needed more than that, I needed to know why and how.

    I went to see a Thrive specialist in my area (UK) and he helped me understand is isn’t a fear of being sick (although all fear is simply in your head and not outside it) but it is a conjured fear of the uncontrollable situation that you don’t like. I’ll bet any time you have been sick before, afterwards the ordeal you’re more of less giddy? That’s because it’s no longer an issue for a while, until you let your thoughts come in (every day as you say) making it into a fear again?

    I would recommend working through a Thrive programme (Rob Kelly – Amazon) he even has a special book for emeotophobics. Remember though that it’s not the act of someone throwing up that’s the issue here, and it’s not the food you eat or the places you may or may not go, it’s your own control of your own thoughts. Which you are very capable of managing.

    If you want to discuss further I’m happy to help. I know what a crippling thing this can be left un-turned.

    Jo

    #54410
    Deborah
    Participant

    Hi both

    Thank you so much for your help! This is a living nightmare to think I have to live with it!

    o – you are right! I have had cbt which the therapist has said it’s not the actual being sick that I am scared of its what it stands for? The uncontrol element of it. Lack of control. It’s ok knowing this but it doesn’t help me??

    I wake every night with the little noises thinking someone is getting up to be sick. I panic every time I see someone rub their belly. I can’t go on like this and cbt has not worked 🙁

    is there a thrive centre in the UK? North east?? Does it cost? Are you totally ok now??
    Deborah

    #54413
    Deborah
    Participant

    Jo – is it easy to manage now? Have you got your life back?

    I don’t go certain places and never touch food or handles and terrified of catching sickness which like I said my therapist said it was the lack of control element and routine I was in??

    I can’t find a thrive therapist in north east England? Any help?? I am desperate!

    Deborah

    #54428
    Doris
    Participant

    Hi Deborah,

    I’m new to this website and just came across you post, but I immediately felt the urge to tell you my story.

    About 2 years ago after dinner I suddenly couldn’t breath properly, my heart started beating way to fast, I felt sick and I didn’t have a clue what was going on. From day to day those symptoms returned, got worse and lastet longer – and everytime I thought I would die within the next few minutes. Normally I’m a very optimistic person, but in those situations I couldn’t imagine to live with it much longer. I went to see the doctor, but he told me I was perfectly fine, next step was hospital, but even there they couldn’t find anything. I was desperate! And scared! Whenever I was alone there was this thought in my head – panic coming back, I’m probably going to die, no one here to help/ to call the doc – and it made me go crazy!!
    When I was just about to surrender and get myself into a psychiatric facility I found a doctor who could help. She diagnosed me with some food allergies (wheat, cow milk, sugar) and told me my breathing difficulites and increased hearbeat would be just an allergic reaction. I was soooo relieved!
    But that didn’t really solve my problems. I was in fear of those panic attacks and did everything to prevent them from turning up again. When I did some sport and my heart started to beat a bit faster it fellt like the whole fearful situation would be happening again. So I started to always feel my heartbeat and its rate – which made me completly nervous when not in “normal mode”. I had troubles falling asleep as I couldn’t control what was happening with me while asleep. When out in a bar or something like that I couldn’t finish my drinks, I was soo afraid someone would put drugs into my glass… I stopped eating raw veggies and fruits, only because there was this question in my mind “what if I react to a carrot in a similar way as to milk?!” When I had meat it was already far from well-done and my boyfriend had to try it first and reassure me there was no risk in eating it and it tasted like normal meat. No more fish (could get dangerous under certan cicumstances), no salad out of the garden (grass pollen could stick on it which could lead to breathing difficulties), eggs only when cooked for a minimum of ten minutes (salmonella),…. I stopped taking any kinds of medicine, even the birth control pill just because I was too afraid of reacting to them. You see, pretty freaky and crazy behavior!! But I couldn’t change it…. Only one thought and I was in fear again and could already feel how the air got thinner…

    Therefore I can totally understand how you’re feeling at the moment. But hey, I’m still alive and feeling way better, so you can get over this too!!!

    I’ll just tell you what helped me getting through this rough time..
    1. Calm down!!! Everything will be fine again. It will take some time and you’ll need to be patient with yourself, but the good old times are definitely coming back!
    2. Everything happens for a reason. And this is good! Accept yourself with all the fear and don’t blame yourself for behaving that way. Try seeing your phobia not as a threat, but as a challange life is giving you. It can help you grow and find yourself.
    3. There’s an amazing book which helped me a lot. The Healing Power of Illness – the meaning of symptoms & how to interpret them by Ruediger Dahlke. Dahlke is explaining ilnesses as something that helps us to become whole. He’s also writing about why you have a certain illness and what your body wants to tell you through it. I guess it would be a good read for you too as it could help you see that getting sick doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.
    4. I went to see a psychologist to help me eat all the things on my black list again. He didn’t work wonders, but he encouraged me to push myself to my limits and to have faith in myself.
    4. My doctor works with homoeopathy and she gave me homoeopathic globuli to take whenever this nervous feeling is coming back. They helped me a lot, especially when I started eating things I’m allergic to again. At first only the thought of eating a peace of cheese made my heart race, now I can eat small amount of dairy products.
    5. Believe in yourself! Trust yourself! Never give up!

    There will always be some ups and downs, but that’s life. Just let yourself time, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day neither! I’ve always had some steps forward and the next one was backwards again, but that’s okay. I can tell you I’m enjoying life now more than ever! I’m more relexed, optimistic, gratefull for so many little things. This whole story really was a tough time for me, but now I’m thankful for every single day, it really helped me grow.

    Hope this helps you at least a little bit and brings some hope back to you!!

    Wish you all the best!! 🙂

    Doris

    • This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Doris.
    #54440
    @Jasmine-3
    Participant

    Thanks everyone for your wonderful insights.

    Hi Deborah

    I am sorry for your suffering. I will provide a different and detailed perspective here (mostly spiritual), which may or may not resonate with you at this stage. Feel free to come back to it in a few days time when you are in a more positive frame of mind. I sensed a state of desperation from your words, which can often hinder any potential progress when it comes to dealing with fears or negative thought patterns. I am glad that you have embraced mindfulness 🙂

    We, human beings, are made up of energy and inter connected to everything and everyone at an universal level. We are immensely powerful and can achieve anything on this planet. According to science as well, our cells are composed of atoms, which provide the electrical and magnetic charge and they are all vibrating at differing frequencies.

    When we have fears or phobias, we are vibrating at a predominantly negative frequency. Like energy attracts like. The more power you give to negative energy, stronger it becomes. The more power you give to positive energy and more powerful it becomes. Positivity brings us into a state of bliss and contentment and keeps us close to our higher self. Negative energy brings us into a state of desperation, unhappiness, guilt, fear and anything, which takes our power away. All of us need a balance of these energies to keep us functioning well during our temporary existence on this planet just like the nature. Everything is nicely balanced in the nature and occurring in its own rhythm as long as the humans do not intervene or disturb this balance.

    What determines as to what frequency we will vibrate at ? Everything that gives rise to our thoughts determines our vibrating frequency. Our thoughts make us who we are. Thought is also an energy. When we see a sad news, we create thoughts which are predominantly sad and fearful. These thoughts produce a feeling and emotion and we start acting out according to our emotions. For example: we may cry, we may become recluse, we may lose concentration at work etc. Not everyone reacts the same way. Some are not affected by any sad or bad news.

    Repeated thoughts or routine thoughts form a neuro pathway in our sub conscious brain and become our belief system. For example – repeated thoughts that tell us that we are not good enough lead to a semi- permanent belief system – I am not good enough or No one loves or cares about me. When these belief systems become part of our daily living, they create constant such feelings and emotions and help us to form our personality. Our personality helps us to act out in a certain way and often on an auto pilot. We start behaving as if no one loves us and often lack happiness, peace and contentment in our interactions with others. We are also constantly bombarded with situations, which keep confirming the same that we are not good enough.

    So where do these belief systems or repeated thoughts take birth ? Often during our childhood or when our system goes through an immense shock or a state of disbelief. A state where we have no control over our feelings or emotions. If our parents repeatedly tell us that we are going to be alone or miserable in the future, you will be surprised at how often this will come true. Our belief systems become our self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the reason why some people are so prosperous and successful in life, while the rest continue to struggle with even simple things in life. It all depends on our recurrent thoughts or belief system.

    In your case, you have a semi-permanent belief system etched in your sub conscious about sickness. So your body starts to act out on an auto pilot when such a trigger occurs. Unfortunately, the more times you act out on an auto-pilot, the stronger this belief system will become. In my personal experience, there is often an initial trigger, which leads to these uncontrollable fears or phobias. Can you recall the first time you developed these symptoms or if anything happened in the 6-12 months prior to these symptoms (that left your system in a state of shock or disbelief in terms of emotions) ? If you can recall that incident, half your work will be done as you will be able to send some positive energy to that incident and forgive yourself for being in pain for this long. Keep doing it until that incident doesn’t invoke any negativity in your being.

    Now coming back to the energy part – every time you develop these symptoms or go into a panic mode when someone around you is sick, you send out a negative energy. I am not too worried about anyone else except for your kids who are receiving this energy on a routine basis. Can you imagine what impact this will have on them ? Unknowingly and unwillingly, they are soaking this energy. This energy will help create negative thoughts in their little minds, which in turn will create limiting belief system for these kids in the near future. You are helping to create their personality for them unconsciously. Can you see the connection ? Many times, we do things without understanding their consequences or effects. This is what our parents may have done for us but hey no one knew better at that time. Now that we are aware of such a connection, we should be more mindful and practice conscious living.

    Whats the worst that can happen if you get sick ? You will be sick, you may be bed ridden or may need to go to hospital. In the worst case scenario, you may develop a disability or even die. Those are potential things that may or may not happen. However, your constant juggle with an over active and fearful mind is causing you problems every second in your life and is also impacting on the people around you. Is it worth it ?

    What you need to do is to work on your thoughts and become aware of them. Become like a video camera, which records a film but doesn’t do anything else. It just watches the film without asking yeh or neh questions. We are very much like that. Our world around us is like a film that we have been engaged in watching thanks to some super power who has created this universe.The moment we start to interfere or speculate, we get into trouble. Have faith in the super power to look after you and your needs. Life could have been much worse living in another part of the world but the Universal power (YOU) didn’t choose that for your being. Why are you then making such a poor choice for yourself and others ? Only you can let go of your fears or poor choices. No one else can do this for you. There are various tools that may assist you in this process such as EFT, energy healing, acupuncture, reiki, chakra healing, hypnotherapy, CBT etc.

    I would like to suggest the following:
    – if you are bound by anxiety most of the day then I suggest that you see a local dr and see if you will benefit from an anti anxiety med. Many times when we are constantly in a negative or fearful state of mind, it creates a chemical imbalance in the brain and these meds help to sort that out. They do not cure the problem or get rid of fears or phobias. You still need to work on your thoughts for that.
    – Susan Jeffers (who has left the body) has done an excellent recording of positive self-affirmations on a CD that you can purchase. When you listen to this short recording every day for atleast 21 days, you will start to see a positive difference in your mindset. Her voice produces powerful positive vibrations and you will benefit from that. The name of the CD is called – inner talk for a confident day.
    – Meditation : helps to charge our batteries. The world around us constantly interacts with our energies and we become depleted very quickly. Just like any phone. If you keep using the phone without charging, you know what happens. The you tube below is quite useful for balancing root chakra – which often holds a lot of fears and phobias. You can trial all the individual chakra meditation through the same you tube channel but start first with root, followed by 2nd to 7th chakras, they move upwards. Emile has done the meditations individually, which is great. You dont need to do anything else except for close your eyes and instruct the divinity (universal power) to bring white light to these chakras. Over few days, you will feel a new positive change in yourself.

    – pls forgive yourself every morning for all the pain that you may have caused unknowingly or knowingly. When you do this, you will be more mindful the rest of the day.

    Sending you heaps of positive energy and I know you will be fine very soon. Looking forward to hearing your happy news in the near future 🙂

    Jasmine

    @jasmine-3

    #54468
    Deborah
    Participant

    Hi Jasmine

    Thank you for all your information. I am desperate but learning to not be so much with mindfulness and meditation!

    Just want to live life again because I feel like I am sleeping through it.

    I love what you said about being a video camera and not interacting in depth!

    from what I remember a few things happened around the time it started. My grandma who was like a mother to me died very suddenly without warning but I don’t think I grieved at all. I just got on with life.

    Also I had a very bad case of sickNess. Don’t know what it was but it dragged on for weeks and then it never left and I started feeling sick every day in the evenings from then on!! Then a few months later this phobia began. Slowly at first!

    I an also going to hold onto the idea I liked about the universal power placing me here. You believe that the super power is actually you? And you look after your being?

    I am going to listen to that cd straight away along wit. The thrive programm to help thoughts and meditation. I want to enjoy and live life! I am so happy with the caring energy from everyone on here! It was unexpected!! And I actually feel really positive now and warm inside! Thank you all!

    Deborah

    #54629
    @Jasmine-3
    Participant

    Hi Deborah @debs78

    I am glad that some of my suggestions resonated with your being. I had to meditate a little on what you wrote in your last post.

    When you say that you didn’t grieve when grandma passed away suddenly, is that in a good way or sad way ? Do you think your heart was crying and still is but your logic mind prevents you from going through the grieving process ? And the prolonged sickness, which led to current phobias suggest that you had a conflict between your inner and outer being for quite sometime over something. Can you make sense of this ? Are you trying to be someone whom you are not ? Are you constantly killing your desires and have been doing it for sometime ? Either way, I can assure you that your grandma is around and watching over you and your loved ones. I think she wants you to be happy and become stronger and enjoy life. She is happy in her own existence and wishes the same for you. I have offered prayers for her on your behalf 🙂

    If the root chakra you tube meditation resonates with you then can you also try the heart chakra one (4th). Fill yourself with heaps of love and be in love with yourself. There is no one more special than Deborah in this world as you are one and only one.

    May you find what your heart is seeking and emerge stronger and brighter each day 🙂 love to your beautiful kids.

    Jasmine

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