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People unintentionally triggering anxiety

R

I'm freaking out right now. My mum called me just now and said how several people she knows have or have just had the norovirus (sickness bug) and were really bad with it and she's also read online that it's sweeping through the UK.
Sheesh mum I don't want to know about this LOL.

I'm autistic and I have emetophobia, both of which she's aware of but it never resonates with my mum how these things trigger me. Just talking about vomiting makes me anxious so saying about a sick bug sends me in to an absolute frenzy! After the phone call I had a panic attack. I'm ok now just shaky.

A lot of my fear comes from when I was about 7 and had the sickness bug which resulted in dehydration and a few other problems. I've always had a faltered immune system and when I get sick it can be life threatening and that time when I was 7 it wasn't good and since then I've dreaded the norovirus!

I'm so tempted to call the members of the autism group I do and to tell them I can't go tomorrow but then I don't want to let them down.

I really wish my mum wouldn't tell me things like this. She's usually the cause of unintentionally triggering my anxiety like this.

Parents

  • Good to hear that you are feeling a bit better now after the initial shock. Sounds challenging to deal with (both the emetophobia and your mum’s norovirus updates).

     

    If you do not look after yourself then it diminishes your ability to look after others, so you should not feel guilty if you are unable to attend your group meeting. Close contact and contaminated surfaces are the vector, so perhaps a compromise would be to go but let people know at the start that you may be a bit more physically distant than usual (and take your own flavoured water to minimise risk!). Always scared of saying the wrong thing, so I hope that has not made things worse.

     

    Best not tell you about my childhood holiday to the Algarve.

Reply

  • Good to hear that you are feeling a bit better now after the initial shock. Sounds challenging to deal with (both the emetophobia and your mum’s norovirus updates).

     

    If you do not look after yourself then it diminishes your ability to look after others, so you should not feel guilty if you are unable to attend your group meeting. Close contact and contaminated surfaces are the vector, so perhaps a compromise would be to go but let people know at the start that you may be a bit more physically distant than usual (and take your own flavoured water to minimise risk!). Always scared of saying the wrong thing, so I hope that has not made things worse.

     

    Best not tell you about my childhood holiday to the Algarve.

Children
  • in reply to InfinitePlanner

    You have made things 100% better not worse! Thank you :o) 

    And thanks for suggesting going to my group tomorrow and letting them know I'll be distant. That's a good idea and I'm grateful for your input here. I wear a mask anyway so I've got that working in my favour and a lot of people already bring cleaning stuff to clean surfaces before it begins. Taking my flavoured water is a great idea as well, one I should have thought of really as I normally won't drink anything. Not a good idea really.

    InfinitePlanner said:
    Best not tell you about my childhood holiday to the Algarve.

    I kinda want to know now LOL :D 

    But I do appreciate you not elaborating. It's a kind thought and I do appreciate it.