West Country Mum’s Extreme Phobia of Sick Leaves Her Suicidal and Housebound
A mother from Torquay battles a severe phobia of sickness, impacting her life and mental health significantly
Torquay, Devon, Emetophobia, Mental Health, Phobia, Suicidal Ideation
Torquay: A mum named Alex Sim-Wise, 43, is sharing her struggle with a severe phobia of being sick. This fear, called emetophobia, has taken over her life since she was just eight years old.
Over the years, it’s really changed how she lives. Things she once loved, like roller coasters and hanging out with friends, are now off-limits. She feels trapped in her own home, constantly worrying about sickness.
Alex even mentioned having thoughts of suicide because of this phobia. She’s looking to get help in an inpatient facility, hoping to finally tackle this fear head-on. Her husband calls it “the demon,” which is pretty fitting since it started small but has grown to dominate her life.
She describes her fear as primal, like a survival instinct that kicks in whenever she sees or thinks about being sick. Just the thought of nausea, stomach bugs, or even the smell of vomit sends her into a panic.
It’s tough for her to pinpoint when it all began, but she thinks it might have something to do with her parents. They were always anxious about sickness, and she believes she picked up on that. By the time she was eight, her fear had really taken hold.
Alex recalls how her dad avoided certain foods and alcohol, while her mum would get super anxious about anything related to being sick. This environment made her see sickness as something to fear, and it just got worse from there.
She used to love rides at amusement parks, but by 13, she started avoiding them because of the fear of someone getting sick on the ride. Boats were next on the list, as she dreaded seasickness.
At first, she thought her fear was just a quirky way to keep herself safe. But as she got older, she realized it was more of a list of things she couldn’t do, and it was growing longer. Now, she can’t even stay in a bar for more than 10 minutes without feeling panic creeping in.
Her worries extend to her 10-year-old daughter, especially when she thinks about her getting a stomach bug. Even holidays like Christmas make her anxious due to all the food and people around.
Despite trying therapy, Alex still finds herself consumed by thoughts of sickness. She’s even received emergency help from the Firefighter’s Charity during tough times. They suggested inpatient care, which she feels is necessary now.
To help fund her treatment, Alex has started a GoFundMe. She believes a private facility that specializes in phobias would be the best option for her. It’s a hefty price, but she’s holding onto hope that this could be her way out of the darkness.
“I never thought I’d be crowdfunding for my phobia treatment,” she said, but it feels like her last shot at finding relief.