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What do you do if you're sick in public?

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Original post by AllegedLegends
"Get over"? What the....?

They've obviously got some kind of mental health problem that they should seek help for. Just telling them to stay away from hospitals and get over it is absolute stupidity and ignorance.

Yes, hospitals are struggling - but don't use a bigger issue to try to belittle someone's issue and make this about something it isn't.

Go and start a thread about the state of the NHS if that's what you want to moan about, don't be blunt and unhelpful to someone suffering from a disorder who is asking for help.

OP, see your GP about your phobia - there is CBT available on the NHS or there are mental health charities who offer free counselling.


Who the hell do you think you are?
I'm not moaning about the NHS. I didn't mean it like that at all. Honestly, stop trying to pick a fight
OP has said she tried therapy, I was simply saying in own form or another she is going to need to "get over it" as in recover.
Don't preach to someone who knows considerably more about mental health than you likely do
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Nirvana1989-1994
Perhaps, CBT; I know this is a bit different, but CBT helped me a bit with my anxiety. Or, you could try Exposure Therapy, which I know sounds daunting, but it may help. :smile:


CBT was actually what I had, maybe I should go back and discuss it again. It's helped to a small extent, mostly to deal with the physical symptoms from my anxiety itself but the thoughts are still a major problem.
Original post by Anonymous
CBT was actually what I had, maybe I should go back and discuss it again. It's helped to a small extent, mostly to deal with the physical symptoms from my anxiety itself but the thoughts are still a major problem.


I'd advise you to look into CAT, to get down to the cause of the issue and then helping you to deal with it, rather than ignoring why you feel this way. Basically, CAT should help with the thoughts and feelings
Original post by Anonymous
CBT was actually what I had, maybe I should go back and discuss it again. It's helped to a small extent, mostly to deal with the physical symptoms from my anxiety itself but the thoughts are still a major problem.


I see what you mean, and I agree, definitely going again will help. Also, have you discussed medication before, it's what really helped me the most, and good luck OP. :smile:
Original post by A-LJLB
Who the hell do you think you are?
I'm not moaning about the NHS. I didn't mean it like that at all. Honestly, stop trying to pick a fight
OP has said she tried therapy, I was simply saying in own form or another she is going to need to "get over it" as in recover.
Don't preach to someone who knows considerably more about mental health than you likely do


Even if you didn't mean it like that, you really shouldn't be telling people to just "get over it", if you have experience with mental health issues surely you know that's not how it works? Telling me that doesn't help anything, it just makes me feel worse.
Original post by Anonymous
Even if you didn't mean it like that, you really shouldn't be telling people to just "get over it", if you have experience with mental health issues surely you know that's not how it works? Telling me that doesn't help anything, it just makes me feel worse.


Again, didn't mean it like that. You're clearly just going to attack me instead of taking my advise so I'll go elsewhere, good luck and I hope you get the help you need and get better.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Nirvana1989-1994
I see what you mean, and I agree, definitely going again will help. Also, have you discussed medication before, it's what really helped me the most, and good luck OP. :smile:


I'm currently on beta-blockers to stop the panic attacks and they've worked marvellously, it's just the low-level stuff that is the problem now, hopefully once I've dealt with that then I can come off the beta-blockers. I've thought about getting anti-depressants but I'd rather avoid those because of the potential side effects.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm currently on beta-blockers to stop the panic attacks and they've worked marvellously, it's just the low-level stuff that is the problem now, hopefully once I've dealt with that then I can come off the beta-blockers. I've thought about getting anti-depressants but I'd rather avoid those because of the potential side effects.


That's great. :smile: And, hopefully the therapy with help with the other issues. And, I see what you mean, the side effects are pretty awful, but, make sure you get the best for you. :smile:
Stage one: refusal to accept. "No! I'm pretty sure that was somebody else, or something."
Stage two: disgust. "Oo, yuck, I'm covered in sick!"
Stage three: embarrassment. "And so is he..."
Stage four: panic. "What am I going to do!?"
Stage five: anger. "I mean, how was this my flipping fault, anyway? He swerved the taxi!"
Stage six: depression. "This is all my fault, and everybody's gonna hate me, and I'm gonna walk around for the rest of my life being teased, and they're gonna make me pay, and I'm probably gonna die or something... mumble mumble groan...."
Stage seven: acceptance. "Oh well, better clean the sick up, first."
Original post by A-LJLB
Who the hell do you think you are?
I'm not moaning about the NHS. I didn't mean it like that at all. Honestly, stop trying to pick a fight
OP has said she tried therapy, I was simply saying in own form or another she is going to need to "get over it" as in recover.
Don't preach to someone who knows considerably more about mental health than you likely do


It's right there in your posts. You were trying to get the OP to stay away from hospitals because the NHS is overstretched and you literally did tell them to get over it.

If that's not what you meant or who you are then you really need to read your posts before you hit submit because you just come off as a total douche.

And the bit in bold is just a useless thing to say when you know absolutely zero about me or 99% of anyone you speak to online (and often times in person).
Original post by AllegedLegends
It's right there in your posts. You were trying to get the OP to stay away from hospitals because the NHS is overstretched and you literally did tell them to get over it.

If that's not what you meant or who you are then you really need to read your posts before you hit submit because you just come off as a total douche.

And the bit in bold is just a useless thing to say when you know absolutely zero about me or 99% of anyone you speak to online (and often times in person).


Sigh, grow up. What's the point of trying to start an argument with someone online? I know what I meant, let it go
Original post by A-LJLB
Sigh, grow up. What's the point of trying to start an argument with someone online? I know what I meant, let it go


Yeah, don't tell me to grow up thanks. See what I mean about coming off as a douche? You're doing it again.
Reply 32
I've got emetophobia too, and when I'm in panic mode I make sure I have a plastic bag with me. Best advice I can give is find a shop with a public loo and don't leave the stall until you feel better. Knowing where they are is a big relief of stress for me - I check on trains which way the toilet is, as well.
It sounds really, really bad (and I'm sure it is lol) but if you feel ill and are worried about throwing up in public it might be a good idea to take the matter into your own hands. Personally I've found making myself ill when I'm in an unavoidable stressful situation is better than the added stress and worry that comes from waiting it out.
(also, OP, do you get sick often at night from panic disorder too? Mine always flares up worst at night and I've got a whole flipping routine down now, after years of sleeping on bathroom floors...)
Original post by AllegedLegends
"Get over"? What the....?

They've obviously got some kind of mental health problem that they should seek help for. Just telling them to stay away from hospitals and get over it is absolute stupidity and ignorance.

Yes, hospitals are struggling - but don't use a bigger issue to try to belittle someone's issue and make this about something it isn't.

Go and start a thread about the state of the NHS if that's what you want to moan about, don't be blunt and unhelpful to someone suffering from a disorder who is asking for help.

OP, see your GP about your phobia - there is CBT available on the NHS or there are mental health charities who offer free counselling.


There is a difference between belittling someone's problem and telling them that they should not go to a hospital with it.

If you are vomiting and there is no other immediate health concern the worst possible thing you can do is to take the micro-organisms causing it into a hospital full of vulnerable, often immunosuppressed people. Go home, keep yourself hydrated and call 111 if you have concerns. Avoid taking it to the GP for much the same reasons.

The phobia is not something to be ignored and should be taken seriously but it doesn't change the fact that going to hospital just because you were sick is completely inappropriate.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 34
I have a vomiting phobia as well and I can offer some general tips?
If possible carry some sort of food that helps to stop feeling ill for example ginger in the form of ginger sweets i like these work wonders. Peppermint mints like strong mints. Dry crackers are good for some people, and water most of the time worrying makes the feeling of illness worse so if you can try and relax a bit then that helps a lot,
Have a plan if you know where you are going then you can plan like outdoor places to breathe and calm down.
Original post by neriine
(also, OP, do you get sick often at night from panic disorder too? Mine always flares up worst at night and I've got a whole flipping routine down now, after years of sleeping on bathroom floors...)


I actually haven't been sick in 15 years, even with the anxiety-induced gastritis I ended up with a few months ago haha, my anxiety and panic symptoms do cause at least what my brain tells me is nausea but now I'm working on convincing myself that if I was really ill I'd know about it for sure.

I've never had a panic attack at night, I never get them at home since my panic disorder is tied with being in public places.

Honestly these days I'm not even sure if my phobia is about being sick or just the embarrassment of it happening in front of other people.
Original post by Nefarious
The phobia is not something to be ignored and should be taken seriously but it doesn't change the fact that going to hospital just because you were sick is completely inappropriate.


I probably should have clarified in what situation I would have considered going to the hospital, I meant that if I suddenly became ill with something and I couldn't stop being sick and I was too ill to travel home, I'm not sure what I would do then. If it was just once or twice and then I felt fine then I'd never bother with the hospital.
Original post by Nefarious
There is a difference between belittling someone's problem and telling them that they should not go to a hospital with it.

If you are vomiting and there is no other immediate health concern the worst possible thing you can do is to take the micro-organisms causing it into a hospital full of vulnerable, often immunosuppressed people. Go home, keep yourself hydrated and call 111 if you have concerns. Avoid taking it to the GP for much the same reasons.

The phobia is not something to be ignored and should be taken seriously but it doesn't change the fact that going to hospital just because you were sick is completely inappropriate.


I agree and that's totally sensible, but it's the way that the other person wrote it and alluded to the fact that the NHS is overstretched. Anyway, I've responded to them and given my opinion and I've offered advice to the OP so I'm out of this thread now :smile:.
Reply 38
Hi anon, please message me as I used to have the worst vomit phobia, and am now completely over it (and I was sick in a public place!)
Hopefully I can help :smile:

Original post by Anonymous
I have a terrible vomiting phobia and last night I had an awful thought: what if I got sick far away from home with no way to get home without using public transport? What if no one was willing to help me? I'd be far too embarrassed to use public transport if I was really ill, since it wouldn't be nice at all for the other people there, and I obviously wouldn't be able to walk all the way home.

Would it be acceptable to go to hospital in this case? Just somewhere where I can go to deal with the illness before I'm well enough to travel home? I'm attempted to tackle my phobia by thinking about what I would actually DO if these terrible scenarios occurred rather than just worrying about them happening in the first place.

Would also help if people could reassure me that I'm being ridiculous, I need to be told how unlikely this is. Especially since I'm not pregnant and I don't drink.
It depends if the situation is serious or not if its due to dodgy food then stay at home


Access to HE in Social Work

BSc Health and Social Care - pending

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