agoraphobia Physical Sickness as the Main Side Effect

[EastCoastAgoraphobe 0]

It's tricky when agoraphobia is such a vague term, and everyone experiences it a different way, but for me the worst part is the physical sickness. 

I've read a lot of other people's experiences but haven't come across many that I really relate to when it comes to nausea. When I try to go out and the panic starts, it feels like I'm going to vomit. I don't really get the fast heart rate or feeling like I'm dying, for me its all very literal, like I'm going to throw up and be stuck in either the discomfort or embarressment. Sometimes it feels like the nausea will last forever.

And I don't know if this is true or my illness but I feel like if I could get the nausea under control then the anxiety wouldn't be so bad? I'm probably talking to a void here but is anyone else experiencing this or feel the same as me? 

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi ECA and welcome to AC. .

I'm probably talking to a void here but is anyone else experiencing this or feel the same as me

Sorry not to have got back before but there is no void here. We all try and help as much as we can because there is no substitute for having 'been there'. Agoraphobia, literally the fear of open places, or in the original words 'the marketplace', is a lot more common than most people think. Until comparatively recently a lot of doctors did not believe there was such a thing and were never shown how to deal with it. Dr. Claire Weekes, who pioneered work on agoraphobia back in the 1980's,  wrote many books on it and are worth a read. You should find them on Amazon.

It may surprise you to know that symptoms of anxiety are the symptoms of fear which has become a habit. Being sick, or wanting to be sick and making a fool of yourself is such a common symptom. Your body is saying, in effect, lose weight now because you are going to have to run away from the big hairy Mammoth that is chasing you!! You may feel you want to go to the toilet for the same reason. The symptoms are normal symptoms in the circumstances you created for them. Oh yes, caveman had his problems which, unfortunately, he has handed down to us in the form of the fight/flight syndrome. ALL the symptoms of anxiety/agoraphobia are fear based. You see danger where none exists. I am sure you will have more replies because so many suffer as you do. Take heart. It IS possible to recover and you will. Honest!! Talk whenever you want. We are good listeners.

[EastCoastAgoraphobe 0]

I hadn't heard that caveman analogy before, but it makes sense. I guess because all the stories I've read about others having agoraphobia have focused more on panic attacks that make them feel like they're dying or having a heart attack, where I just feel nauseas and that's my main problem. 

[SuzieQ5270 0]

I can completely relate to this.  My main symptom since I was a child was the feeling of nausea when away from home.  I was told I had a nervous stomach as a child and young adult.  I was told I had acid reflux, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome which I also do have but no one understood it was from panic.  Glad to know I am not the only one who suffers in the same way.

 

[EastCoastAgoraphobe 0]

I was also considered a sick child, I really wish someone had spotted earlier that it was anxiety. Thanks for the reply, it seems like it's kind of rare to find someone who has is similar to me when it comes to this.

[Gilly 1086]

On 1/12/2018 at 11:35 AM, EastCoastAgoraphobe said:

It's tricky when agoraphobia is such a vague term, and everyone experiences it a different way, but for me the worst part is the physical sickness. 

I've read a lot of other people's experiences but haven't come across many that I really relate to when it comes to nausea. When I try to go out and the panic starts, it feels like I'm going to vomit. I don't really get the fast heart rate or feeling like I'm dying, for me its all very literal, like I'm going to throw up and be stuck in either the discomfort or embarressment. Sometimes it feels like the nausea will last forever.

And I don't know if this is true or my illness but I feel like if I could get the nausea under control then the anxiety wouldn't be so bad? I'm probably talking to a void here but is anyone else experiencing this or feel the same as me? 

Does the thought of actually vomiting when you are out even more anxiety inducing? 

Emetophobia 

I became agoraphobic over a constant feeling of nausea which was a continuous vicious cycle. I'm 'complicated' it was all related to PTSD but yes this is quite common

[EastCoastAgoraphobe 0]

Yes, everything revolves around being sick. It's tricky because I've had a sensitive stomach my whole life, so I'm no stranger to vomiting in public, but one day I started getting anxious about it and next thing you know here we are. I was never sure if I had Emetophobia because I can see vomit and be fine, it's just feeling nauseous becomes crippling.

[SavPierce 22]

I know this is an old thread but I'm just adding my two cents for anyone who comes along to read it later... me too! 

I would identify myself as emetophobic and I was definitely one of those kids who was always complaining about having a stomach ache - and then grew up to be an adult who almost never leaves the house without a bottle of Pepto Bismol "just in case". 

It seems that the majority of people who experience panic attacks describe them with symptoms like a heart attack - a lot of chest and breathing-related issues - but emetophobia on top of panic disorder results in panic attacks that revolve around the stomach. One thing that has helped me is training myself to pay attention to how my actual stomach feels, and not how my brain is telling me it feels. It doesn't always work, but when it does, I can differentiate between "real sickness" and a panic attack that just feels real.