Emetophobia @ WDW

[tiink3rbella]

Hey I thought I'd post a topic on this because I'm sure someone on these boards also has it...

For anyone who doesn't know what it is...
Emetophobia is an irrational or excessive fear of vomiting.

I'm posting here because I have it and it goes pretty deep.I had it since I was little and they say that something triggered it from a tradgic event when I was younger, but I cant think of anything that could of caused it.

I am usually deathly afraid of going to theme parks in case I might see someone get sick from the rides or someone might eat something bad or I don't even know what to think. It is a real problem, and I'm sure plenty of people who don't have it think its a silly fear because everyone has to get sick at some point or another, but it is very hard to deal with for me.

Anyway I just want to say I don't get as nervous in Disney World. I only been there twice going again in January but I think there is something comforting about the Disney parks. I'm just scared that if I see someone get sick at Disney I might not want to go back there ever again, and that would be horrible because I love Disney World so much.

I want to know if anyone else on the boards has this fear too?
or maybe even knows someone else with the same fear as me?
​

 

[fla4fun]

I don't share your fear, but I can say in more than 75 trips to Disney, I've never seen anyone get sick, or even heard them in the restroom getting sick. I guess I've been fortunate, because I know it has to happen sometimes. Of course, my idea of a thrill ride is BTMRR, so maybe that has something to do with it. My problem is, if I'm around someone who is getting sick, I get sick too, so I try to avoid that possibility any way I can.

If it happens in the real world, say at your favorite mall or movie theater, do you find a way to go back there again, or do you find that you stay away? Since Disney is a place that is often visited with several months or even years between visits, I hope that should the worst happen, you would still be able to find a way to come back.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

I think I may have a somewhat mild version of this fear. If I see or hear anyone throwing up, I feel very sick myself. And to me, vomiting is the worst thing that could happen!
The only time in my 11 two week trips I've seen/heard someone vomiting is in the restrooms at Magic Kingdom, so I got out of there pretty fast. So I dont think its a really common thing to run into.

 

[tiink3rbella]

If it happens in the real world, say at your favorite mall or movie theater, do you find a way to go back there again, or do you find that you stay away? Since Disney is a place that is often visited with several months or even years between visits, I hope that should the worst happen, you would still be able to find a way to come back.

I luckily never seen anyone get sick at the mall or movie theaters so thats good . but when kids got sick in school, I wouldn't want to sit near them for the rest of the year or anything in case they get sick near me again. I also dreaded ever going to the nurses office so if I didn't feel good in school I'd just call my mom from my cellphone instead.

Thats what is really horrible about this fear, it consumes you. I have periods of time where I will be so afraid to go anywhere in case someone gets sick there! I have really gotten a lot better as I got older, also cause I haven't seen anyone get sick in a while, thats why I'm really hoping nobody does while I'm in Disney or it might come back to me really bad again

\p.s. over 75 trips to disney! WOW! your so lucky!! haha

 

[tiink3rbella]

I think I may have a somewhat mild version of this fear. If I see or hear anyone throwing up, I feel very sick myself. And to me, vomiting is the worst thing that could happen!
The only time in my 11 two week trips I've seen/heard someone vomiting is in the restrooms at Magic Kingdom, so I got out of there pretty fast. So I dont think its a really common thing to run into.

Thats another problem, if I do see someone get sick I feel sick myself and then I start to panic. I really want to try and ride TOT when we go in January so I keep researching about it every night lol.

 

[bangzoom6877]

Oh my goodness, yes yes yes!!! I have this fear and I know all about emetophobia. It is such a common fear too, but most people don't speak about it openly because others usually do what you mentioned...they think it is a silly fear and don't realize that while most people do not like to throwup, having a phobia of it is entirely different than simply disliking it the way I dislike getting something like, say, a cold.

I worry when going to theme parks too. But not about people getting sick on rides so much, more about catching something that would make me throwup, like a stomach virus since so many people are in the park each day. Though I am also afraid to see or hear someone vomiting, I am definitely 100 times more fearful of vomiting myself. My 3 year old son started school 3 days a week this year and has already been sick twice, once with a cold and another time with pink-eye, which his 7-month-old brother caught from him even though I kept them away from each other. My worst fear right now is my son getting one of those awful stomach bugs, and having to take care of him. How do you deal with that? I would be so scared of catching it myself, and it would consume me for weeks probably. I get like that when my sister or one of my nieces gets sick for example. And they don't even live with me! The thought of one of those nasty viruses spreading around my own house scares me so.

The other thing I worry about is the rides and getting sick on some of them. I don't know why this is even an issue for me, because even though I feared vomiting as a kid, I used to love rides and mild roller coasters (not spinning rides though), and I have never gotten motion sickness in my life (even on cruises in bad weather like a tropical depression). I guess it has been so long since I regularly went on rides that it is almost like the unknown to me. I am hoping to get the courage to at least take my son on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. He should be tall enough before we go in July, and that seems like a good starting point for me. I took him on a kiddie roller coaster at Dutch Wonderland in PA this summer. He loved it, but I was dreading it since it had been so long since I went on rides. But I did not show him my nervousness, and I actually enjoyed the ride with him.

So how do people deal with this fear when they have small kids who get sick? I am afraid I will not be able to care for my own kids and I feel terrible about it. I can deal with anything else but vomiting (bloody cuts and scrapes, nasty runny noses, dirtiest diapers, etc.). Plus I don't want my children to end up having this awful phobia like I do. So how do I hide it from them? I go crazy whenever there is a stomach virus going around.

Thanks for reading everyone, and sorry this is so long! This really is a great thread though, so many people have this fear and are afraid to go to crowded places like theme parks because of it.

Take care,
Bonnie

 

[bangzoom6877]

Oh and one more thing........

I also keep researching about the rides! I actually go onto youtube.com to watch videos of the rides. Gotta know before I go!

 

[tiink3rbella]

I'm glad someones on the same page with me.

Thats something I worry about. I don't have any kids yet but I am scared for when I do have them that I will get morning sickness and I am scared of what to do when the kids get sick. I'll feel just horrible if they are sick and I run away from them instead of helping them, and eventually they would catch the fear too and that wouldn't be any good. I don't really mind when newborns have spitup for some reason, but when its someone else then I probably end up making them feel even worse then they already to by asking them a million questions like "Are you okay?" "Is it cleaned up yet?" "Did you eat something bad?"... you know the deal. I hope by the time I'm ready to have kids I'll be able to help them out, or at least have a good husband who will understand and clean up after them lol.

 

[tiink3rbella]

Oh and one more thing........

I also keep researching about the rides! I actually go onto youtube.com to watch videos of the rides. Gotta know before I go!

HAHA I did that too! I've watched about 5 different videos of TOT and a few on black thunder railroad. I been on one real rollercoaster in Busch Gardens and it was actually kinda fun... but it was still scary at the same time.

Oh and I HATE spinning rides, just looking at them makes me feel sick lol

 

[Eljay]

Please don't go anywhere near Mission:Space in Epcot.
The ride is notorious for causing people to throw up!
There are 2 versions now, the original spinning version, which caused the problem for so many people and a new non-spinning version. The ride actually has air sick bags in the compartment with you. I fortunately don't share your phobia, but I certainly sympathize and suggest you avoid being anywhere near the exit of this ride.

Otherwise, you should be fine. Try to plan your trip when there are less people, when the weather is cooler and avoid Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival on weekend evenings!

 

[MickeysGirl]

Boy tiink3rbella, you sound exactly like me! It's kind of nice to know I'm not strange. I've never really talked about my phobia with anyone.

As for the parks, I share your concerns. When I'm there, I'm constantly scanning for people who I think might get sick near me. I'm not as concerned with catching something and throwing up myself, but seeing or hearing someone get sick. I would second the advice to stay away from the Mission: Space area. I also avoid the bathrooms that are on that side (by MouseGear). That is from personal experience of seeing people be sick there. I also feel somewhat nervous on the Star Tours ride, because I have seen people be sick after that. If someone was sick on that ride and I had to be strapped in near them for the remainder of the ride, I would have a horrible panic attack.

I have seen many people be sick in Disney World, but it has not stopped me from going back. I do have "flashbacks" where I'll remember each area that I saw someone be sick in, but it is not bad enough to stop me from going. Other than certain areas by Mission:Space, I'm not bothered enough to have to avoid those places where I saw someone get sick.

So, my advice would be....Go and have a good time but allow yourself room to leave an area if you start to feel nervous about someone.

 

[nataliela]

I had a friend with this phobia. A therapist probably wouldn’t suggest this, but we got her drunk one night and she threw up. She didn’t even realize she was doing it. And after she noticed that she wasn’t hurt or panicking, she got over her fear.

 

[mamaprincess]

I've read many articles that state that rotovirus season is from November-March (cold months through early spring). We've gone to WDW when it was hot and did not catch anything nor did we see anything. However, when we went for christmas in 06, we saw a girl get sick in a bathroom sink in GF. My youngest daughter came down with it a couple of days later. Prior to going, there were many threads last year around November about how active the virus was with many personal accounts.

What you can do:

There is a new Rotovirus vaccine that you can request for yourself and children (for those of you that have them). You can go to WDW late spring through summer as there will be much less of a chance that you will get it then.

We had never had any problems with it at WDW and had never seen anyone get sick there until we went during December. I guess it was just luck of the draw.

 

[k_null81]

I share your fear! I grew up with a brother that woud get car sick and could never make it to a bathroom either. Not while in the car of course I wouldn't expect that. I do get extremely nervous in situations that people may get sick. I was in the ER back in March and I was on edge the whole time while I was waitng to be seen. My blood pressure and my heart rate was higher then usual. Of course as soon as I was in a room by myself my heart rate & blood pressure went back to normal.

I also am worried if I decide to have children that I won't be able to clean up after them or take care of them when they have the flu. I have 4 dogs and I can usually clean that up ok but the are all under 11 pounds so it's not very much at all.

Anyways I can't think of a time where I have seen anyone get sick at Disney and if I did it sure wouldn't keep me away from Disney. I love it too much!

And TOT is a must!!!! It's not bad at all. I was afraid to go on it the 1st two times I visited and by the 3rd visit I was like I need to suck it up! It's one of my favorite rides now!

And one last thing as stated in a earlier post. I wouldn't recommend going on Mission Space at all. Rode it once! Never ever again. I didn't like how it made me feel. Plus I don't trust a ride that has barf bags on it.

 

[k_null81]

Sorry posted twice. For some reason Disboards have been running slow for me.

 

[k_null81]

Speaking from experience that doesn't work for everyone! I have gotten drunk once and worshiped the toliet all night long. Have not really drank since then and that was 5 years ago. Not worth the risk!

I had a friend with this phobia. A therapist probably wouldn’t suggest this, but we got her drunk one night and she threw up. She didn’t even realize she was doing it. And after she noticed that she wasn’t hurt or panicking, she got over her fear.

 

[michaels_princess]

I've got severe emetophobia, and can honestly say I haven't had a problem down there...and I saw some vomit on the road once by the teacups...my DH expected me to wig out, but I was just like "oh...someone must have spun their kid around too fast and it didn't agree with their tummy...poor baby hope it didn't ruin their day". That was it for me. I haven't gotten sick while in Disney World, either...except one day when I had coffee and had to go lay down for a few hours because coffee makes me ill...

on a completely DIFFERENT note, I have only been 3 times since I was a kid, and I'm going for my 4th time in Jan/Feb...but I have one interesting story about getting sick there (not vomiting):

I caught Mono. It takes a month to incubate, and I knew that it was the only timeI could have possibly caught it, and I came down with it EXACTALLY a month after the 3rd day of my vacation. Spent three weeks in bed with Mono...and everytime someone called to check on me I'd tell them that I caught Mono from the Monorail. DH and I had been joking EVERY time we got on the monorail "Can you catch Mono from the Monorail?" NAAAAAAH. Well now whenever I'm on it we laugh histerically.

Not to steal your thread, but this reminded me.

Disney is too magical to have an anxiety attack while you're down there, don't worry you'll be just fine!

 

[tiink3rbella]

Just got home from work, its good to know that I'm not the only person with these fears! You all made me feel very welcomed to talk about the situation. Thank you to those who dont have the fear but offered tips I DEFINATELY do not want to go near mission space haha. I think thats cause the time I was down there a woman died a few days after from a headache she got on it... Supposedly she had preexisting medical problems.

 

[tiink3rbella]

I caught Mono. It takes a month to incubate, and I knew that it was the only timeI could have possibly caught it, and I came down with it EXACTALLY a month after the 3rd day of my vacation. Spent three weeks in bed with Mono...and everytime someone called to check on me I'd tell them that I caught Mono from the Monorail. DH and I had been joking EVERY time we got on the monorail "Can you catch Mono from the Monorail?" NAAAAAAH. Well now whenever I'm on it we laugh histerically.

hahaha thats to much!

 

[bangzoom6877]

tiink3rbella: I have 2 children and never threwup once while pregnant. I was pretty nauseous at the beginning, especially with the second one, but it was not constant and I never vomited. One thing about people with emetophobia...usually they rarely vomit, even from common things like pregnancy. I did, however, vomit a little from a stomach virus close to 2 years ago. Thought at the time it was not so bad and I felt much better...continued on the next day only to have my fear completely back, even though I thought I had gotten over it (this has happened to me a few times since I was 11 years old or so and I am now 30!).

I had already planned to avoid Mission Space like the plague! But thanks for the tip! On cruise ships in the past whenever I saw the seasick bags out in the hallway, I knew rough weather was coming and would panic. If I were on a ride like that I would have to just exit before it started! Some people think I am chicken, but if I am there for a good time then what's the sense in being scared silly?

Glad I am not alone, but I seriously need to learn to enjoy rides again like I did as a child. I am thinking of starting slow, like at Dutch Wonderland this past summer, a kiddie coaster! So maybe the Barnstormer child coaster with my son at MK and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I think I can handle those with no problem, most likely! Anyone have experience with these?