Woman petrified of vomiting in public hasn’t left home for two years

A young woman is so afraid of being sick that she has been confined to the house for years.

22-year-old Kiera Jimson can’t go out because she’s petrified of throwing up in public.

She developed a rare phobia, called emetophobia, after being bullied as a child, and it escalated after having multiple surgeries for kidney stones two years ago.

The worry that she overcomes by being potentially ill also causes nausea in Kiera, which turns her into a vicious cycle.

“The whole experience is scary for me,” she said.

“Even nausea is something I fear – and I get it every day – but, let’s be honest, no one likes to be sick.

“I feel stuck. At the moment, my condition is the worst it has ever been.

“It’s very debilitating and very lonely, really. “

Kiera, from Cambridgeshire, worked as an optical assistant and was doing well until she developed the phobia and was unable to go to work every day.

She left her post in November 2019 and accepted a part-time job at a local school, where she felt reduced hours might suit her better.

But she had to quit her job again because she struggled so much to be away from home.

“I think, combined with the pandemic, that’s what made my condition as bad as it is now,” she said.

“The last time I got out well and was okay was at my sister’s wedding in 2019.

“I haven’t been in a relationship for a few years – I just wouldn’t want anyone else to do business with me, and of course, I’m not really dating.

“I wish I could let go of that feeling so I could live my life. I’ve missed so many things.

For Kiera, the illness stems from teenage anxiety and depression, which she has suffered for over 11 years after being bullied in school.

Despite seeking professional help and trying various treatments including hypnotherapy, medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), she says her condition has worsened over the past year.

Kiera feels unable to leave the house and is unable to work, and sometimes even has trouble getting off.

The complex fear has turned into agoraphobia – a type of anxiety disorder that involves the fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult.

Although she couldn’t determine the exact day her fear of vomiting started, Kiera remembers that she was only 13 years old and spent the evening of her soccer presentation in the bathroom at panic.

Although she did not realize it at the time, a phobia of vomit that had lasted for a decade was developing.

In recent years, Kiera has experienced “extreme” and “intense” panic episodes – which can be triggered by something as simple as seeing her GP.

“I started to panic as soon as I got in the car. When I got to my doctor’s office, I was shaking and crying uncontrollably, ”she said.

“I always try not to do that because I feel like that’s when people start to look at you and stare at you, but at that point I couldn’t physically not stop me.

“It was so horrible because I couldn’t control what was going on at all and I felt so embarrassed.”

Kiera has several “safety behaviors” in place when she begins to feel bad, including chewing gum, drinking water, and staying cool.

But nothing really alleviated the anxiety associated with vomiting.

Things came to a head last year when Kiera needed a sedative to make an emergency dentist appointment.

Her doctor gave her diazepam before the appointment and an exception was made to allow her best friend, Abby, to accompany her for moral support.

The chronic pain resulting from Kiera’s kidney stones has only increased her anxiety and the family thinks this may be partly to blame for her poor reaction to the drugs.

She is currently awaiting further surgery for her kidney stones, which terrifies her.

Kiera said, “This is something that always worries me because in the long run it will help me, but I still have a terrible reaction to the anesthesia.

“As soon as I wake up I’m sick and it’s not going to go away for a while.

“Sometimes I am sick for a few days and have to stay in the hospital.”

Kiera has worked with a mental health nurse and says she was told medical professionals were running out of treatment suggestions for her.

In addition to exploring options through the NHS, Kiera also paid for private treatment – including hypnotherapy.

However, during her second session, she was told that they could not help her and that she should instead return to her GP.

The rejection left Kiera desperate and worried that she would never be cured.

Her sister Jade has now decided to come up with a step-by-step plan to help her leave the house.

Her goals include going out into the garden to play with her parents and dog, sit in the car on her journey, go for walks, and learn TikTok dances.

To help calm her down, Kiera uses chewing gum and sick bags, performs breathing exercises, and takes meditation classes on YouTube.

By sharing her story, the 22-year-old hopes she can raise awareness about this little-known disease and help others silently suffering from emetophobia.

According to Anxiety UK, between 1 and 7% of people suffer from emetophobia.

The family is currently fundraising for mental health charities to raise awareness and has started a program GoFundMe page.