I suffer from crippling emetophobia. When my kids complain of a sore stomach my mind turns straight to gastro or if they work with someone that has had it and they bring it home. Gastro is so contagious it just destroys me menatlly and physically. How do i overcome this
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How old are your kids? It does get better as they get older. I haven't had gastro for years but I was getting it all the time when the kids were little. I remember that feeling of dread whenever one of the kids were sick, I never got to rest I was looking after kids when I was sick too. If I think of when my kids were little being sick and still having to do everything is definitely one of the worst memories from that time. You can try all the things that help immunity like vitamin C, D, maybe some probiotic for gut health and some charcoal tablets. I never used charcoal tablets when I had gastro but I've heard they help gastro. The usual handwashing, not sharing things like drinks, towels, sleep in their own beds etc.
God. I feel this so much...
When my kids were in early primary school, we had gastro about 6 or 7 times within the space of a year (we also had the flu twice, conjunctivitis, nits and hand, foot and mouth during that year as well). I actually ended up with a gut infection from it that took 6 months to get over, I developed food intolerances and IBS (both of which I still have to manage to this day). My mental health really took a dive as well.
When my kids come home from school now and tell me someone puked at school or has been off with gastro - my anxiety goes through the roof. I also have a co-worker who is so casual about it as well, she'll just slip into conversation that her kids were up the night before vomiting. All I can think about after that is how she's probably infected and is contaminating our workspace with her gastro germs. Just talking about it makes me feel nauseated.
I have found that the anticipation is worse though, so I've asked my kids not to tell me if there's been sick kids at school or a bout of gastro going around. What I don't know I can't stress about. Ignorance is very much bliss on that regard.
If one of my kids have a fever or a stomach ache, that can be stressful too but I try and keep my mind over matter. If they get sick, we'll deal with it when it comes and get through it.
I'm super strict about hygiene now too.