Phobias

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Does anyone else have phobias along with their anxiety?

I used to have Really bad phobia of dying but got cut for it, but now I have Phobia of going to the toilet in other peoples houses and it makes me not visit friends and family

Does anyone else struggle with something like this? I'm going to cbt again soon but it is driving me mad not to mention it is embarrassing to tell people

Many Aspies develop phobias. Sometimes these phobias can grow and intensify and turn into Agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which an individual fears and avoids places or situations that might cause them to panic and feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. They fear an actual or anticipated situation. These situations can include open spaces, public transit, shopping centers, being in a crowd, or simply being outside their home. The anxiety is caused by fear that there's no easy way to escape or get help if the anxiety intensifies. Most people who have agoraphobia develop it after having one or more panic attacks, causing them to worry about having another attack and avoid the places where it may happen again. People with agoraphobia often have a hard time feeling safe in any public place, especially where crowds gather. They may feel that they need a companion, such as a relative or friend, to go with them to public places. The fear can be so overwhelming that they may feel unable to even leave their home.

Sharks

For years I've had really bad emetophobia, which is the fear of vomiting. When I was a young adult it was so bad that I wondered if I was going to have this fear for the rest of my life and I didn't think I could go on living if I did.

It's not as severe now, but I'm still anxious and uneasy when I'm around people who are sick and possibly contagious, and I refuse to fly or ride a boat, and I avoid alcohol, although getting sick from alcohol isn't the only reason I avoid it.

I'm afraid of bees and wasps. Used to be really afraid of needles too, but that's more or less under control now.

Tokatekika wrote - Its more the fear of having an accident or people hearing me on the loo if that makes sense... I had a bad tummy on holiday once and had a panic attack and ever since I've been scared of suddenly getting a bad tummy... But the fear of It happening and the anxiety itself gives me a bad tummy like a vicious cycle

According to the Internet:

Ever wonder why you get “butterflies” in your stomach before doing something stressful? Or why you feel like your stomach is “tied in knots” after an argument? Ever had a meeting with a toilet that went longer than expected and it wasn’t caused by anything you ate? Stomach problems are one of the most common symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Researchers have identified a powerful connection between the gut and the brain. Like the brain, the gut is full of nerves. It contains the largest area of nerves outside the brain with the digestive tract and the brain sharing many of the same nerve connections.

Whether it’s a single nerve-wracking event or chronic worry and stress over time, stress can exact a physical toll on your digestive system. When you are anxious, some of the hormones and chemicals released by your body enter your digestive tract, where they interfere with digestion. They have a negative effect on your gut flora (microorganisms that live in the digestive tract and aid digestion) and decrease antibody production. The resulting chemical imbalance can cause a number of gastrointestinal conditions.

Common stress-related gut symptoms and conditions include:

* indigestion
* stomach cramps
* diarrhea
* constipation
* loss of appetite
* unnatural hunger
* nausea
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
* and peptic ulcers

Once you suffer with one of these conditions, the condition itself can become a source of anxiety and greatly impact your quality of life. I have had many patients who experience diarrhea for example, who develop a fear having accidents in their pants which makes them afraid to leave their home or go certain places. If you experience stomach cramps or indigestion, you might become fearful of these symptoms causing you to limit where and what you eat which could impact your social life.

Source: How to Calm an Anxious Stomach: The Brain-Gut Connection

The article then goes onto describing 6 tips for reducing stress and anxiety.

I will recommend adding one more to the list. The next time you go in for a medical check-up, have yourself tested for
Helicobacter pylori infection. This is a fairly common bacterial infection and can cause these gut symptoms. About two-thirds of the world’s population has it in their bodies.

Source: What Is H. pylori?

I believe I read that the breath test is the most accurate method of assessing this condition.

Thank you for taking the time to look into that, definitely sounds like Me

Not heard of the gut bacteria thing but I'll definitely look into it thank you

Aichomophobia, which is a fear of sharp objects. In my case, a fear of knives because whenever I see a knife I believe I will use the knife to inflict self-harm or go on a bloody rampage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aichmophobia