Emetophobia is an extreme and irrational fear of vomiting. People with this disorder are afraid of having to throw up, especially in situations where they cannot leave. Often they are also afraid to see others vomit. People with emetophobia usually think that they are the only ones and don’t dare to tell their environment. Doctors often don’t recognize this phobia.

Cause

Cause

Ever in the lives of people with emetophobia, vomiting has become linked to fear. That is the result of a traumatic incident that has happened in their childhood. They have avoided the risk of vomiting, because of a slight anxiety. From then, the fear just got worse, causing an extreme fear (a phobia). Although their lives have been dominated by nausea and the fear of vomiting, these people ironically often have not vomited for years.

Symptoms

Symptoms

As in case of a phobia, people do everything to avoid what they are anxious about. That means for people suffering from emetophobia that they avoid any situation in which they can vomit or possibly see others do it. Because of this, they may have the following behavior:

Diagnosis

Diagnosis

Although emetophobia is a common condition, it’s seldom recognized as such. This has several causes. First, the phobia is relatively unknown to general practitioners and psychologists. Because of the unfamiliarity and multitude of problems, with which patients go to the general practitioner or psychologist, another diagnosis is often made, such as agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (because of the compulsions), hypochondria or anorexia nervosa (if the patient doesn’t eat to prevent nausea).

Treatment

Treatment

Emetophobia can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes in combination with medicines, such as antidepressants or sedatives. First must be clear through conversations where the fear of vomiting comes from, what caused the phobia and how it’s maintained.
Another therapy used is the so-called exposure. Here, a person is gradually, in a safe environment, exposed to that which evokes the fear, so that it can be made manageable step by step. In this case, it may include photos and videos of people vomiting, with the shown getting worse and worse.
There are other options, such as hypnotherapy or relaxation therapy. A combination will often be employed in practice. In any case, it is necessary to confront the fear in order to get rid of it.

Prognosis

Prognosis

When emetophobia occurs, there is usually a vicious circle. Because the patient fears his or her own body, the disorder often has extensive consequences. Emetophobia leads to a strongly reduced quality of life and causes limitations in social and professional functioning. Often, untreated emetophobia has a chronic course and leads to loneliness and depression.

Considerations

Considerations

Facts

Facts