What is Emetophobia?
by Katherine Pica LCSW
Heights, flying, water, storms, closed spaces, public speaking. What do all of these things have in common? These are all common fears or phobias that someone can develop in their lifetime. The truth is that someone can have a fear of anything.
A less obvious but understandable fear is emetophobia, or the fear of throwing up.The reality is that no one actually enjoys throwing up. That being said, it’s considered a normal bodily function, just like going to the bathroom. However some can develop a fear of it and it actually can greatly impact life.
Let’s learn more about emetophobia and how to seek help.
What is Emetophobia?
Emetophobia is a fear of throwing up, getting sick, watching someone else vomit, or seeing vomit. People who deal with emetophobia have a constant fear that they will get sick or they’ll hear, smell, or see someone else get sick. Throwing up is one of those things that can happen when you least expect it. The lack of control that someone feels can add to the anxiety of this diagnosis.
The Cause
The cause of emetophobia is still unknown. However we believe that both genetics and learning can affect phobias. Sometimes traumatic vomiting experience or past negative experience with vomiting could also be a likely cause of developing this condition. Family history can also increase the likelihood of developing emetophobia. If your family has a history of fears or phobias, you may be more likely to develop a similar condition. Preexisting mental health conditions like anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can also be a factor.
Common Triggers
These are some of the most common triggers of emetophobia:
Bodily functions like burping, coughing, or hiccuping
Choking sensations
Experiencing other types of illness like acid reflux or diarrhea
Feeling nauseous
Finding out someone they know is sick or experiencing food poisoning
Hearing about someone puking
Motion sickness, turbulence, or bumpy car rides
Reading about someone vomiting
Seeing other people or animals gag or vomit
Smelling something unpleasant
The appearance of vomit
Words like “vomit,” “throw up,” “puke,” “hurl,” and “blow chunks.”
Thinking about vomiting in the past
Trying a new food or beverage they’ve never had before
Watching a television show or a movie with a vomiting scene
Trying an unsafe food
The Effect of Emetophobia
Emetophobia can affect an individual much more than just making them afraid of vomit. Emetephbia can significantly impact life and cause significant impairment. Due to this existing fear, they may experience other secondary fears, worries, or anxieties. These are some of the other common fears that are related to emetophobia:
Choking on vomit
Going to a hospital
Not being able to find a bathroom
Secondhand embarrassment from vomiting
Fear of feeling uncomfortable or making others uncomfortable
Fear of never being able stop vomiting
The Behaviors of Emetophobia
Emetophobia can also bring on behaviors to try to avoid seeing, hearing, or smelling vomit or getting sick.
Someone experiencing emetophobia may develop disordered eating and drinking habits. They may avoid foods and beverages that cause them to vomit previously. They may also avoid eating when they’re out because they aren’t able to control a food’s quality, temperature, bacteria, and more.
Other avoidant behaviors may include avoiding people or places due to germs or diseases. Someone with this diagnosis may also limit television or social media.
A sense of over-preparedness may also develop. Extra time may be spent planning for one-off situations. Someone may be on the lookout for the nearest bathroom.
Here is the thing about vomit though. VOmit actually protects us! If we have eaten bad food to have a stomach bug it is the body’s way of naturally cleaning itself. Vomiting is inevitable and totally out of our control. The problem with emetophobia is that all the worries and compulsions are trying to prevent vomit. Vomit is something that will happen from time to time in our lives. Worrying can not stop it.
Next Steps
Although emetophobia isn’t talked about as much as some of the other common fears, it is still a well-known fear among both children and adults. One of the treatment options is to seek additional support via therapy. The most supported approach for Emetophobia Is ERP. ERP can help you get back into life by reducing avoidance and rumination. Step by step it can help you chip away at the challenges. ERP is a suppressed approach that can help you get back into your life.
At Resilience Counseling we are trained in Exposure and Response prevention, (ERP) and specialize in the treatment of Emetophobia, OCD and anxiety. We work with this day in and day out and have helped so many like you who have struggled overcome these challenges. We can help you too! Contact us today to book a consultation call.
