Emetophobia is an irrational fear of vomiting
The person suffering from this condition may fear the act of vomiting itself, or even just the sight of seeing someone vomit. Emetophobia is a wide ranging phobia and some elements of the condition are based on an underlying fear or anxiety.
There is no single definite cause. Experts believe that sufferers may have experienced traumatic events in childhood where they vomited and had trouble breathing, or they may have vomited and afterwards punished severely for doing so. Others may have developed this fear just by seeing a close family friend or parent vomit as a child and this memory may have remained until adulthood. In some people, prolonged bouts of vomiting may predispose a person to develop this condition once he reaches adulthood.
Are you a sufferer?
There are certain traits that when put together may suggest the presence of emetophobia. A person may be afraid to go out to eat for fear that she would get sick. There is also the fear of seeing other people or being near others who may vomit unexpectedly. People who have this condition may find it difficult to concentrate on basic tasks since the thought of vomiting is always on their mind.
In severe cases, an inability to think of other things besides vomiting can affect work or children can have their school activities affected. It may also affect the ability to form social relationships. People who have emetophobia may also be underweight. This is because they tend to eat only the ‘safe’ foods that they consider safe enough to eat without vomiting. Going to the dentist or having surgery can result to intense panic attacks since these are situations where the possibility of vomiting also arises.
Associated Conditions
Emetophobia is linked to other anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia, which is a fear of wide, open, and unfamiliar places. This disorder may result in sufferers feeling like they cannot go out of their homes for fear that something bad will happen to them if they do. Other linked conditions are eating disorders. In some cases, the reduced or absent desire to eat may result in the development of an eating disorder. Sufferers who have this condition are also prone to developing obsessive-compulsive disorders, being comforted by rituals that helps give the impression of being in control.
Many people who have the condition develop deep social anxiety. This condition is characterized by worrying about potential situations where he or she may be required to interact with people or even speak in front of a group.
The disorder is the largest to affect individuals and is apparent when a person, who usually is calm when alone, becomes tense, anxious, and agitated when in the presence of other people. Those who have this disorder often fear being introduced or being teased, do not like to be the center of attention, and do not like to be watched while doing something.
Some people feel particularly anxious when about to meet those in authority, while others may fear having to meet new people in social situations. People may experience severe bouts of anxiety when expected to mingle with others in a room. This is the reason why those who have the condition tend to stay indoors most of the time and isolate themselves from the rest of the population, making diagnosis even more difficult
Treatment Options
There are various options for the management and treatment of the fear of vomiting. For immediate treatment, your doctor can prescribe antiemetics, drugs that suppress the vomiting reflex. This is a short-term option and is not suitable for continued use on a daily basis. Some doctors prescribe antidepressants for patients because of the condition. The social withdrawal and inability to function properly can predispose any person with emetophobia to develop depression.
For long-term treatment, there is cognitive behavior therapy. This is one of the most common forms of therapy for this type of phobia since it helps the patient understand his behaviour and the thoughts patterns that drive irrational behaviour. After these behaviours had been identified, coping mechanisms can start to be developed. Another type of therapy found to be helpful is desensitised, where the patient is slowly and gradually exposed to the objects of his fears. This could be images of people vomiting, the sound of someone vomiting, or actual situations where he sees someone vomiting. Exposing the person to these cues on a regular basis will allow them to get used to the images so that later on these cues will no longer have any effect . In extreme cases, the person may be encouraged to vomit. Some people actually feel better after having done so and finding out that nothing bad happened to them after the vomiting episode.However, there some that consider this type of treatment highly questionable.
Hypnotherapy is another popular choice especially for severe forms of the condition. Others may also feel comfortable with self-help. Many sufferers read books, meditate, and reach out by joining support groups. Talking about the experience and joining a community of fellow sufferers can offer great encouragement, once the initial barrier of recognising the condition has been overcome, especially if he or she sees other patients overcoming their fears.
It is a debilitating condition that can have a dramatic effect on quality of life. In severe case, someone suffering from this condition is unable to live a normal life, will fail to form thriving relationships, and do poorly at work or at school since he or she is preoccupied with this fear.
Emetophobia can be both managed and cured
However, it can be managed successfully with a careful blend of therapies as well as medication, which can allow sufferers to live normal lives despite the condition.
Sometimes one will start with natural, non invasive home based treatment.